I'm hoping the last couple of years will kick either party's arse to realise something needs to be done, or else they'll risk destroying what was a very good, and very cherished sitcom.
Fin.
Way way too late. Every one of the one-offs since Queen of Sheba has been appalling. Totally destroyed what was once brilliant a long time ago.
There was some good laugh out loud moments like "I'd never have got me leg over if Barbara had to have agreed to it" :-)
I think they have changed Dave and Denise a little too much since the early series - I see we had no Jessica Stevenson in it this year (Cheryl).
I didn't like the dressing Joe bit either - they have coined in on the fact that Barbara only ever wears leggings and that Jim only ever wears the same manky outfits for all these years yet we are supposed to suddenly believe that he would rally the family round in to dressing like waiters?
Definately some good moments but they need to leave far fetched slapstick, cadging Carol has a lot of potential as new character to fill some of the void left by Twiggy.
This and Call the Midwives was the only thing worth watching on tv yesterday! xmas telly is pants!
I suppose what we should remember is that Cash and Aherne also brought us the 'Mrs Merton and Malcolm' sitcom which was very broad and visual. The original Royle Family was a distinct shift in tone and style from that and pretty much helped to reinvent the sitcom format. But now they seem to be wanting to return to that more traditional sitcom style.
They have every right to do that, and there is clearly a pretty large audience for it. The pity is that they are doing it with The Royle Family rather than creating something new.
Yeah possibly, but seriously i think the only way the show could really end is, if a major character passed on, and the walking up the street idea, came into my mind, from the end of Only Fools
Overall I enjoyed it! I liked that it remained in the Royle house, like the original series. I agree that the bit with Joe's dates was too long, and I couldn't see Denise or Jim dressing up like that just for Joe.
However, I think some people are viewing the first 3 series with rose tinted spectacles somewhat. I'm a massive fan of the show and have watched it repeatedly. Denise and Dave have always been dimwits. Denise has always been lazy, a bad mother and rubbish at cooking. The jokes have always revolved around that (Dairylea on toast, Denise being neglectful of the kids or saying something stupid while Jim and Barbara exchange concerned looks, etc etc).
I don't mean that as an insult to the show, but I sometimes think people automatically place a "the original was best" sticker on everything. Possibly because when the original series was shown, The Royle Family was new and quite unique.
Yes but where once upon a time these were throwaway lines, now the whole show is built around them.
All the family of various ages sat and watched it, and we all enjoyed it, with some genuine laugh out loud moments - great performances from Sue Johnston and Ricky Tomlinson.
All those who lament the first series, unfortunately nothing stays the same, things move on, writers attitudes change, Would you like the most recent album from your favourite band to sound just like the last or their first?
Probably the pick of the Xmas night schedule, with a touching end, apt for Christmas Day.
Totally agree with this comment. No mention of Anthony and Saskia (joanne froggat) and their new baby and missed Cheryl. Really didn't find Dave's "problem" funny:o
Yes and so original. (Well it was 3,000 years ago).
All the family of various ages sat and watched it, and we all enjoyed it, with some genuine laugh out loud moments - great performances from Sue Johnston and Ricky Tomlinson.
All those who lament the first series, unfortunately nothing stays the same, things move on, writers attitudes change, Would you like the most recent album from your favourite band to sound just like the last or their first?
Probably the pick of the Xmas night schedule, with a touching end, apt for Christmas Day.
No, this is wrong. How many programmes were there on that evening? Let's say 100. I would be amazed if it were any higher than 90th in that list.
All the family of various ages sat and watched it, and we all enjoyed it, with some genuine laugh out loud moments - great performances from Sue Johnston and Ricky Tomlinson.
All those who lament the first series, unfortunately nothing stays the same, things move on, writers attitudes change, Would you like the most recent album from your favourite band to sound just like the last or their first?
Probably the pick of the Xmas night schedule, with a touching end, apt for Christmas Day.
