I had the same thought "Why are ITV so bad at comedy?", but I don't think the BBC are doing any better. I can't really remember the last home-grown comedy that was worthwhile but I prefer programs without a hysterical audience drowning out half the lines.
Agreed, I don't particularly like her but she is certainly not abysmal. I suspect I probably think some programmes that the writer likes, are abysmal (or worse).
Hart is as bad as you will see on TV. The best she can do is pull a few faces and chuck her large frame around the set. Truly awful performer but to compound this she is full of herself, a big head of huge proportions.
Hart is as bad as you will see on TV. The best she can do is pull a few faces and chuck her large frame around the set. Truly awful performer but to compound this she is full of herself, a big head of huge proportions.
There is MUCH worse on TV than Miranda... She's not big headed by any means. So you've met her then? I assume you have to be making comments highlighted in bold
There is MUCH worse on TV than Miranda... She's not big headed by any means. So you've met her then? I assume you have to be making comments highlighted in bold
I suspect his comment, 'chuck her large frame around the set.' sums up what really offends this poster. Otherwise, why mention her physical characteristic? :rolleyes:
I suspect his comment, 'chuck her large frame around the set.' sums up what really offends this poster. Otherwise, why mention her physical characteristic? :rolleyes:
I did think the same to be honest.
Why bring in her weight at all?
I disagree. I would say the third series of Miranda lost the plot where as Not Going Out is still as good as ever.
I disagree with you. (:D:p). For me, Miranda is consistently good, but since the departure of Tim Vine, I'm struggling with NGO, (which used to be my favourite prog).
ITV "expect" big ratings from comedies, as that what the US networks and the BBC and SKY get.
What they don't have is any experience, history or nowse about sitcoms as it has been so long since they bothered trying to make any.
The last efforts were those - god-awful reowrkings of US sitcoms in the '90s that sank without trace.
Previous posters have said, SKY have been developing comedy writers and it is paying dividends.
IIRC I am sure Susan Nickson was "teamed up" with some experienced writer (may have been Andrew Davies) when she developed "Two Pints" as she was only 18 and still at school. This was done by the late Geoffrey Perkins when he was head of BBC comedy.
I have not seen most of these (I will have a look on YouTube later to see how bad they are)
but apparently they are contender for the biggest flop in sitcom history according to
Like Vicious, The Job Lot was rejected by another broadcaster before itv picked it up. It seems the best talent go to bbc/channel4 for their comedies and the ones rejected end up on the minor channels or itv.
Both Vicious and The Job Lot were not funny tonight! I was thinking of my favourite comedies:
Miranda
Not Going Out
Fawlty Towers
Ab Fab
These have all been on the BBC
I enjoyed both of the new comedies. It s quite refreshing to see reasonably good comedies on the TV again. The BBC provided some good comedies in the dim and distant past - Dad's Army, Sykes, It Ain't Half Hot, Porridge, Are You Being Served and many more. Of those you list Miranda is dreadful, weak scripts bolstered up by loud canned laughter Yuk ! Not Going Out and Ab Fab are dreadful. Fawlty Towers is very good if a little eccentric. There hasn't been much good new comedy on the BBC for donkeys years
ITV many years ago gave us the brilliant Rising Damp, along with Nearest And Dearest, Brass, Home To Roost, Man About The House, George And Mildred and more but similarly haven't done much good comedy in years. That's why these two new ones are very welcome in my book.
I suspect his comment, 'chuck her large frame around the set.' sums up what really offends this poster. Otherwise, why mention her physical characteristic? :rolleyes:
Isn't Miranda using her frame as a major part of what she has to offer?
I see a parallel between her and Rowan Atkinson with his Mr Bean character. Mr Bean is just a funny face and the novelty very soon wears off for most people over 10 years of age.
Did anyone see Miranda doing a tribute to Morecambe and Wise a few weeks back? Welsh comic Stan Stennett was showing her around his theatre in South Wales and said "Walk this way". When she didn't respond with the standard comedian's retort about not needing the talcum powder is she could walk that way, I knew she wasn't a great comic
Historically, the BBC was THE home of comedy. It had all the classics - Steptoe & Son, Python, Fawlty, Blackadder, Perrin, Porridge, Dibley, Dad's Army, Yes Minister, One Foot In the Grave, Ab Fab, Royle Family etc, etc.
