I missed this tonight, so was this a sitcom? Was it any good? Should I watch next week...?
Man To Man With Dean Learner
I think it's a case of "watch this space". It's a spoof chat show in the mould of Knowing Me Knowing You. Dean Learner is the producer from Darkplace, and the show is set in his penthouse. He was interviewing Garth tonight and it was pretty funny in parts (although most of the laughs were coming from Holness, apart from a rant about toilets at parties)
It's hard to tell how well it will go from here as Holness will play different characters each week, so I think its a case of take each one as it comes.
There was a welcome apperance from Sanchez in the clip from Marenghis new "Wasp War" film, or whatever it was called. I love that guy.
"You and he were buddies, right?"
Thought it was a good first episode, but hopefully will get better. Some great bits though, and did anyone else wish that the War with the giant wasps bit was a full length thing? It was really good! Im dissapointed dark place wasnt given another series as I really think it could have run,, perhaps with each series, for no reason, in a different location. For the second series the hospital could have been on the moon in a rubish 'space 1999' type style!
I had been looking forward to this - I really liked Darkplace, especially Skipper the Eyechild - but this didn't work for me. The chatshow set-up was stilted (and not only in the deliberate way). By far the best bits were the filmed sections. However, it's early days. I remember being about to give up on Darkplace in episode one until the patient exploded.
I missed the second show last night. Anyone see it? Any thoughts?
Only saw the first one... Not impressed, unfortunately.
Dean Learner isn't an interesting comedic figure (like Partridge is). And there was absolutely no drama, no conflict, just some fairly dull Q&A in which neither character was explored or revealed things about themselves or their relationship which wasn't already obvious from Darkplace. So it becomes just a rattling off of mildly amusing gags, interspersed with short filmed clips, one of which was okay (the wasp war), one of which was dull (the paintings). What made Knowing Me, Knowing You so succesful was that Partridge was spectacularly unsuited to the talk show host job, and he botched every single interview in a different way, either revealing his own weaknesses or pushing the wrong buttons in his guests.
Perhaps Learner would work better if there was a real celeb being interviewed together with a fictional character, so there was more to play off of. I mean, put J.K. Rowling (for example) together with Garth Marengi, and have Learner ask the proper idiotic questions, and you might get a really surprising and bitingly funny show (or segment). Now, the whole thing smacks of self-contentment, it's too much of an in-joke between talented performers rather than a truly involving and challenging show.
Having watched three episodes so far, it strikes me as decidely average, which I suspect might explain why it's been buried fairly late on Friday nights. It's not a patch on Knowing Me, Knowing You and is a very disappointing follow up to the mighty Garth Merenghi's Dark Place.
Have enjoyed this myself, after spending so much on DARKPLACE its obvious they were given less money, which would explain some of the staticness, but Ive still found it very funny. Loved The Apprentice bit in the second episode, and the weird SCI-FI guy in episode three who sets alight!
It really hasn't done it for me so far. Which is a real shame cause I expected so much more.
I'm afraid I've given up on it. Tried watching episodes 2 and 3 but found it a bit of a painful experience I'm afraid. There's probably another good programme to be had with the Dean Learner and Garth Marenghi characters, but this isn't it as far as I'm concerned.
Quote: Badge @ November 7, 2006, 8:08 PMThere's probably another good programme to be had with the Dean Learner and Garth Marenghi characters, but this isn't it as far as I'm concerned.
There is another good programme there. Its called Darkplace 2. Here's hoping.
yeah its dire it seemed like they couldnt be bothered with it 'oh that'll do' kinda of thing its weird how programs like this get commissioned, surely after darkplace they could see that this wasnt up to scratch? all the guests in it dont have any depth there so one dimensional, its just a badly written show, it just shows how good knowing me knowing you actually was/is. hopefully they wont get another series of darkplace i felt they took it as far as it could go and shouldnt wreck the genius that is the first series.
Personally Ive really enjoyed this show.
I have too. Sadly, we seem to be in a minority; the viewing figures according to MediaGuardian, were a "pitiful 300,000".
The last two episodes were not as good as the first two, but they have still made me laugh out-loud. I was also pretty impressed with his guitar playing.
Im not surprised the viewing figures are so poor, its on at a crap time, ten past eleven?!, and has recieved almost no publicity. The only advert I saw for it was after a DARKPLACE repeat!