I suspect the opposite - this has turned into precisely the type of show that the BBC want. It may have pretty much betrayed its roots as a 'cinema verite' style observation of a working class family, but its now delivering the Beeb big Xmas night ratings that they want.
I looked at Twitter while it was on and 90% of comments were about how funny it was, and how 'Christmas isn't the same without the Royle Family'.
I hated it - but perhaps we are all just comedy snobs
All the family of various ages sat and watched it, and we all enjoyed it, with some genuine laugh out loud moments - great performances from Sue Johnston and Ricky Tomlinson.
All those who lament the first series, unfortunately nothing stays the same, things move on, writers attitudes change, Would you like the most recent album from your favourite band to sound just like the last or their first?
Probably the pick of the Xmas night schedule, with a touching end, apt for Christmas Day.
Exactly. Give me the Royle Family anyday over the endless parade of tedious and overpaid standups and panel shows that infest the schedules.
I think Caroline Aherne has too much creative control and her ideas are weighing the show down. It pains me to say considering how it was her's and Craig Cash's idea in the first place back in 1998, but IIRC, Caroline has been directing everything since Series 3, and her style is changing.
They both admitted they pulled too many heart strings with The Queen of Sheba, and they're right to say so. It's horrifically emotional, yet it's still very good. That's why they decided to go all out with comedy with "The New Sofa". It shows - it's not terrible, but you can easily sense the shift away from the drama side of it. The problem is that Caroline and Craig haven't shaken that shift off and still rely solely on jokes and gags. "The Golden Egg Cup" was still full of gags, and that's not why people liked The Royle Family. They liked it because of its unique style and delivery. Notice how long it's been since a dramatic pause when they're just watching the telly. Remember "Barbara Has Had Enough," and Jim, Denise and Dave sat and watched Who Wants To Be A Millionaire for about five minutes? It seems effortless but it's a brilliant scene. The show has shifted from being a kitchen-sink style sitcom with drama elements and has now become a bog-standard sitcom. I thought they recovered with "Joe's Crackers" and almost got the balance back with Anthony proposing to Saskia. It was a proper Royle Family moment where it was all about a family moment, and not just Jim showing his arse or something. But it was still missing a bit of magic. Whether it's the directing of the actors, the style of the shots, or the fact that it's no longer shot in real time, I don't know. That's another matter.
The problem with having the same person star in, write, and direct a show or film is that they become too attached to it, and they won't be able to sense a flaw in it without somebody else's point of view, because they're so fixated on an idea, and have assumed from Day 1 that it'll work. Caroline has starred in, written, and (since Series 3) directed the show, and this is starting to blatantly effect it. Her and Craig have a very similar sense of humour, so Craig's eyes are more or less the same as Caroline's. There's still no second opinion. There's no other party to tell either of them that a joke doesn't work or something isn't funny.
What the show needs is a either a third writer (again) or bring in a new director to give the show a fresh pair of eyes. As the last 15 pages have shown, The Royle Family has clearly lost its touch, and the lacklustre viewing figure of 7m viewers shows people are losing faith in it compared to when it was surpassing 9m. I have a feeling that Caroline and Craig revel in the world of their own while writing these scripts knowing that the BBC will commission whatever they write. I'm hoping the last couple of years will kick either party's arse to realise something needs to be done, or else they'll risk destroying what was a very good, and very cherished sitcom.
Fin.
Once upon a time the writers were on the inside looking out, that is what made it so good. Fame, fortune, or whatever has banished them forever from the land of the underclass,of which they once wrote of, with incisiveness and affection.
What was Aherne thinking of allowing that line,god forbid she should actually come up with it.
Cripes! it was a joke, remember this is a comedy, my parents always joked in the same way, do you just sit there with a pen and note pad just waiting to be 'offended'?
The things we are allowed to laugh at these days are perilously few, and its people such as yourself have created the situation, then having the audacity to complaint that programs like this are no longer funny, when in reality you've made it that way!
Cripes! it was a joke, remember this is a comedy, my parents always joked in the same way, do you just sit there with a pen and note pad just waiting to be 'offended'?