What did ITV have? Rising Damp, at a stretch.
Of late the BBC has lost the plot completely. Part of this is down to independent production. Originally, it had such a vast comedy department (and would stick with shows that had a wobbly start), the minnow ITV companies could never compete. This advantage has been lost. The last half decent comedies it put out were both in house jobs (Thick of It and The Office).
It's current excuse for comedy output - Miranda, Not Going Out (dire), and various other small scale, inconsequential little shows is beyond pathetic. Post scandal BBC is a timid mouse in every regard - comedy included. C4 have actually made the most memorable comedy in recent years with Inbetweeners.
Terrible as Vicious was, The Job Lot was actually more amusing than anything the BBC can muster these days. And it has the delicious and gay Russell Tovey in it What a contrast with McKellen and Jacobi!
Most BBC sitcoms are crap these days as well. Have you seen "The Wright Way"? Who in the name of god commissioned that shit?!
Mrs Brown is funny, but I know a lot of people find that crude. Humour is very subjective after all. I personally think Miranda is about as funny as AIDS but a lot of people seem to love her. I hated The Vicar of Dibley as well. People look at me like insane whenever I say that, but I never laughed once at it.
For some reason ITV sitcoms don't stand the test of time like the BBC's do. I used to love The Upper Hand when I was a kid, but was amazed at how dated and unfunny it is when I watched it back on Sky a few years ago.
I don't think Vicious is as bad as some are making out actually. There is far more potential there than I've seen in a lot of other new "comedies" recently.
I found Vicious amusing rather than funny. With Job Lot I couldn't even see what was supposed to be funny.
Most of the older comedies posters refer to wouldn't see the light of day in this era due to the PC brigade.
Mrs Brown is funny, but I know a lot of people find that crude.
It's not it's crudity, but it's lazy stereotyping, predictability, mundane script, and belief that panning out to the audience somehow makes it edgy and contemporary that makes it so dire.
That the BBC feel the need to commission such shite from RTE speaks volumes for it's own inadequacy.
It's not it's crudity, but it's lazy stereotyping, predictability, mundane script, and belief that panning out to the audience somehow makes it edgy and contemporary that makes it so dire.
That the BBC feel the need to commission such shite from RTE speaks volumes for it's own inadequacy.
And yet its hugely popular and enjoyed by millions of people....
Mrs Brown is funny, but I know a lot of people find that crude. Humour is very subjective after all. I personally think Miranda is about as funny as AIDS but a lot of people seem to love her.
While my tastes are the complete opposite of yours, I love Miranda but can't watch Mrs brown for more than a couple of minutes , I'm glad to see another split opinion.
A lot of reviewers, and posters, keep saying "liked by those who love Miranda and Mrs Brown" or "aimed at the Miranda and Mrs Brown crowd" as though they are one and the same or come as a job lot.
Comments
Yes since the move to Scotland the show has gone up on the comedy scale.
Hart is as bad as you will see on TV. The best she can do is pull a few faces and chuck her large frame around the set. Truly awful performer but to compound this she is full of herself, a big head of huge proportions.
There is MUCH worse on TV than Miranda... She's not big headed by any means. So you've met her then? I assume you have to be making comments highlighted in bold
I suspect his comment, 'chuck her large frame around the set.' sums up what really offends this poster. Otherwise, why mention her physical characteristic? :rolleyes:
I did think the same to be honest.
Why bring in her weight at all?
'The Job Lot' was a bit better but I wouldn't panic to record it.
I've never seen an episode of 'Miranda' btw - comments make me doubt its comedic effect.
I disagree. I would say the third series of Miranda lost the plot where as Not Going Out is still as good as ever.
I disagree with you. (:D:p). For me, Miranda is consistently good, but since the departure of Tim Vine, I'm struggling with NGO, (which used to be my favourite prog).
What they don't have is any experience, history or nowse about sitcoms as it has been so long since they bothered trying to make any.
The last efforts were those - god-awful reowrkings of US sitcoms in the '90s that sank without trace.
