Awful. Shows up Nina Conti's small talent footprint if she has to have a fictional character doing what she does in the real world.
I didn't know who she was, and was surprised when I learned she was a real life ventriloquist but she is still not very good as I couldn't understand what the monkey was saying.
Mmmm - I was really looking forward to this and thought that the negative comments were obviously from philistines who couldn't appreciate subtle comedy. Unfortunately, my high hopes were shot down in flames the second that monkey appeared.
I've never heard of Nina Conti, but it was as if she is sleeping with the producer and had been shoehorned into to a 'whacky' role that had been created as an excuse to give her a part. After only about five minutes I found it so irritating that I couldn't take it any more and simply gave up.
What a terrible, appalling misjudgement to include such a misjudged device, although to be honest, the rest of it didn't exactly live up to the glorious praise awarded in some quarters.
Can someone please tell me what the camp theatre manager was in - its driving me mad! Also - agree about Nina Conti - she and her monkey are beyond irritating
The tick Oirish accent must be more hindrance than a boon casting wise .
I've never seen him in anything with an English accent but his American accent in Girls (also HBO - someone there must like him) was terrible so he may have decided to stick with his Irish.
I thought he was great in the IT Crowd but not convinced by him as an actor.
Mmmm - I was really looking forward to this and thought that the negative comments were obviously from philistines who couldn't appreciate subtle comedy. Unfortunately, my high hopes were shot down in flames the second that monkey appeared.
I've never heard of Nina Conti, but it was as if she is sleeping with the producer and had been shoehorned into to a 'whacky' role that had been created as an excuse to give her a part. After only about five minutes I found it so irritating that I couldn't take it any more and simply gave up.
What a terrible, appalling misjudgement to include such a misjudged device, although to be honest, the rest of it didn't exactly live up to the glorious praise awarded in some quarters.
Somehow you managed to miss every other wacky character i.e. all of them.
From Christopher Guest's blog, linked earlier in the thread. I always knew Nina Conti would be involved. Or hoped she would. The part of Bea was created for her.
Nina appeared in For Your Consideration, a film I directed, and she was fantastic. It's amazing to behold her talents as a ventriloquist and as an actress as well.
Not that it matters that much as you won't be coming back to it.
I've never seen him in anything with an English accent but his American accent in Girls (also HBO - someone there must like him) was terrible so he may have decided to stick with his Irish.
I thought he was great in the IT Crowd but not convinced by him as an actor.
No he does English accents as well, such as in Gulliver's Travels and The Crimson Petal and the White, which as already mentioned he was especially good in.
He has actually had quite a wide variety of roles, but I think he has become more well known for playing the likeable Irish characters.
Anyway, I'm really enjoying this show, great second episode!
No, I missed that but checking on IMDB it looks like it has a great cast (love Shirley Henderson) so I'll try to seek it out.
It's brilliant, a lot of very good performances. Romola Garai is excellent in it. I loved it so much, I read the book straight afterwards. I would definitely recommend that too.
For those not in the know, Nina Conti's dad Tom is a famous actor. He was in Shirly Valentine as her lover when she goes on holiday. He played Miranda's dad in her eponimous sitcom.
I thought the second episode was brilliant, was crying laughing - which hasn't happened in a long long time. Only problem is the very late time slot, hope the BBC bring it back to a respectable time.
I thought the second episode was brilliant, was crying laughing - which hasn't happened in a long long time. Only problem is the very late time slot, hope the BBC bring it back to a respectable time.
I just caught up with the first two episodes on iPlayer.
I'm a big Christopher Guest fan, so was expecting a lot. Overall I'm a little disappointed, though possible my expectations were too high. I agree the second episode was far better than the first. I'm a big Nina Conti fan , (saw a wonderful documentary about her career on BBC4 a few years back, well worth watching), and can understand how her character could be irritating if you are unfamiliar with her, but I really enjoyed it, looking forward to episode three.
I don't get all the Chris O Dowd criticism, I think he's wonderful, admittedly I've only seen him in Bridesmaids, IT Crowd and on talk shows.
The original transmission time is ten o'clock. Were you watching a repeat?
I'm in Dublin - we get BBC NI and it was shown at 11.30pm.
Now they've moved it to the graveyard slot I hope they don't get rid of it altogether. They did that with Grandma's House and I missed the last 2 episodes.
I've seen Nina's live stand up act a couple of times and she is very good and very funny.
