I actually tried to watch this, I got through 20 minutes and just gave up. I didn't find it funny. I do think I am VERY hard to please with comedy though and that is the reason I don't watch much. I have trouble finding things funny when I KNOW it isn't real.
If I had watched the Christmas shows before watching the earlier episodes of MBB I would never have bothered to watch MBB. The Christmas specials were disappointing.
The same happened a few years ago with The Royal Family "eggy bread " Christmas special --- It was dire.
But the last episode of MBB was quite funny in places.
Light entertainment ---- some like it --- some don't --- i like it.
Regards
You're not the only one. Grace Dent didn't like it either:
It is Two Pints of Lager and Packet of Crisps, but more than ten times as crass and not as cerebral. It's that sitcom in BBC1's Extras that the Ricky Gervais character was embarrassed to be the start of, despite it bringing him adulation and wealth.
Depends what you mean by "lowbrow appeal" : Brendan O'Carroll freely admits it is a simple, old fashioned 1970s style sitcom and that it is the complete antithesis of modern "clever" comedy. Perhaps "lowbrow" would be the ultimate compliment you could give him?
Probably that's why it is popular with many of the younger generation, as they have never experienced this type of comedy before.
I began really not liking MBB but gave it a chance later and now I enjoy this simple comedy.
My sister bugged me about it and I watched one episode.
I got that same feeling I got when happening across Jim Davidson, Roy Chubby Brown or Bernard Manning.
And that's not a good thing at all.
I like farcical, kbockabout comedy. But you've either got to visually funny (Bottom, Father Ted), have well observed caricatures and set pieces (Phoenix Nights) or both. Compensating for a sparsity of originality by shock tactics wears very thin after a short while.
Catherine Tate's granny was bearable in small doses. But this show seemed to take that concept, morph her with Mrs Doyle, Les Dawson and Dave Allen and stetch it over an agonising length of time.
Probably that's why it is popular with many of the younger generation, as they have never experienced this type of comedy before.
I began really not liking MBB but gave it a chance later and now I enjoy this simple comedy.
Yes, it's a complete throwback to the slapstick type comedies of the 1970s. As you say, many younger people will scarcely even be familiar with this old style type sitcom rather than the usual highbrow or "clever" stuff they're used to, and it seems to be attracting large numbers of viewers from all generations
My sister bugged me about it and I watched one episode.
I got that same feeling I got when happening across Jim Davidson, Roy Chubby Brown or Bernard Manning.
And that's not a good thing at all.
I like farcical, kbockabout comedy. But you've either got to visually funny (Bottom, Father Ted), have well observed caricatures and set pieces (Phoenix Nights) or both. Compensating for a sparsity of originality by shock tactics wears very thin after a short while.
Catherine Tate's granny was bearable in small doses. But this show seemed to take that concept, morph her with Mrs Doyle, Les Dawson and Dave Allen and stetch it over an agonising length of time.
Please make it stop.
I wouldn't compare it to Davidson, Brown or Manning for one moment. There is / was an underlying nastiness to their humour, as well as it being racist, sexist, homophobic etc.
I think Mrs Brown is more in the spirit of the likes of Les Dawson and Dick Emery (slightly cruder with the bad language thrown in but along those lines).
I wouldn't compare it to Davidson, Brown or Manning for one moment. There is / was an underlying nastiness to their humour, as well as it being racist, sexist, homophobic etc.
I think Mrs Brown is more in the spirit of the likes of Les Dawson and Dick Emery (slightly cruder with the bad language thrown in but along those lines).
Rubbish i love Davidson,Brown and Manning and have actually met Bernard Manning he was not racist at all it was an ACT,i also saw people of many ethnicities at his shows. ;-)
Mrs Browns Boys i cannot really comment on though as i have only ever seen one episode.
Utter crap. Don't understand how it's popular at all.
Makes me shiver just to think of it. Urgh.
Tonight I laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of it and so did Mr Cat who is not a fan. It cheers me up and that takes a lot these days. Thank goodness we all have different tastes and couldn't we just bear with one another, not condemn a programme so vehemently because it just does not suit us. One woman's meat......;-)
Yes, it's a complete throwback to the slapstick type comedies of the 1970s. As you say, many younger people will scarcely even be familiar with this old style type sitcom rather than the usual highbrow or "clever" stuff they're used to, and it seems to be attracting large numbers of viewers from all generations
Trouble being, On The Buses, George & Mildred, Terry and June and so many others are hardly held up as fine examples of situation comedy as humour has evolved. They succeeded initially because the US style domestic situation comedy format was relatively fresh in this country. Only those that had good writers behind them have not been quietly hidden away on fringe satellite channels or not repeated at all. Political incorrectness was rife and cringeworthy in many a 70s sitcom (even the better ones).
The true test will be whether Mrs Brown's Boys is repeated in 10 years time on the mainstream channels. I'd be staggered if it were.
Catherine Tate's granny was bearable in small doses.
I wonder how the half hour special on Saturday will be. Mrs Brown started with old jokes and shock value. Now the same or similar jokes are being used and its more surprising when **** isn't said every 5 seconds.
I liked it but its taken a dive.
I wouldn't compare it to Davidson, Brown or Manning for one moment. There is / was an underlying nastiness to their humour, as well as it being racist, sexist, homophobic etc.
I think Mrs Brown is more in the spirit of the likes of Les Dawson and Dick Emery (slightly cruder with the bad language thrown in but along those lines).
