but for a guy who is nearing 40 I think, if he sees himself as a actor, he should be exploring his options.
Aw I really wish he'd just give you a call so you could sort out his career for him. After all he's a struggling nobody making ends meet doing the odd TV show that's a global hit, whereas you're... um... you're...
Interestingly I take a very different view - Ja'Mie was easy to laugh at but Jonah's hijinks not so much, because he's quite a tragic character. Ja'Mie was just a bitch.
I didn't like Ja'mie: Private School Girl as much because she was just a one-note bitch. That worked on Summer Heights High, because it's funny in small doses, but on her own show I got fairly bored of her. I prefer this show already because Jonah has more depth, his antics have consequences and (and I think this is fairly important), Jonah From Tonga has sterling supporting characters whereas J:PSG focused too heavily on the main character.
The reason is not that Lilley sucks, it's because this character is genuinely *tragic*. It's simply not funny to see him repeatedly bullying and abusing others because as we've seen now, it's because he's got serious education issues. It's really quite sad - 'not-happy' sad, not 'what a loser'-sad - and I don't get many laughs from it.
This is very true. It's hard not to get dragged into thinking this is a documentary. There was always an underlying element of this with Jonah in SSH mind with the bullying he suffered from Miss Wheatley - I'd get angry watching those bits.
Good TV though, if not a pure comedy, I think it's stronger than Ja'mie because of this.
This is very true. It's hard not to get dragged into thinking this is a documentary. There was always an underlying element of this with Jonah in SSH mind with the bullying he suffered from Miss Wheatley - I'd get angry watching those bits.
Good TV though, if not a pure comedy, I think it's stronger than Ja'mie because of this.
The curious thing is that I've found myself laughing out loud more at this than J:PSG, even though it has more serious themes. I was initially worried it would be just a slew of puerile jokes and nastiness, but it really is shaping up to me so much more.
I didn't like Ja'mie: Private School Girl as much because she was just a one-note bitch. That worked on Summer Heights High, because it's funny in small doses, but on her own show I got fairly bored of her. I prefer this show already because Jonah has more depth, his antics have consequences and (and I think this is fairly important), Jonah From Tonga has sterling supporting characters whereas J:PSG focused too heavily on the main character.
His antics do have consequences but so did Ja'mie's - she got expelled and she had to re-sit a year but I think they're both really similar, I was aware of Jonah's sort of invincibility trough this, he could do really serious stuff and finds himself in bad situations but things still work out for him and he doesn't learn. I think him and Ja'mie are so similar in their takes on life.
I think it's a lot to do with Ja'mie being a girl that people don't like it as much, I can understand that young guys wouldn't want to watch a bunch of girls be bitches but might like a teenage boy with his mates bullying and abusing others.
Also re: the bullying. I was bullied as a teenager, Jonah would be the same guy I would sit in class with knots in my stomach about but now I understood that personally I found this show really funny, it's just a comedy, none of it is actually real and I think there are crime novels in shop windows, abuse dramas on Tv getting milliosn of viewers. In a fake world these awful human things are being referenced everywhere, so comedy is no worse. I just think this is a good mix of realism and humour. Chris hasn't done anything I thought went too far with Jonah.
His antics do have consequences but so did Ja'mie's - she got expelled and she had to re-sit a year but I think they're both really similar, I was aware of Jonah's sort of invincibility trough this, he could do really serious stuff and finds himself in bad situations but things still work out for him and he doesn't learn. I think him and Ja'mie are so similar in their takes on life.
I think it's a lot to do with Ja'mie being a girl that people don't like it as much, I can understand that young guys wouldn't want to watch a bunch of girls be bitches but might like a teenage boy with his mates bullying and abusing others.
Also re: the bullying. I was bullied as a teenager, Jonah would be the same guy I would sit in class with knots in my stomach about but now I understood that personally I found this show really funny, it's just a comedy, none of it is actually real and I think there are crime novels in shop windows, abuse dramas on Tv getting milliosn of viewers. In a fake world these awful human things are being referenced everywhere, so comedy is no worse. I just think this is a good mix of realism and humour. Chris hasn't done anything I thought went too far with Jonah.
