It's clearly only been made because they're an established act. What chance do new writers have?
Frankly, this was insulting. Utter bilge from start to finish. People can try and dress it up by saying it hasn't found its feet or something similar, but it was crap. It's actually quite depressing that somebody at BBC3 has read this and thought "this definitely deserves to be on TV."
Quote: Millsy @ July 27 2013, 10:38 AM BSTIt's clearly only been made because they're an established act. What chance do new writers have?
Whatever you think of the show you can't deny that Pappy's have put in the work, they've written lots of live shows, taken them to Edinburgh and festivals around the world, been nominated and won awards over a period of about 5-10 years.
New writers are equally at liberty to do the same or similar.
And it's hardly surprising that performers/writers with a proven track record, albeit in live comedy rather than on TV, would be given precedence over completely unproven new writers.
Quote: Andrew Collins @ July 25 2013, 11:57 AM BSTHmm. Having worked hard on this show, which went down a storm with the studio audiences, it's been dispiriting to read some of the negative comments (not just here).
I wouldn't worry about it mate. None of the people slagging this know shit from a synecdoche.
I could play a game on here popping into threads to see what people say about shows I think are good but it wouldn't be a game because the word game suggests an unpredictable outcome. Generally you shouldn't go against the audience but when it comes to most of the commenters on this thread I would scotch that rule.
I've only seen the one episode (with the five thousand pounds) and basically tuned in to slag it off but was quickly won over by the quality of the gags, acting and set-up.
It seems modelled on The Young Ones - right down to the surreal comedy inserts - incidentally both the Darwin Twitter gag and the signing girl ones were excellent. I even liked the 'three talents' spoof.
So don't feel down that a few twats on here didn't like it, these people aren't behind the curve they're underneath it.
Godot Taxis
Just because some people have differing opinions to you, doesn't mean they deserve to be called twats.
Quote: Tony Cowards @ July 27 2013, 11:16 AM BSTWhatever you think of the show you can't deny that Pappy's have put in the work, they've written lots of live shows, taken them to Edinburgh and festivals around the world, been nominated and won awards over a period of about 5-10 years.
New writers are equally at liberty to do the same or similar.
And it's hardly surprising that performers/writers with a proven track record, albeit in live comedy rather than on TV, would be given precedence over completely unproven new writers.
True, those who put in years of live work deserve a shot. However, I don't agree that writers should have to work in that field as well. It's not like writing music which is much easier for someone to critique your work. Who's gonna spend time reading an unproven writer's 30, 60, 90 page script?
Writing for live performance doesn't necessarily make someone a good sitcom writer, and vice versa. It's very different and doesn't always transfer to screen either. Some writers are good at one, so what do they do? TV writers and authors don't always make good feature screenplay writers, but they get the job over someone unproven.
In the UK they seem to favour 'proven' writers over a good idea, whereas in the States they can be a bit more open to new ideas.
For what it's worth I loved episode 1.
Badults (at least as far as episode 1 shows) is full of plot driven humour, I would not be surprised if the original script ran at an hour and had to be cut down, and the jokes came thick and fast. (And plot driven sitcoms are far harder to write than sitcoms with little plot, where the characters sit around insulting each other for 30 mins, like Two Pints, Grownups, Coming Of Age, Vicious etc.)
The end of episode 1 showed how well it was written, being full of callbacks to the first scene.
Yeah there was a few gags I would have cut or changed, but it is easy to look back with rose tinted glasses at our favourite sitcoms and ignore the flaws (eg The Vicar of Dibley's over use of 'no no no... yes', the wobbly Fawlty Towers sets, and I think Blackadder may have had the odd historical inaccuracy...)
Maybe it helped that I've seen Pappy's live (a few years ago in Portsmouth) so was familiar with the style of comedy.
So come on, give Badults a chance and see what happens with episode 2 (if you don't BBC3 will commission another terrible clone of 2 Pints, Grownups or Coming Of Age, you have been warned)
Quote: dennispennis123 @ July 27 2013, 1:15 PM BSTGodot Taxis
Just because some people have differing opinions to you, doesn't mean they deserve to be called twats.
