Just watching Auf weidersehen. Clement and La Frenais were probably our greatest screen writers.
Porridge Page 6
Galton and Simpson??
Ricky Gervais?? 
That nerk?!
Quote: lofthouse @ 23rd May 2014, 4:00 PM BSTThat nerk?!
Yes! And now naff off!
I always enjoyed the scenes with Fletch and Grouty. The tension was nearly unbearable, Fletch was so afraid of the mighty Grout and yet managed to sneak in some sarcastic insults into their conversations.
I have just rented and watched Series 1 and yes, it totally lives up to expectations and I look forward to watching the series in order, although I've probably seen all of it in some haphazard form before. Yes, the scripts are very tight and densely packed with pithy dialogue and the performances from both the central characters and the peripheral ones are fantastic. I agree that, apart from references to the economic state of the country and Pan's People, that it hasn't hugely dated, mainly because it was set in the normal 'trapped' sitcom scenario and the clothes/haircuts are set by regulation, rather than dictated by the fashions at the time.
I don't really think it matters what order you watch them in. To my memory there was never any kind of story thread.
Quote: Chappers @ 16th July 2014, 11:48 PM BSTI don't really think it matters what order you watch them in. To my memory there was never any kind of story thread.
It's not linear in the way 'Allo 'Allo! is, but there are a number of things that do happen in order, and refer back to previous episodes.
Let's just hope the Beeb in its infinite wisdom doesn't choose to commission a remake!
Why is Lenny only in half the episodes in Series 1?
He just seems to disappear after the first two or three...
Quote: lofthouse @ 25th January 2015, 12:13 PM GMTWhy is Lenny only in half the episodes in Series 1?
He just seems to disappear after the first two or three...
Just a guess, but maybe they hadn't fully settled on the Fletch/Godber double act. Or possible it clashed with filming Rising Damp, The Lovers or another sitcom he was in. For an actor with such a tragically short career, Richard Beckinsale was quite prolific.
Perhaps he was released on licence.
I have just watched all of series three today and my, wasn't it great? Fantastic scripts, amazing performances and well, just brilliant. I shall rent 'Going Straight' now because I want to give that a whirl too. RIP Messrs Barker, Beckinsale, Kelly and all of the others who made it the classic it undoubtedly still is.
Quote: Chappers @ 22nd May 2014, 10:35 PM BSTJust watching Auf weidersehen. Clement and La Frenais were probably our greatest screen writers.
Although they did recycle gags . . . most noticeably in the James Bond that isn't an official Bond "Never Say Never Again" on which they did a bit of script doctoring . . . Bond is getting a check up in a Health Spa and is asked to fill the flask . . . "From here?".
Quote: ScotiaNova @ 8th March 2015, 6:30 PM GMTAlthough they did recycle gags . . . most noticeably in the James Bond that isn't an official Bond "Never Say Never Again" on which they did a bit of script doctoring . . . Bond is getting a check up in a Health Spa and is asked to fill the flask . . . "From here?".
Talent imitates, genius steals.
Agree that they did nick a fair number of tropes from other writers though 