I disliked the episode but actually thought that was one of the best lines, and was more in keeping with the original voice of the programme than almost anything else.
Cripes! it was a joke, remember this is a comedy, my parents always joked in the same way, do you just sit there with a pen and note pad just waiting to be 'offended'?
The things we are allowed to laugh at these days are perilously few, and its people such as yourself have created the situation, then having the audacity to complaint that programs like this are no longer funny, when in reality you've made it that way!
Your dad joked about raping your mother? I would love to sit in on your family chats with a pen and note pad.
Your dad joked about raping your mother? I would love to sit in on your family chats with a pen and note pad.
I think you misunderstand the term 'joke' it was married banter, along the lines of the mother-in-law jokes, said in jest as people once did with no ill feelings. Unfortunately today people just seem to want to be offended, often on behalf of others.
Well actually not everyone can afford expensive cheese. Nothing wrong with it or common. I had a dinner party one night and gave it to my mates and they enjoyed it.
Wow, really:eek: Didin't think the folks of D4 would appreciate cheese triangles...or even know what they are...however, I digress, the show was pitiful, truly appalling
Comments
Way way too late. Every one of the one-offs since Queen of Sheba has been appalling. Totally destroyed what was once brilliant a long time ago.
Yea rape within marriage,ABSOLUTELY HILARIOUS!
They have every right to do that, and there is clearly a pretty large audience for it. The pity is that they are doing it with The Royle Family rather than creating something new.
"Stupid boy" more like.
Only fools and horses,"my arse".
Yes but where once upon a time these were throwaway lines, now the whole show is built around them.
All the family of various ages sat and watched it, and we all enjoyed it, with some genuine laugh out loud moments - great performances from Sue Johnston and Ricky Tomlinson.
All those who lament the first series, unfortunately nothing stays the same, things move on, writers attitudes change, Would you like the most recent album from your favourite band to sound just like the last or their first?
Probably the pick of the Xmas night schedule, with a touching end, apt for Christmas Day.
Yes and so original. (Well it was 3,000 years ago).
No, this is wrong. How many programmes were there on that evening? Let's say 100. I would be amazed if it were any higher than 90th in that list.
totally agree, very well put
Cursed with a brain more like.
Ok name the 89 that were ahead of it.
I think that was about the time we decided to turn it off,,how can people find that funny?
Exactly. Give me the Royle Family anyday over the endless parade of tedious and overpaid standups and panel shows that infest the schedules.
Once upon a time the writers were on the inside looking out, that is what made it so good. Fame, fortune, or whatever has banished them forever from the land of the underclass,of which they once wrote of, with incisiveness and affection.
AGREED!
What was Aherne thinking of allowing that line,god forbid she should actually come up with it.
More sense in a restaurant if you ask me.
There's no way of telling how much each writer contributed though. Just one line would be enough to get him a credit.
Cripes! it was a joke, remember this is a comedy, my parents always joked in the same way, do you just sit there with a pen and note pad just waiting to be 'offended'?
The things we are allowed to laugh at these days are perilously few, and its people such as yourself have created the situation, then having the audacity to complaint that programs like this are no longer funny, when in reality you've made it that way!
It came 5th in the top 5 Christmas programmes. I suspect that this was because people like me watched it expecting it to be good.
I bet last nights episode will be the last.
Aherne wrote Lapland last year instead, so was probably struggling with knowing what to do with The Royle Family.
But then they wouldn't have been able to have the main characters waiting on for this sketch.
Your dad joked about raping your mother? I would love to sit in on your family chats with a pen and note pad.
I think you misunderstand the term 'joke' it was married banter, along the lines of the mother-in-law jokes, said in jest as people once did with no ill feelings. Unfortunately today people just seem to want to be offended, often on behalf of others.
Wow, really:eek: Didin't think the folks of D4 would appreciate cheese triangles...or even know what they are...however, I digress, the show was pitiful, truly appalling