I write from the heart. You described the show as a 'pile of shit' with lazy gags and appalling acting. None of those things is true.
It's not really about opinion, it's more you don't understand what you're writing about - for example you talk about 'appalling acting' but 'appalling acting' doesn't make it to TV. Occasionally if you watch enough of it, you'll see acting that breaks the illusion of the fourth wall, but not very often.
What you presumably mean is you were irritated by the actors' or characters' personalities and perhaps the 'lazy gags' - which were often quite unexpected and original - which is why I said it reminded me of The Young Ones.
It's really your criticism that was 'lazy' but your name sort of suggests that it would be.
Firstly, I'm very sorry that I didn't spend days or even weeks, researching and developing a username that was innovative enough for you.
Secondly, I worry for you when you get this angry about someone's opinion about a TV show that you have to insult them because you have a different opinion.
The problem is that these characters have been played by much better and funnier people. They aren't saying anything new nor are they saying it in a different voice. I thought the scripting and the pace was good, but I kept thinking of The League Of Gentlemen and Spaced, recent comedies that set the bar high.
It wasn't that this wasn't good, just that it couldn't help being an imitation.
In my view.
Also, they didn't look funny, in the way that you had faith in them being funny.
Quote: alienep @ July 27 2013, 11:14 PM BSTI kept thinking of The League Of Gentlemen and Spaced
Really? Why?
recent comedies that set the bar high.
Not that recent, or that high - couldn't abide either myself.
It wasn't that this wasn't good, just that it couldn't help being an imitation.
Everything resembles something.
In my view.
To which you are entitled.
Also, they didn't look funny, in the way that you had faith in them being funny.
I do actually kind of see what you mean there.
Quote: alienep @ July 27 2013, 11:14 PM BSTThe problem is that these characters have been played by much better and funnier people.
Yes. Badults could be very good but it's amazing how Pappy's have been working for 10 years and still look like a bunch of first year medics doing a degree show.
Hopefully the BBC will commission a second series with the provision that the three of them go away for a year and learn how to act. Being zany amateurs is ok if you are upstairs in some North London pub, but not on TV.
I just watched the first episode and was pleasantly surprised after reading this thread/Twitter. Loads of fun, so silly. It could have been a kids' show. Not all the jokes were hits but I laughed out loud a few times, which is unusual. I can see it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea but I'm amazed at the level of vitriol. I'll definitely watch the next episode.
Quote: MCharsley @ July 28 2013, 11:32 AM BSTI just watched the first episode and was pleasantly surprised after reading this thread
Just the same. Saw the repeat last night and am amazed it got such a roundly terrible reaction on this thread initially.
Quote: MCharsley @ July 28 2013, 11:32 AM BSTI just watched the first episode and was pleasantly surprised after reading this thread/Twitter. Loads of fun, so silly. It could have been a kids' show. Not all the jokes were hits but I laughed out loud a few times, which is unusual. I can see it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea but I'm amazed at the level of vitriol. I'll definitely watch the next episode.
YUP.
Quote: dennispennis123 @ July 27 2013, 9:06 PM BSTFirstly, I'm very sorry that I didn't spend days or even weeks, researching and developing a username that was innovative enough for you.
You're just burying yourself. It shouldn't take 'days' or 'weeks' to come up with a better username than 'dennispennis123', rather a few seconds. The name's not important but it does genuinely suggest that wit, detail and originality are not at the forefront of your thinking. Which makes your criticism of the show for those things surprising.
Quote: dennispennis123 @ July 27 2013, 9:06 PM BSTSecondly, I worry for you when you get this angry about someone's opinion about a TV show that you have to insult them because you have a different opinion.
Your 'opinion' was really abuse. You used the phrase 'pile-of-shit' and the adjectives 'lazy' and 'horrific'. You provided no examples or analysis to back it up. It was akin to a bloke standing outside the Old Vic shouting; 'Tennesee Williams is a c**t.'
Call me a cultural stalinist but I think programme-makers should be protected from such things. It's not censorship, you can be as vicious as you like - I am - but give an example of why it's 'horrific'. No-one reading this cares about wether you liked it or not - only what you can say about it.
