Christ there's some moaners on this forum but I suppose that's what DS is all about. :rolleyes:
Why do people have to sit there and dissect every scene and every word, why can't they just sit there and enjoy the programme?
I've loved every single episode and special. I don't care whether the characters have changed, if something is funny I'll laugh.
If you don't want to dissect the content of a show you don't have to join in with that. Coming on a forum and asking people why they bother participate in is never going to be a winning formula. :eek: It's a critical forum not a fan site. Not everyone just 'sits and enjoy' programmes! They don't say you can't come here and say you enjoyed it so why do you take the offensive? We all contribute to funding TV content one way or another and some people aren't just passive little sheep who take what's given to them and enjoy it by force!
Someone may have mentioned this before but the Royle's neighbour reminiscing about rolling in front of a fire with a friend reminded me of a scene from that Ken Russell movie, Women in Love.
What is it with Caroline Aherne & toilets ??
Every episode has some sort of reference to one - normally its Jim giving all the gory details - lovely
They should have finished it when Nana died that was an exceptionally good episode
She was the best one in it, & now poor Mary's been bumped off too !!
Some things are best left to go out on a high as there's always GOLD to watch repeats
Whenever people want more of a good thing they are invariably disappointed.
So no more Royles please.
I also love Gavin and Stacey but don't want any Specials as I know it will never live up to my expectations.
The old adage Less is More holds true
But there are lots of programmes that run for many years that continue to be very popular and/or critically acclaimed.
There is no reason, apart from perhaps Caroline Aherne's state of mind, why this show could not have a series of six or seven programmes every couple of years, and each one be as good as or better than the first series.
Obviously the characters would continue to develop, but who says that they should stay exactly the same?
I thought it was brilliant but I'm not a big fan of the way Denise is as a mother.
I have a feeling caroline and craig had to write the children out of the episode as much of the humour would not of been appropriate with them there. Her not being a great mother is the only reasonable solution to a mother being without her children on christmas day.
Have those who think that there has been a big change in the characters since the first three series watched Behind the Sofa?
We see that Denise's parenting skills - refusing to ever change the nappy, leaving the baby crying etc - were if anything worse in series 3 than in the latest special.
A lot of the posters in this topic it would seem. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be!
You do grasp that this is a discussion forum? The people who didn't enjoy the programme have explained the reasons why which is far more valuable than just saying "it was great" or complaining about people who didn't like it.
Re. Denise's lack of mothering skills, when this first became apparant I thought they would eventually touch on the fact that she was probably suffering from post-natal depression. We have seen with The Queen of Sheba how they can sensitively and yet humorously show the painful side of life. Yes, the absence of the children is probably because they just don't add anything to or restrict the scriptwriting. I'm reminded of Corrie's Tracy Langton/Barlow many years ago (the only child in Corrie at the time) who apparantly spent all her childhood/early teens in her bedroom ("Traaacy, yer tea's ready!") and resurfaced only once she was old enough to be played by an attractive nubile actress!
You do grasp that this is a discussion forum? The people who didn't enjoy the programme have explained the reasons why which is far more valuable than just saying "it was great" or complaining about people who didn't like it.
Yes but this forum does my head in at times. The Royle Family has been consistently great, it's not watched by a few million people on BBC2 any more but around 9 or 10 million on BBC1.
I've watched it from the very start and have always enjoyed it. It's a comedy TV show, not real life so people saying Jim (or whoever) wouldn't say such a thing need to get out more.
It's like when a band becomes popular, you'll always get the people who'll say their first album was the best. :rolleyes:
Ok, its taken me a couple of days to work up the courage to post!
This is not going to be popular but I found it absolutely appalling!
In the last few episodes, I think that the RF has degraded from a genius piece of writing and great acting to a caricature of itself. I think that it has now sunk to the depths of a cheap sit com!
Sorry guys, I absolutely love the original RF, and even some of the specials. The Queen of Sheba was stunning!
But I think after last years piece of absolute crapness, ie the slap stick stuff with the turkey etc, I have simply lost faith in it!
I am not arguing that everyone else should also think it is crap btw, I just wanted to air my opinion as my OH has now lost her temper with me for keeping on about it!:D
Yes but this forum does my head in at times. The Royle Family has been consistently great, it's not watched by a few million people on BBC2 any more but around 9 or 10 million on BBC1.
I've watched it from the very start and have always enjoyed it. It's a comedy TV show, not real life so people saying Jim (or whoever) wouldn't say such a thing need to get out more.
It's like when a band becomes popular, you'll always get the people who'll say their first album was the best. :rolleyes:
And that's your opinion and you are entitled to it as I am to mine.
If you liked it from day one and still like it then that's great but the show on Christmas day has very little in common with the first two series and therefore it's inevitable that there will be people like me who preferred then old style. I make not apology for that and dont think it deserves the rolleyes
That was the 2008 one. Last year's was the excellent caravan holiday edition.
Ah well, again i didnt even bother with that one, as with 2008, it messed with the formula ie, went outside the Royle's household! that used to be the clincher for me!
