The Beeb's calling it series 3, but the BCG thinks it's series 4.
The fact that it doesn't seem to have a thread yet makes me wonder whether the BBC under-promoted it. I certainly didn't know it was on until it was on.
What did everyone think?
I have an opinion, but I don't think I want to share it until I know it's the right one.
Quote: Kevin Murphy @ October 28 2012, 10:38 PM GMTWhat did everyone think?
Aside from the Question Time sketch, which did make me laugh, I thought that this new series of Harry and Paul stank of week old donkey shit.
I really couldn't believe just how terrible the writing was, the tired feel of the humour and the hackneyed use of wigs and 'funny' voices.
It was like watching a half hour of Aviva adverts. Poor.
Quote: Renegade Carpark @ October 28 2012, 10:44 PM GMTAside from the Question Time sketch, which did make me laugh, I thought that this new series of Harry and Paul stank of week old donkey shit.
The QT sketch was definitely the highlight by a mile.
Quote: Kevin Murphy @ October 28 2012, 10:38 PM GMTThe Beeb's calling it series 3, but the BCG thinks it's series 4.
The fact that it doesn't seem to have a thread yet makes me wonder whether the BBC under-promoted it. I certainly didn't know it was on until it was on.
What did everyone think?
I have an opinion, but I don't think I want to share it until I know it's the right one.
The BBC's system is pretty ropey; it often struggles with even the smallest variations in programme titles, filing 'and' separately to '&', and seems to need someone smart enough to come along and pay specific attention to merge such erroneous records. The confusion here of course comes from the second series onwards dropping the original Ruddy Hell! It's prefix.
I've only seen trailers for the show broadcasting on BBC HD, and only for a week.
Anyway. A few chuckles of which the Question Time sketch was certainly one, but most of the programme seemed a mix of the limp and the repetitive. But then it has been downhill all the way since Ruddy Hell! It's Harry & Paul.
I wouldn't describe the show as bad, it didn't anger or frustrate me in the way some do - it was just a bit 'meh'.
It really beggars belief how the BBC continue to recommission all the wrong and undeserving shows (and hasn't really done much to encourage more from popular, successful and actually funny comedy series like The Mighty Boosh and Pulling) - but then again this is the TV corperation that in the past has commissioned 3 series of After You've Gone AND Life Of Riley when even the first episodes of those 2 shows was one too many.
Now we are up to series 4 (which is more series than Chums, Television Programme or even The Fast Show ever had) of Harry & Paul...and it just boggles the mind. There are unfunny sitcoms/sketch shows and then there are those from reliable old seasoned luminaries of the genre who sadly now have clearly lost whatever raw and fresh, innovative creativity and humour they once possessed in spades in their heyday.
In the early 90s - 20 YEARS AGO - Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse were pure genius (though Kathy Burke was also responsible for a lot of that too, of course). Kevin the Teenager, Smashie and Nicie, Tim-Nice-But Dim, Wayne and Waynetta Slob, The Scousers, Mr Cholmondeley-Warner, Julio Geordio, Lee and Lance, Michael Paine the Self-Righteous Brothers, Captain Stefan Van Der Haast Graacht, Stan and Pam, Mr You-Don't-Wanna-Do-It-Like-That, The Old Gits, Harry and Lulu......Harry and Paul were pure, pure genius at genuinely hilarious character comedy and their work together back then is as funny now as it was at the time...perhaps even more so seeing as there's seemingly so much sheer unfunniness to be found on TV nowadays.
Now to go from those heights of inspired genius to such sketch ideas as 'I Saw You Coming' is just...well...it's embarrassing. In that sketch you really do have the same joke....no actually make that a unfunny beaten, dead horse of a so called 'joke'....repeated again and again through out until the sketch finally ends whilst never having created any real narrative or development for anyone or of anything.
...and don't even get me started on that run of sketches in previous series of this show where Enfield plays a man who likes to emphasise how important he is. What must go through their heads when writing such a sketch? "Right, we're in the age of bleeding edge British comedy like Peep Show, The Thick Of It and Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle - now how should we convey how important this man thinks he is? I know! Let's have him say 'I'm very important' over and over agin. That's 21st century comedy gold, isn't it?'
I saw four sketches, then turned it off. At least one should have raised a smile. Harry and Paul must be laughing all the way to the bank, when they found out the BBC would buy their rubbish!
Looks like I'm in the minority "I liked it. Made me laugh all the way through" camp.
At least we all agree the Question Time sketch was funny.
Quote: Charlie Boy @ October 29 2012, 8:33 AM GMTI saw four sketches, then turned it off. At least one should have raised a smile. Harry and Paul must be laughing all the way to the bank, when they found out the BBC would buy their rubbish!
I was amazed at the poor 'sketch' writing. There are far better appearing in critique on this forum.
I mean; Ed Sillyband - come on.
All previous series have been patchy
This wasn't
It was all poor
The sketch with the "I saw you coming" guy?
I.e. You come to my shop and buy any old shit I dangle in front of you ?
Ironic really
As they seem to have this attitude in real life everytime the BBC come calling
Guff
All a bit lazy and tired....
...but the 'Danish' ending was fun.
I quite liked the Strangers on a Train sketch too. The punchline was terrible and unnecessary, but the set up was quite gigglesome.
I used to love anything these two touched, but the last series (which won some prestigious award or other, did it not??) had me despairing at the lack of laughs, so not bothering to suffer through that again this time around.
I gave up on Friday Night Dinner to give this another go. Wish I'd just turned the TV off in the end.
Going to watch this tonight, not holding out a lot of hope, but for old time's sake.....
A couple of men in their fifties, who have been 'doing a turn' for over 30 years.....one laugh a show is still a good hit rate, all things considered.
