The Witchfinder Page 3

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 16th March 2022, 3:38 PM

Yes, but Blackadder was funny from the off. Not as funny as later series, admittedly, but far better than the fist of comedy with this series.

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But people endlessly bemoan the lack of sitcoms, then when one does turn up and isn't perfect they queue up to kick it to death. No other genre gets the kind of hate that a middling comedy gets. If Blackadder had been made in the age of the internet it would have been crucified and probably never got a second series.

Quote: chipolata @ 16th March 2022, 5:21 PM

But people endlessly bemoan the lack of sitcoms, .

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I don't, BUT when one comes along I expect it to be funny, owing to the 'com' bit being short for comedy.

Indeed, I remember watching the first series of Blackadder in the summer of 83 - it was much-maligned, but personally, I thought it perfectly ok. What hamstringed it was that it was incredibly expensive to make with it mainly being filmed out on location.

Quote: chipolata @ 16th March 2022, 5:21 PM

But people endlessly bemoan the lack of sitcoms, then when one does turn up and isn't perfect they queue up to kick it to death.

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Most likely because it clearly isn't a sitcom, and that's what they want to watch.

Quote: chipolata @ 16th March 2022, 5:21 PM

No other genre gets the kind of hate that a middling comedy gets.

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All a new show being promoted as a sitcom has to do is at least try to make the viewer laugh. That's not asking much, I don't think. If they simply ignore this basic staple requirement of a sitcom and instead try to be cool, trendy, vogue, modern, offbeat (as I can only imagine this show is aiming to be) instead of just simply providing laughs then they are going to get flack from those who used to get laughs from their sitcom viewing.

Quote: gb901 @ 18th March 2022, 9:06 PM

Indeed, I remember watching the first series of Blackadder in the summer of 83 - it was much-maligned, but personally, I thought it perfectly ok.

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As do I, and I loved it, as I remember my associates did. I don't recall it being much maligned tbh. I think some were thrown by a rare non studio bound sitcom, but respected it for its creativity and subject matter. Whatever the more polished trad sitcommy reworking of it became, it owed it all to this original.

Quote: gb901 @ 18th March 2022, 9:06 PM

What hamstringed it was that it was incredibly expensive to make with it mainly being filmed out on location.

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Which was the main driver for its extremely successful studio bound restart. More reason to find it so odd that the makers of this period piece have gone for the much more costly, and less popular take.

Quote: chipolata @ 16th March 2022, 5:21 PM

If Blackadder had been made in the age of the internet it would have been crucified and probably never got a second series.

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I don't see that, because this is the age of the internet and the original Blackadder was way funnier than anything being made today.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 19th March 2022, 9:09 AM

All a new show being promoted as a sitcom has to do is at least try to make the viewer laugh. That's not asking much, I don't think. If they simply ignore this basic staple requirement of a sitcom and instead try to be cool, trendy, vogue, modern, offbeat (as I can only imagine this show is aiming to be) instead of just simply providing laughs then they are going to get flack from those who used to get laughs from their sitcom viewing.
.

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That's a ridiculous statement.
Of course they set out to make it funny- writers, actors and production teams will have laboured long and hard over this.
You don't think it's funny, that's all - though many would disagree with you.
I'm sure the makers of "Hi-de-Hi" set out to make it funny - labouring long and hard to do the best they can.
I think it egregious shite - but many disagree with me.
You're like a stuck record.
If you don't like it, don't watch it (I'm certainly not).
But, please, don't make it some sort of imaginary plot to annoy you.
That's just dreary.

EDIT: And the cost difference between studio-based and location has dramatically reduced. It can even be cheaper, as studio rents are sky-high due to a severe shortage and the preponderance of format shows.

Quote: Lazzard @ 19th March 2022, 9:57 AM

That's a ridiculous statement.
Of course they set out to make it funny- writers, actors and production teams will have laboured long and hard over this.
You don't think it's funny, that's all - though many would disagree with you.

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No, not my point at all, I don't believe they've tried to make it funny in the most recognised conventional sense. Where are the cues and punchlines? Virtually none at all. I think they've gone for the contemporary 'cool is better than funny' bollocks which has helped kill the trad sitcom off. There's a lot of 'comedy of awkwardness' posturing, lots of banal squabbling, some trendy swearing, but it doesn't go near a trad style funny line or slapstick visual. Good morning btw.

Quote: Lazzard @ 19th March 2022, 9:57 AM

I'm sure the makers of "Hi-de-Hi" set out to make it funny - labouring long and hard to do the best they can.
I think it egregious shite - but many disagree with me.

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And here you have highlighted the reason WHY they haven't 'gone for funny'. They are afraid of it being seen as corny and old fashioned, as many new comedy makers, alas, are. In my book, a sitcom is a sitcom, it has conventions if not strict rules as such. Do something else within it then it is something else. Comedy drama I would suggest this most resembles until someone coins a new subgenre for this increasingly made sort of thing.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 20th March 2022, 10:02 AM

No, not my point at all, I don't believe they've tried to make it funny in the most recognised conventional sense.

What conventional sense? Recognised by who? The conventions of a format they are not aspiring to re-create? It's like me saying The Witchfinder is nothing like The Producers therefore it's not a conventional comedy. Madness.

And here you have highlighted the reason WHY they haven't 'gone for funny'. They are afraid of it being seen as corny and old fashioned, as many new comedy makers, alas, are.

But who in their right mind wants to look corny and old-fashioned? These are people in their twenties/thirties/forties - they want to make their kind of stuff, stuff that makes them laugh.
You have an extraordinarily narrow view of what a Sit-Com is, and if it doesn't fit, then you have come to the conclusion that the program makers are doing it on purpose to annoy you?

Comedy drama I would suggest this most resembles until someone coins a new subgenre for this increasingly made sort of thing.

Well it isn't a comedy-drama, it's a comedy. I think the sub-genre that is required is a sub-genre for the thing you hanker after, which is the Studio-Based Sit-Com.

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Preferably for me yes, but I'm more than happy to watch a genuinely funny non studio audience sitcom such as The Office, which I place highly on the list of all time sitcoms, whatever their type of production.

Comedy serial, anyone?

No thanks I've just had a sausage sarnie. This won't make Lazzard laugh, it's far too corny for his coolness. I'd say some younger people don't actually mind the corniness, if it's a well intended gag. And I personally think a sitcom should have gags, funny or not, corny or not.

Yes I'd agree it looks most like a serial. The only problem with labelling it so early as one though, is obviously if it gets another series then it's no longer a serial. But it so far looks most like the forgotten format of comedy serial, quite prevalent in the 80s and 90s.

A second series could well continue the duo's story?

Unless one or both is executed in episode 6.

Quote: Aaron @ 20th March 2022, 11:04 AM

Unless one or both is executed in episode 6.

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We live in hope

Quote: Lazzard @ 19th March 2022, 9:57 AM

I'm sure the makers of "Hi-de-Hi" set out to make it funny - labouring long and hard to do the best they can.

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And of course they very much succeeded. And it is still being shown and enjoyed 40 years on.

I wonder what will still being shown and enjoyed in 2062.