The bits i have seen of the 2009 didnt blow my skirt up!:)
Just to add my two cents in the debate, I don't think it's the characters who have particularly changed, I think it's just the way the show has been presented.
In the past, the show was presented as a half hour slice of life in the Royle household. The characters were supposed to be acting naturally. In the last few specials, I think it's taken on a far more sitcom-like feel. The characters are more or less the same personalities, but are all exaggerated examples of what they used to be. Things that originally would have been shown subtely are more drummed into our faces - so for example, whereas in the past Denise leaning forward to spy on others would have been downplayed, now, it's dragged to the forefront.
I don't think there's anything really wrong with it though. I personally also preferred the original format, but it is what it is, and it still makes me smile.
Re. Denise's lack of mothering skills, when this first became apparant I thought they would eventually touch on the fact that she was probably suffering from post-natal depression. We have seen with The Queen of Sheba how they can sensitively and yet humorously show the painful side of life. Yes, the absence of the children is probably because they just don't add anything to or restrict the scriptwriting. I'm reminded of Corrie's Tracy Langton/Barlow many years ago (the only child in Corrie at the time) who apparantly spent all her childhood/early teens in her bedroom ("Traaacy, yer tea's ready!") and resurfaced only once she was old enough to be played by an attractive nubile actress!
Nah, Denise is just an extremely lazy mare of the highest order. Nothing more nor less She was never going to be the best of Mother's.
Just to add my two cents in the debate, I don't think it's the characters who have particularly changed, I think it's just the way the show has been presented.
In the past, the show was presented as a half hour slice of life in the Royle household. The characters were supposed to be acting naturally. In the last few specials, I think it's taken on a far more sitcom-like feel. The characters are more or less the same personalities, but are all exaggerated examples of what they used to be. Things that originally would have been shown subtely are more drummed into our faces - so for example, whereas in the past Denise leaning forward to spy on others would have been downplayed, now, it's dragged to the forefront.
I don't think there's anything really wrong with it though. I personally also preferred the original format, but it is what it is, and it still makes me smile.
Yep, this is how I've regarded it since they've done the specials. I think the beauty of the original series' was seeing a glimpse of their mundane life in a 30 mins snapshot, rather than overplaying their situation to an hour-long 'drama'.
Definitely for me, The Queen Of Sheba was the best special. The other 2 (Denise & Dave's house and the caravan holiday) lacked the spark of the mundanity (is that a word?) of the Royle household, because they took them away from the house, which was the reason why the Royle's were loved in the first place.
I understand that they'd want to extend it from beyond the house, and try something new with the characters and their lives, but it didn't feel right to upheave them from their original roots (the sofa)
So, having said all that, I did enjoy this Christmas' ep much more than the last 2, because it did take them back to their natural habitat, which is where they rightly belong.
Nah, Denise is just an extremely lazy mare of the highest order. Nothing more nor less She was never going to be the best of Mother's.
Yep, this is how I've regarded it since they've done the specials. I think the beauty of the original series' was seeing a glimpse of their mundane life in a 30 mins snapshot, rather than overplaying their situation to an hour-long 'drama'.
Definitely for me, The Queen Of Sheba was the best special. The other 2 (Denise & Dave's house and the caravan holiday) lacked the spark of the mundanity (is that a word?) of the Royle household, because they took them away from the house, which was the reason why the Royle's were loved in the first place.
I understand that they'd want to extend it from beyond the house, and try something new with the characters and their lives, but it didn't feel right to upheave them from their original roots (the sofa)
So, having said all that, I did enjoy this Christmas' ep much more than the last 2, because it did take them back to their natural habitat, which is where they rightly belong.
^This. I completely agree! The Queen of Sheba took us out of the home environment because it was the only way that this could have been done and then it only went to a hospital room and corridor.
All other series that move away from the house, have lacked considerably.
Even the Wedding and the birth of baby David didn't go outside the house.
Okay, this year's special stuck to the house, but there was something missing! Still can't work out what!
I hate the fact that it is being turned into a sit com.
I love to watch it to catch the little nuances of life - the pint of Baileys poured willy nilly - the wallpaper STILL not finished off from about 5 years ago, the gravy served in a plastic jug..........when the story line idles a bit, my eyes start to seek out these little touches.
Why do certain people say it's turning into a Sit-Com ? It IS a bleeding 'Sit-Com'! It's not a drama, reality-show, or documentary is it? Or have I missed something!
Rant over. I enjoyed the last show anyway, it was back where it belongs...in the Royles front room. People have said though, that there was something missing - it was Nana!
It was always at its best with Nana there, and her one-liners!!
Why do certain people say it's turning into a Sit-Com ? It IS a bleeding 'Sit-Com'! It's not a drama, reality-show, or documentary is it? Or have I missed something!
Its not really a sit com though is it, not in the strictest sense!
Its a parody of working class life and cleverly written dialogue, there are very few situations as such!:)
Comments
But as someone said, they went on too much about the Urns, which for someone whose lost someone this year, might have been upsetting.
