Big thumbs up from me.
Loved the flicking through the mag and shoving it in the bin. I do that every day at work.
Reggie Perrin - Series 1 Page 10
I didn't get where I am today by not knowing a decent sitcom when I see one.
He who laughs last, catches the worm.
Yeah, I actually rather enjoyed that. Had a good feel to it. Lacked some of the subtle class but nowhere near the horrible sacriligious mess it could have been, and some satisfying nods towards the original series (and presumably the books too). A positive start to the series.
Was dreading this remake but just finished watching and thought it was great. Liked the fact that it subtly referenced the old rise and fall series, eg Groomtech being next door to Sunshine Desserts.
Think Martin Clunes was brave taking it on, but looks like the script writers have done a good job so far with updating. Timely, considering lots of office workers (and everyone else) are feeling pretty fed up with life at the moment.
Will definitely be tuning in next week.
Initial thoughts...
- The audience laughter needs to be toned down. It may not be a 'laugh track' but it is manipulated: hoots of laughter just greet Reggie standing at a water cooler whereas I'm sure the audience didn't find Martin Clunes standing still to be that funny.
- Why have they leapt in with Reggie's malaise so far advanced? Audience attention span I suppose.
But I was pleasantly surprised - it made me laugh - the script is actually very sharp - it deserves to be heard rather than drowned out. They could have let the character and the show grow more before plunging in like they have, but its a cut above the norm. I wish the central character wasn't called Perrin though.
Quote: Maurice Minor @ April 24 2009, 10:23 PM BSTWhy have they leapt in with Reggie's malaise so far advanced?
That was the case previously, was it not?
Yep, very good. Although some of the facial expressions reminded me of Men Behaving Badly, but I suppose that is to be expected.
Only downside was the two muppets, seemed far fetched.
Best bit for me was when the wife asked how he was.
Wow. Not a single 100% negative review so far. I''ll be the first to post one then.
Nobbs and Nye really might as well have not bothered at all - they shouldn't have even come up with the idea of this in fact .
I thought it was absolutely awful - a pathetic, shallow and extremely unfunny remake of a true comedy gem. It made me cringe throughout. It was exactly as bad as I thought it was going to be.
It also struck me how absolutely nothing what so ever actually happened in tonights episode. It was just one 'updated' re-enactment of a Reggie Perrin element after another without any of the original talent, skill or wit.
In the pub when it was on, but judging by the reviews of the people on this forum, I will watch it oniPlayer.
Have it on tape but only watched a small bit so far. Agree totally about the laughter - it sounded canned and jarred terribly, that's why we switched it off, tbh. Will persevere having read the above and give it another go.
Why remake it as a studio-bound sitcom rather than do the one thing that might have worked and film it as a dark comedy drama? Making it in the same style as the original merely highlights how much it suffers by comparison.
Quote: johnny smith @ April 25 2009, 12:43 AM BSTWhy remake it as a studio-bound sitcom rather than do the one thing that might have worked
Pssst. If you read the other comments, you might see that it did work. 
Quote: johnny smith @ April 25 2009, 12:43 AM BSTWhy remake it as a studio-bound sitcom rather than do the one thing that might have worked and film it as a dark comedy drama? Making it in the same style as the original merely highlights how much it suffers by comparison.
Is it the same style? It's certainly not the dark comedy drama you suggest, but I would have thought it's a little more, um, friendly, I suppose, than The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin. Something a little more generally comical about it (Nye's influence) as opposed to Nobbs' slightly more serious take on it. Edging a little closer to the 'warmth' so often criticised in mainstream sitcoms such as My Family.
I would echo the largely positive opinions so far. I tried to forget about the original as much as possible and, taken on its own merits. this had quite a bit going for it. There were some nice gags, some good characters and plenty of potential for the rest of the series.
Certainly doesn't deserve to be savaged as one or two have done. I can only assume that they went into it wanting to find fault simply because it's a revamp.
I think it was great with some real laugh-out-loud moments. Now I'm just waiting to see a hippo.