I see your point, but I'm not sure I agree with Ja'mie being more tiresome because she was a girl. I think it's more to do with her leading a charmed life and there being no real reason for her nastiness. Ironically, she had more flashes of depth in SHH (revealing that her parents wanted a boy rather than her, etc) but in J:PSG she was just off-the-leash horrible and we didn't get much reason for it other than that she was a snobby, selfish drama queen. Jonah, you're right, is a similarly nasty piece of work, but we actually see why in both this show and SHH. He has an abusive father, his mother (who was the only one who cared about him) died and he's bullied himself. Essentially, Ja'mie had it all and was still a bully whereas Jonah has nothing except control over his "foreign" crew of misfits and much-derided "special kids".
You make good points, Ja'mie is very like a snob and Jonah is more easy for people to relate to as an average teenage boy so perhaps people relate to Jonah more. I think I say Chris saw once that Ja'mie wasn't meant to be likeable and that's a factor too.
I have to agree once it was revealed his mother died, I thought it was a great detail that explained his character so much more.
Anyway at least he's had 2 successful shows in a short space of time. Not many comedians can pull that off.
I was surprised that I really enjoyed watching a couple of episodes last night. I struggled with the Ja'mie series after liking the character in Summer Hights and Johan was not the best part of that series but I thought this was very funny in places. The teacher was hilarious!
I've watched the first episode of this which I found quite funny however I much preferred Ja'mie: Private School Girl (my favorite series of his). However Chris Liley is very good at observing people and this is once again reflected. I hope he does a Mr.G series as he was my second favorite next to Jamie in Summer Heights High.
I loved Ja`mie, it had me in stitches and so I watched Jonah. It has me in stitches too. Brilliant acting from all concerned, takes me back to my schooldays although Jonah says things I could only have dreamed of saying. Fantastic stuff. I also enjoy Derek, although I do not like Ricky Gervais.
but for a guy who is nearing 40 I think, if he sees himself as a actor, he should be exploring his options.
Rather than all his dreamy characters like
I'm older than you and think that Chris Liley has produced some of the most interesting and funny comedy characters over the last 10 years. I also like Derek (1st series anyway) but then I loathe Friends and last of the summer wine but appreciate that other people may actually like it. Comedy is very subjective but Chris Lilley is a genius ... Fact ;-)
I didn't like Ja'mie: Private School Girl as much because she was just a one-note bitch. That worked on Summer Heights High, because it's funny in small doses, but on her own show I got fairly bored of her. I prefer this show already because Jonah has more depth, his antics have consequences and (and I think this is fairly important), Jonah From Tonga has sterling supporting characters whereas J:PSG focused too heavily on the main character.
I actually continue to disagree, I think Jonah the character is supposed to have depth, and I think Lilley wants us to laugh *and* sympathise with him, but it just doesn't come across when all that happens is he swears a lot, does stupid bullying stuff, swears some more, and makes everyone around him extremely upset or angry.
Ja'Mie was, admittedly, also very repetitive in her bitchiness, but somehow there was more to hang onto there because her circle of friends, and the teachers that deal with her, were all a lot more watchable, interesting, complementary and effective, in varying measures.
With the Jonah show I feel like every week I just watch him continue to be a bully, and the school continue to fail to deal with it.
Just watched the third episode and I'm warming to the series a bit now. I found the first two episodes disappointing and very one-note, and not all that funny either. The third episode is very good though, with a lot of touching moments, a lot more reminiscent of the Jonah of Summer Heights High. I especially loved the scene in the sick bay with the lovely patient nun nurse humouring Jonah (he craves a mother figure, of course) and also the scene where Cool Chris finally broke through the boys' barriers.
It's still definitely nowhere near as funny as most of Lilley's past work, but maybe it's not supposed to be.
Oh my when Jonah's Dad was chasing him in the bowling alleys! LOL
I rarely "laugh out loud" but that made me bellow last night. I also loved the sick bay scene, the nun was lovely with him and the terrible rap he did, she just sat there smiling and encouraging him.
Comments
Your mistake, then.
