Quote: Aaron @ August 15 2008, 8:45 PM BSTIt was a step up from E5. But Christ. *shakes head*
True, I'm just surprised at rubbish and pointless plots.
Lab Rats Page 26
Yes, thank goodness that's over. To be honest I think I'm going to stop taking bets now on which show is going to be named 'worst sitcom of 2008' in our annual poll.
I'm glad someone is attempting to bring back 'silly sitcoms', but it just amazes me that nobody stopped them during this production and said 'hang on, this really isn't good enough'. Armando Iannucci's quality control seems to have temporarily left him?!? When the studio audience only have someone hitting their head on a sign to laugh it should be clear there's something wrong.
I have to say I'm somewhat shocked that Armando Iannucci is in anyway involved with this show.
Seriously though. It still has more heart and humanity and creativity in it than EastEnders doesn't it?
Quote: Marc P @ August 16 2008, 7:06 AM BSTSeriously though. It still has more heart and humanity and creativity in it than EastEnders doesn't it?
I'm not sure that's the criteria.
I am really quite astonished at how bad this sitcom was.
I had high hopes, based on the people involved and even the premise of a silly sitcom set in a science lab.
It failed so horribly it was just painful to watch at times. I don't quite know why I stuck with it, but I just wanted it to succeed so much. How did they think this would be funny? Did they really think the feeble jokes were of a good enough standard to pass muster?
However, I often find myself whistling the theme tune. I think that was by far the most successful part of the production.
woeful.
I watched it for the first time this week and seriously couldn't sit through it - the storylines were pants, it was CBBC funny and the acting got on my nerves the most seriously... I could act better than half of them.
The only saving grace as the lanky lad, who seemed to have some level of talent beyond the rest.
Quote: Marc P @ August 16 2008, 7:06 AM BSTSeriously though. It still has more heart and humanity and creativity in it than EastEnders doesn't it?
Haven't you written for EastEnders? 
I find the abuse thrown at this show a little depressing. It is an interesting project, that did not come off. I would sooner the BBC commissioned this than most of the dross they turn out.
The script had potential; the setting offers scope for a lot of silly humour, and the scripts were full of gags, many of them good. Perhaps less jokes and more quality control might have been more effective.
The characters did not quite come alive. Selina Cadell and Geoffrey McGivern are two of the most experienced comedy performers around, and did a good enough job of nailing their lines, but perhaps their characters were underwritten. The guest performances were mostly over the top, presumably deliberately so, which in retrospect was a mistake. Only Jo Enright's character really won me over.
The real problem for me was Chris Addison's central performance. It just wasn't big enough. In other silly sitcoms, such as Blackadder, Father Ted or the IT Crowd, the voice of sanity character is as broad as the rest. Chris's character was too lacking in personality and his performance was altogether too naturalistic
Anyhow it was an interesting failure, from obviously talented people, and hopefully the BBC will let the people involved take what they have learnt from it either to a second series or to another project
Ooh, I just realised I had a dream that in an extra last episode, Addison's character realised he was in love with Jo Enright's, as she was in every line of his diary.
See, if I'd written it, it would have been bad.
I think the interesting aspect is how many of the jokes link togethor or are designed to mislead you. Look at the all nighter episode, with the recurring 'don't make this a circus' line, leading into the final punchline with the cast resembling an acrobat, lion tamer and strongman. It's like the writers are playing games with the audience, trying to see which of the 2 sides can outsmart the other.
By the end of it, I wasn't really interested in the storylines but was watching for the odd joke here or there, which were quite funny in places.
I did like that circus ending though, but thought the last episode was pretty poor.
Still better than all soap, in my opinion.
Dan
I recorded the episode 'The Seven Nighter' and sat down to watch it last night. I can see this comedy from two sides. As a sitcom that I was watching on tv I thought it was dreadful. I couldn't get to grips with the characters. I found their acting pretty dull and their delivery of the lines poor.
However, as a dabling script writer I could see that the idea, the interaction and the jokes would look really good on paper. Some of the jokes were delivered really poorly in the sitcom but I thought how great they would seem if you sat down and read them off the page. Some good call backs and some nice observations were in there. It was just delivered so...bluhhh....
Such a pity that this project didn't quite work. I love the premise of Lab Rats and it was good to see a comedy that centres on something different to the norm we have been getting of late.
Def.
Lab Rats was a load of bollocking shite.