Previous posters have said, SKY have been developing comedy writers and it is paying dividends.
IIRC I am sure Susan Nickson was "teamed up" with some experienced writer (may have been Andrew Davies) when she developed "Two Pints" as she was only 18 and still at school. This was done by the late Geoffrey Perkins when he was head of BBC comedy.
Agree, been a fan of Not Going Out since the start, but it does lack that little something now that Tim Vine has left.
Miranda is just god awful.
but apparently they are contender for the biggest flop in sitcom history according to
http://metro.co.uk/2013/04/25/from-big-top-to-the-royal-bodyguard-ten-sitcoms-even-worse-than-the-wright-way-3666642/
Hardwicke House (1987)
Heil Honey I’m Home (1990)
Chalk (1997)
Orrible (2001)
Sam’s Game (2001)
Celeb (2002)
Mad About Alice (2004)
Blessed (2005)
Big Top (2009)
The Royal Bodyguard (2011)
I enjoyed both of the new comedies. It s quite refreshing to see reasonably good comedies on the TV again. The BBC provided some good comedies in the dim and distant past - Dad's Army, Sykes, It Ain't Half Hot, Porridge, Are You Being Served and many more. Of those you list Miranda is dreadful, weak scripts bolstered up by loud canned laughter Yuk ! Not Going Out and Ab Fab are dreadful. Fawlty Towers is very good if a little eccentric. There hasn't been much good new comedy on the BBC for donkeys years
ITV many years ago gave us the brilliant Rising Damp, along with Nearest And Dearest, Brass, Home To Roost, Man About The House, George And Mildred and more but similarly haven't done much good comedy in years. That's why these two new ones are very welcome in my book.
Isn't Miranda using her frame as a major part of what she has to offer?
I see a parallel between her and Rowan Atkinson with his Mr Bean character. Mr Bean is just a funny face and the novelty very soon wears off for most people over 10 years of age.
Did anyone see Miranda doing a tribute to Morecambe and Wise a few weeks back? Welsh comic Stan Stennett was showing her around his theatre in South Wales and said "Walk this way". When she didn't respond with the standard comedian's retort about not needing the talcum powder is she could walk that way, I knew she wasn't a great comic
What did ITV have? Rising Damp, at a stretch.
Of late the BBC has lost the plot completely. Part of this is down to independent production. Originally, it had such a vast comedy department (and would stick with shows that had a wobbly start), the minnow ITV companies could never compete. This advantage has been lost. The last half decent comedies it put out were both in house jobs (Thick of It and The Office).
It's current excuse for comedy output - Miranda, Not Going Out (dire), and various other small scale, inconsequential little shows is beyond pathetic. Post scandal BBC is a timid mouse in every regard - comedy included. C4 have actually made the most memorable comedy in recent years with Inbetweeners.
Terrible as Vicious was, The Job Lot was actually more amusing than anything the BBC can muster these days. And it has the delicious and gay Russell Tovey in it
Mrs Brown is funny, but I know a lot of people find that crude. Humour is very subjective after all. I personally think Miranda is about as funny as AIDS but a lot of people seem to love her. I hated The Vicar of Dibley as well. People look at me like insane whenever I say that, but I never laughed once at it.
For some reason ITV sitcoms don't stand the test of time like the BBC's do. I used to love The Upper Hand when I was a kid, but was amazed at how dated and unfunny it is when I watched it back on Sky a few years ago.
I don't think Vicious is as bad as some are making out actually. There is far more potential there than I've seen in a lot of other new "comedies" recently.
Most of the older comedies posters refer to wouldn't see the light of day in this era due to the PC brigade.
It's not it's crudity, but it's lazy stereotyping, predictability, mundane script, and belief that panning out to the audience somehow makes it edgy and contemporary that makes it so dire.
That the BBC feel the need to commission such shite from RTE speaks volumes for it's own inadequacy.
And yet its hugely popular and enjoyed by millions of people....
A lot of reviewers, and posters, keep saying "liked by those who love Miranda and Mrs Brown" or "aimed at the Miranda and Mrs Brown crowd" as though they are one and the same or come as a job lot.