Apologies if there is already a thread on this but does anyone remember this gem? Rob Brydon takes on the persona of Peter De Lane, a director who provides a commentary on array of old TV shows he supposedly directed such as Bonanza and Flambards in a typically unself-aware 'Marion and Geoff' style. I re-watched the DVD I bought a while ago and laughed a lot. Thoughts?
Yes, I loved it. Upstairs Downstairs got the treatment too if I recall. Memorably he said something about "...shooting through a headboard..and who hasn't done that before". It made me laugh anyway.
Great show, pity we never got more series. Thank God we got a DVD release of it.
Shocking to think it was on ITV1, wasn't it?
Absolutely cracking series and shows (along with Marion and Geoff and Human Remains) what Rob Brydon was capable of before he devoted himself to presenting.
Only two quibbles I have with this series...
- They started to recycle some of the jokes in some of the later episodes.
- The DVD is not complete as they presumably couldn't get the rights to one of the shows.
Never heard of that. Sounds pretty good, I love Marion and Geoff and what I've seen of Human Remains.
I loved this show too. Shame not many people seem to have heard of it.
Quote: Nick @ September 18 2012, 11:08 PM BST- The DVD is not complete as they presumably couldn't get the rights to one of the shows.
Which ones were missing? I've got the DVD but always thought it was complete.
Quote: Nick @ September 18 2012, 11:08 PM BST- The DVD is not complete as they presumably couldn't get the rights to one of the shows.
Aren't the rights to broadcast are usually stronger than rights to turn into a DVD? Were the rights withdrawn after broadcast?
Quote: Tim Azure @ September 19 2012, 4:33 PM BSTAren't the rights to broadcast are usually stronger than rights to turn into a DVD? Were the rights withdrawn after broadcast?
No. It's satire. They're making direct monetary gain from a DVD.
See also HIGNFY, Russell Howard's Good News, etc; only available in edited highlights on DVD.
Quote: chipolata @ September 19 2012, 3:52 PM BSTWhich ones were missing? I've got the DVD but always thought it was complete.
You can see a clip here from Upstairs Downstairs (I think that's right) which was omitted.
Just seen the news that plans are afoot for a US version of this. Brilliant. It's shameful that more people didn't see the original, cracking writing and Brydon on top form as usual. I do wish he'd go back to these character roles, good as he is as chairman of WILTY, few actors have had as good a run as Marion and Geoff, this, Human Remains and the also ciminally underseen Annually Retentive.
Quote: Nick @ 23rd September 2012, 10:23 AMYou can see a clip here from Upstairs Downstairs (I think that's right) which was omitted.
Sorry to be a complete and utter pedant, but the show in discussion isn't 'Upstairs, Downstairs', it's the later BBC show entitled 'The Duchess of Duke Street', but to be fair, it pretty much has the same production team and many of the stars feature in both shows. When myself and my husband, who are huge fans of both series first saw it, we literally laughed our respective bloomers off.
I also re-watched 'Director's Commentary' about a year ago and yes, it's still funny. I do agree that some of the jokes were re-used a little too frequently though, especially the line 'Mr De Lane, you leave this court without a stain on your character."