If you don't want to dissect the content of a show you don't have to join in with that. Coming on a forum and asking people why they bother participate in is never going to be a winning formula. :eek: It's a critical forum not a fan site. Not everyone just 'sits and enjoy' programmes! They don't say you can't come here and say you enjoyed it so why do you take the offensive? We all contribute to funding TV content one way or another and some people aren't just passive little sheep who take what's given to them and enjoy it by force!
What is it with Caroline Aherne & toilets ??
Every episode has some sort of reference to one - normally its Jim giving all the gory details - lovely
They should have finished it when Nana died that was an exceptionally good episode
She was the best one in it, & now poor Mary's been bumped off too !!
Some things are best left to go out on a high as there's always GOLD to watch repeats
There is no reason, apart from perhaps Caroline Aherne's state of mind, why this show could not have a series of six or seven programmes every couple of years, and each one be as good as or better than the first series.
Obviously the characters would continue to develop, but who says that they should stay exactly the same?
I have a feeling caroline and craig had to write the children out of the episode as much of the humour would not of been appropriate with them there. Her not being a great mother is the only reasonable solution to a mother being without her children on christmas day.
We see that Denise's parenting skills - refusing to ever change the nappy, leaving the baby crying etc - were if anything worse in series 3 than in the latest special.
A lot of the posters in this topic it would seem.
You do grasp that this is a discussion forum? The people who didn't enjoy the programme have explained the reasons why which is far more valuable than just saying "it was great" or complaining about people who didn't like it.
Yes but this forum does my head in at times. The Royle Family has been consistently great, it's not watched by a few million people on BBC2 any more but around 9 or 10 million on BBC1.
I've watched it from the very start and have always enjoyed it. It's a comedy TV show, not real life so people saying Jim (or whoever) wouldn't say such a thing need to get out more.
It's like when a band becomes popular, you'll always get the people who'll say their first album was the best. :rolleyes:
This is not going to be popular but I found it absolutely appalling!
In the last few episodes, I think that the RF has degraded from a genius piece of writing and great acting to a caricature of itself. I think that it has now sunk to the depths of a cheap sit com!
Sorry guys, I absolutely love the original RF, and even some of the specials. The Queen of Sheba was stunning!
But I think after last years piece of absolute crapness, ie the slap stick stuff with the turkey etc, I have simply lost faith in it!
I am not arguing that everyone else should also think it is crap btw, I just wanted to air my opinion as my OH has now lost her temper with me for keeping on about it!:D
And that's your opinion and you are entitled to it as I am to mine.
If you liked it from day one and still like it then that's great but the show on Christmas day has very little in common with the first two series and therefore it's inevitable that there will be people like me who preferred then old style. I make not apology for that and dont think it deserves the rolleyes
That was the 2008 one. Last year's was the excellent caravan holiday edition.
Ah well, again i didnt even bother with that one, as with 2008, it messed with the formula ie, went outside the Royle's household! that used to be the clincher for me!
The bits i have seen of the 2009 didnt blow my skirt up!:)
The Royle Family was always at its best when Nana was in it.
In the past, the show was presented as a half hour slice of life in the Royle household. The characters were supposed to be acting naturally. In the last few specials, I think it's taken on a far more sitcom-like feel. The characters are more or less the same personalities, but are all exaggerated examples of what they used to be. Things that originally would have been shown subtely are more drummed into our faces - so for example, whereas in the past Denise leaning forward to spy on others would have been downplayed, now, it's dragged to the forefront.
I don't think there's anything really wrong with it though. I personally also preferred the original format, but it is what it is, and it still makes me smile.
Nah, Denise is just an extremely lazy mare of the highest order. Nothing more nor less She was never going to be the best of Mother's.
Yep, this is how I've regarded it since they've done the specials. I think the beauty of the original series' was seeing a glimpse of their mundane life in a 30 mins snapshot, rather than overplaying their situation to an hour-long 'drama'.
Definitely for me, The Queen Of Sheba was the best special. The other 2 (Denise & Dave's house and the caravan holiday) lacked the spark of the mundanity (is that a word?) of the Royle household, because they took them away from the house, which was the reason why the Royle's were loved in the first place.
I understand that they'd want to extend it from beyond the house, and try something new with the characters and their lives, but it didn't feel right to upheave them from their original roots (the sofa)
So, having said all that, I did enjoy this Christmas' ep much more than the last 2, because it did take them back to their natural habitat, which is where they rightly belong.
^This. I completely agree! The Queen of Sheba took us out of the home environment because it was the only way that this could have been done and then it only went to a hospital room and corridor.
All other series that move away from the house, have lacked considerably.
Even the Wedding and the birth of baby David didn't go outside the house.
Okay, this year's special stuck to the house, but there was something missing! Still can't work out what!
I hate the fact that it is being turned into a sit com.
Rant over. I enjoyed the last show anyway, it was back where it belongs...in the Royles front room. People have said though, that there was something missing - it was Nana!
It was always at its best with Nana there, and her one-liners!!
Its not really a sit com though is it, not in the strictest sense!
Its a parody of working class life and cleverly written dialogue, there are very few situations as such!:)
Amen to that!