I wasn't comparing it material-wise - I just experienced that same feeling when watching i.e. being mortified by the sledgehammer crudeness (in all meanings of the word) of it.
Rubbish i love Davidson,Brown and Manning and have actually met Bernard Manning he was not racist at all it was an ACT,i also saw people of many ethnicities at his shows. ;-)
Mrs Browns Boys i cannot really comment on though as i have only ever seen one episode.
Manning certainly told jokes that were perceived to be racist, as did Davidson and Brown.
Mrs Brown has never gone near the subject of race or ethnic minorities.....it's her own family who are the target of her ire.
Rubbish i love Davidson,Brown and Manning and have actually met Bernard Manning he was not racist at all it was an ACT,i also saw people of many ethnicities at his shows. ;-)
Mrs Browns Boys i cannot really comment on though as i have only ever seen one episode.
It may be an act (as Alf Garnett was a parody of a racist and a vehicle to ridicule them allegedly) but that doesn't stop either being about as subtle and funny as a nuclear bomb.
Trouble being, On The Buses, George & Mildred, Terry and June and so many others are hardly held up as fine examples of situation comedy as humour has evolved. They succeeded initially because the US style domestic situation comedy format was relatively fresh in this country. Only those that had good writers behind them have not been quietly hidden away on fringe satellite channels or not repeated at all. Political incorrectness was rife and cringeworthy in many a 70s sitcom (even the better ones).
The true test will be whether Mrs Brown's Boys is repeated in 10 years time on the mainstream channels. I'd be staggered if it were.
Well according to the press yesterday, US channels like HBO, PBS and Netflix are interested in broadcasting Mrs Brown's Boys.....I can't imagine any US network would ever have been remotely interested in buying On The Buses, George and Mildred or Terry and June.
Comments
So you knew that he knew before you responded?
The same happened a few years ago with The Royal Family "eggy bread " Christmas special --- It was dire.
But the last episode of MBB was quite funny in places.
Light entertainment ---- some like it --- some don't --- i like it.
Regards
Makes me shiver just to think of it. Urgh.
I did see Brendan O'Carroll on QI last week and thought he was alright.
You do realise that it was a comment about the 2012 christmas shows that you agree with?
My feelings exactly...
Probably that's why it is popular with many of the younger generation, as they have never experienced this type of comedy before.
I began really not liking MBB but gave it a chance later and now I enjoy this simple comedy.
I got that same feeling I got when happening across Jim Davidson, Roy Chubby Brown or Bernard Manning.
And that's not a good thing at all.
I like farcical, kbockabout comedy. But you've either got to visually funny (Bottom, Father Ted), have well observed caricatures and set pieces (Phoenix Nights) or both. Compensating for a sparsity of originality by shock tactics wears very thin after a short while.
Catherine Tate's granny was bearable in small doses. But this show seemed to take that concept, morph her with Mrs Doyle, Les Dawson and Dave Allen and stetch it over an agonising length of time.
Please make it stop.
Yes, it's a complete throwback to the slapstick type comedies of the 1970s. As you say, many younger people will scarcely even be familiar with this old style type sitcom rather than the usual highbrow or "clever" stuff they're used to, and it seems to be attracting large numbers of viewers from all generations
I wouldn't compare it to Davidson, Brown or Manning for one moment. There is / was an underlying nastiness to their humour, as well as it being racist, sexist, homophobic etc.
I think Mrs Brown is more in the spirit of the likes of Les Dawson and Dick Emery (slightly cruder with the bad language thrown in but along those lines).
Rubbish i love Davidson,Brown and Manning and have actually met Bernard Manning he was not racist at all it was an ACT,i also saw people of many ethnicities at his shows. ;-)
Mrs Browns Boys i cannot really comment on though as i have only ever seen one episode.
Tonight I laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of it and so did Mr Cat who is not a fan. It cheers me up and that takes a lot these days. Thank goodness we all have different tastes and couldn't we just bear with one another, not condemn a programme so vehemently because it just does not suit us. One woman's meat......;-)
Trouble being, On The Buses, George & Mildred, Terry and June and so many others are hardly held up as fine examples of situation comedy as humour has evolved. They succeeded initially because the US style domestic situation comedy format was relatively fresh in this country. Only those that had good writers behind them have not been quietly hidden away on fringe satellite channels or not repeated at all. Political incorrectness was rife and cringeworthy in many a 70s sitcom (even the better ones).
The true test will be whether Mrs Brown's Boys is repeated in 10 years time on the mainstream channels. I'd be staggered if it were.
I wonder how the half hour special on Saturday will be. Mrs Brown started with old jokes and shock value. Now the same or similar jokes are being used and its more surprising when **** isn't said every 5 seconds.
I liked it but its taken a dive.
I wasn't comparing it material-wise - I just experienced that same feeling when watching i.e. being mortified by the sledgehammer crudeness (in all meanings of the word) of it.
Manning certainly told jokes that were perceived to be racist, as did Davidson and Brown.
Mrs Brown has never gone near the subject of race or ethnic minorities.....it's her own family who are the target of her ire.
It may be an act (as Alf Garnett was a parody of a racist and a vehicle to ridicule them allegedly) but that doesn't stop either being about as subtle and funny as a nuclear bomb.
Well according to the press yesterday, US channels like HBO, PBS and Netflix are interested in broadcasting Mrs Brown's Boys.....I can't imagine any US network would ever have been remotely interested in buying On The Buses, George and Mildred or Terry and June.
Use the button on your remote. Simple;-)