i think they were very much of their time and if you're going to enjoy them now then you have to buy into them to some degree.
When they were on I thought they were amazing. I can't remember how many times I've seen Mr Jolly and nearly wet myself.
And Bad News... brilliant.
There were catchphrases though. Fookin loads of them.
Last night I actually laughed out loud at Teenage Kicks. Which is a first.
I wanted the train!
On the subject of Bad News - has everyone heard the albums?
Quote: sootyj @ May 12 2008, 12:25 PM BSTThe Prosecution
Mr Jolly Lives Next Door, WOrld War3
Mr Jolly Lives Next Door was fantastic. Worth watching alone for the fact it's got Peter Cook in it, plus the Nicholas Parsons scenes. Plus it was directed by Stephen Frears of all people.
Pretty much all the episodes written by Peter Richardson and Peter Richens were, at the time, brilliant; any episode where anyone else had a hand in the writing was toilet, with a special mention for direness for Jennifer Saunders "Slags".
Some of Richardson/Richens episodes have aged better than others. I cannot bring myself to watch "Les Dogs" just in case it is not the surreal masterpiece I remember.
The most recent one they did, on sex in suburbia, was pretty dire.
Quote: chipolata @ May 28 2008, 10:36 AM BSTThe most recent one they did, on sex in suburbia, was pretty dire.
Yes. In fact pretty much everything Peter Richardson has done for more than a decade has been pretty dire. Churchill: The Hollywood Years was probably the nadir.
The Flaklands one was ace, but Mr Jolly I really wanted to like, but it was just so context free.
STRIKE was the best episode by miles.......a very clever idea.........some other episodes were pretty good also, but quite a few were patchy to say the least......................
Interesting how many people have mentioned my own favourite, Fistful of Traveller's Cheques.
Used to quote from this at college until forcibly stopped by the use of violence: "You want soft toilet paper, you stay at Hotel Gayboy, This Hotel Bastardo" .... "Tek ya clerthes off!" ... "You start the row ..." .... etc etc
Respect too for Beat Generation, Mr Jolly - in fact most from the first couple of series. Box set is worth buying, but there are some dodgy later episodes.
And, having treasured the memory of Five Go Mad for over 20 years, was slightly underwhelmed when I saw it again. I think, though, that's because that kind of send-up comedy is much more common now. Back then - remember? First night of Channel 4?- it was really ground-breaking stuff.
Strike was very smart and funny. I liked Travellers Cheques and Five Go Mad in Dorset on first showing, but not seen them recently. I suspect they don't stand up too well. Overall I think they were of their time, which is fair enough. They should be judged against their contemporaries.
But weren't they all a bit smartarse compared to laugh out loud funny?
Quote: David Chapman @ June 10 2008, 12:53 AM BSTBut weren't they all a bit smartarse compared to laugh out loud funny?
probably a bit - or, they got lucky and could indulge themselves, because they were seen as "in"
In (semi) endorsing some of the episodes, I was basically saying I didn't think the rest were much good, if at all
It was all considered cutting edge but I was always expecting more - laughs for a start.
Although 'The Comic Strip Presents' was a truly groundbreaking television, I'll never forget a memorable night at the Finsbury Park Rainbow back in the 70's watching their debut tour for two reasons.
The first was being doubled-up watching Ad Edmondson and Rik Mayall's gooseberry joke routine. It brought the house down. The second reason was having a slash beside Micky Dolenze from the Monkees. Ok, so the second reason ain’t so earth-shattering but it does rather beg the question as to whom the biggest showbiz personality you've ever urinated next to was.