Aw I really wish he'd just give you a call so you could sort out his career for him. After all he's a struggling nobody making ends meet doing the odd TV show that's a global hit, whereas you're... um... you're...
What *are* your qualifications, exactly?
I didn't like Ja'mie: Private School Girl as much because she was just a one-note bitch. That worked on Summer Heights High, because it's funny in small doses, but on her own show I got fairly bored of her. I prefer this show already because Jonah has more depth, his antics have consequences and (and I think this is fairly important), Jonah From Tonga has sterling supporting characters whereas J:PSG focused too heavily on the main character.
This is very true. It's hard not to get dragged into thinking this is a documentary. There was always an underlying element of this with Jonah in SSH mind with the bullying he suffered from Miss Wheatley - I'd get angry watching those bits.
Good TV though, if not a pure comedy, I think it's stronger than Ja'mie because of this.
The curious thing is that I've found myself laughing out loud more at this than J:PSG, even though it has more serious themes. I was initially worried it would be just a slew of puerile jokes and nastiness, but it really is shaping up to me so much more.
His antics do have consequences but so did Ja'mie's - she got expelled and she had to re-sit a year but I think they're both really similar, I was aware of Jonah's sort of invincibility trough this, he could do really serious stuff and finds himself in bad situations but things still work out for him and he doesn't learn. I think him and Ja'mie are so similar in their takes on life.
I think it's a lot to do with Ja'mie being a girl that people don't like it as much, I can understand that young guys wouldn't want to watch a bunch of girls be bitches but might like a teenage boy with his mates bullying and abusing others.
Also re: the bullying. I was bullied as a teenager, Jonah would be the same guy I would sit in class with knots in my stomach about but now I understood that personally I found this show really funny, it's just a comedy, none of it is actually real and I think there are crime novels in shop windows, abuse dramas on Tv getting milliosn of viewers. In a fake world these awful human things are being referenced everywhere, so comedy is no worse. I just think this is a good mix of realism and humour. Chris hasn't done anything I thought went too far with Jonah.
I see your point, but I'm not sure I agree with Ja'mie being more tiresome because she was a girl. I think it's more to do with her leading a charmed life and there being no real reason for her nastiness. Ironically, she had more flashes of depth in SHH (revealing that her parents wanted a boy rather than her, etc) but in J:PSG she was just off-the-leash horrible and we didn't get much reason for it other than that she was a snobby, selfish drama queen. Jonah, you're right, is a similarly nasty piece of work, but we actually see why in both this show and SHH. He has an abusive father, his mother (who was the only one who cared about him) died and he's bullied himself. Essentially, Ja'mie had it all and was still a bully whereas Jonah has nothing except control over his "foreign" crew of misfits and much-derided "special kids".
I have to agree once it was revealed his mother died, I thought it was a great detail that explained his character so much more.
Anyway at least he's had 2 successful shows in a short space of time. Not many comedians can pull that off.
I'm older than you and think that Chris Liley has produced some of the most interesting and funny comedy characters over the last 10 years. I also like Derek (1st series anyway) but then I loathe Friends and last of the summer wine but appreciate that other people may actually like it. Comedy is very subjective but Chris Lilley is a genius ... Fact ;-)
I actually continue to disagree, I think Jonah the character is supposed to have depth, and I think Lilley wants us to laugh *and* sympathise with him, but it just doesn't come across when all that happens is he swears a lot, does stupid bullying stuff, swears some more, and makes everyone around him extremely upset or angry.
Ja'Mie was, admittedly, also very repetitive in her bitchiness, but somehow there was more to hang onto there because her circle of friends, and the teachers that deal with her, were all a lot more watchable, interesting, complementary and effective, in varying measures.
With the Jonah show I feel like every week I just watch him continue to be a bully, and the school continue to fail to deal with it.
It's still definitely nowhere near as funny as most of Lilley's past work, but maybe it's not supposed to be.
Miss Wheatley was much hotter in Summer Heights High
I rarely "laugh out loud" but that made me bellow last night. I also loved the sick bay scene, the nun was lovely with him and the terrible rap he did, she just sat there smiling and encouraging him.