I agree this isn't the best way to show her talents.
She seems pretty well stacked, so I hope she shows her talents before the end of the series. Unlikely though, as that sort of thing is frowned upon these days, can't have those disgusting men having something worth looking at
I think Chris O'Dowd is great , so I tuned into this and I really like it.
The scene with the 'Victorian dildo' in episode one, and the scene in the restaurant in episode 2 were really funny,
I don't get all the Chris O Dowd criticism, I think he's wonderful, admittedly I've only seen him in Bridesmaids, IT Crowd and on talk shows.
In some cases, the criticism may have something to do with the fact that his career has really skyrocketed in the last couple of years or so. :rolleyes::D
I watched ep2 last night and it flew by. I was suprised at how fast it seemed to go as it's not laugh a minute or anything.
I didn't see the point of Conti though. She wouldn't have been missed in that episode.
I think there's a lot more to be milked from the family and their dynamic, I'd like to see more of that.
He's got a collection of wacky characters and they've all got to get some air time, I suppose.
I wonder what quirk this weeks date will have.
Ellie Taylor and the salt was oddly arousing :eek:
Comments
I didn't know who she was, and was surprised when I learned she was a real life ventriloquist but she is still not very good as I couldn't understand what the monkey was saying.
BTW anyone recognise the neighbour in Hove? It was Charlotte Cornwall from 70's show Rock Follies.
I've never heard of Nina Conti, but it was as if she is sleeping with the producer and had been shoehorned into to a 'whacky' role that had been created as an excuse to give her a part. After only about five minutes I found it so irritating that I couldn't take it any more and simply gave up.
What a terrible, appalling misjudgement to include such a misjudged device, although to be honest, the rest of it didn't exactly live up to the glorious praise awarded in some quarters.
I've never seen him in anything with an English accent but his American accent in Girls (also HBO - someone there must like him) was terrible so he may have decided to stick with his Irish.
I thought he was great in the IT Crowd but not convinced by him as an actor.
Somehow you managed to miss every other wacky character i.e. all of them.
From Christopher Guest's blog, linked earlier in the thread.
I always knew Nina Conti would be involved. Or hoped she would. The part of Bea was created for her.
Nina appeared in For Your Consideration, a film I directed, and she was fantastic. It's amazing to behold her talents as a ventriloquist and as an actress as well.
Not that it matters that much as you won't be coming back to it.
No he does English accents as well, such as in Gulliver's Travels and The Crimson Petal and the White, which as already mentioned he was especially good in.
He has actually had quite a wide variety of roles, but I think he has become more well known for playing the likeable Irish characters.
Anyway, I'm really enjoying this show, great second episode!
No, I missed that but checking on IMDB it looks like it has a great cast (love Shirley Henderson) so I'll try to seek it out.
It's brilliant, a lot of very good performances. Romola Garai is excellent in it. I loved it so much, I read the book straight afterwards. I would definitely recommend that too.
I just caught up with the first two episodes on iPlayer.
I'm a big Christopher Guest fan, so was expecting a lot. Overall I'm a little disappointed, though possible my expectations were too high. I agree the second episode was far better than the first. I'm a big Nina Conti fan
I don't get all the Chris O Dowd criticism, I think he's wonderful, admittedly I've only seen him in Bridesmaids, IT Crowd and on talk shows.
I'm in Dublin - we get BBC NI and it was shown at 11.30pm.
Now they've moved it to the graveyard slot I hope they don't get rid of it altogether. They did that with Grandma's House and I missed the last 2 episodes.
I agree this isn't the best way to show her talents.
She seems pretty well stacked, so I hope she shows her talents before the end of the series. Unlikely though, as that sort of thing is frowned upon these days, can't have those disgusting men having something worth looking at
Her human puppet routine is fantastic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Acw_LTWnKBU
The scene with the 'Victorian dildo' in episode one, and the scene in the restaurant in episode 2 were really funny,
I didn't see the point of Conti though. She wouldn't have been missed in that episode.
In some cases, the criticism may have something to do with the fact that his career has really skyrocketed in the last couple of years or so. :rolleyes::D
I think there's a lot more to be milked from the family and their dynamic, I'd like to see more of that.
He's got a collection of wacky characters and they've all got to get some air time, I suppose.
I wonder what quirk this weeks date will have.
Ellie Taylor and the salt was oddly arousing :eek: