I really didn't enjoy this show. The watchword for the first two episodes seems to be repitition. The first 30 seconds or so was filled with repeated silent shots of the cafe and characters, nothing arty, just time wasting. The first lines were repeated. The lines with the homeless man were repeats. In the second episode, the scone joke was repeated 4 times. It didn't get any funnier.
The show seemed very slow paced and easily predictable. The dialogue was lazy and unfunny. Perhaps this is a slow burner, there are clearly side stories which could be interesting (cafe woman's debts; london man's mum) but i fear they will be bogged down in the endless cheap laughs of saying 'funny words' (lapsong souchong in ep 3).
The characters seem very thin, a veneer of steroetype whose interaction is not believable.
Very dissappointed. Was looking forward to it but it didn't raise a smile I'm afraid. I'm sure I'll stick with it as I did with Trollied..only cos there is nothing else I want to watch at that time but I can't see it will be come a fast favourite any time soon.
Up to a point. But their efforts are so hopeless that I find it hard to conclude they're putting any effort into it. It's a bit like when a small child does a painting. Everyone goes into patronising mode and says "how lovely - what a good painting" when in fact it's just a few random daubs on a sheet to paper. That's all The Cafe was. There was no comedy in it and for people to go round and saying "but at least .... " means that Sky or CC will take that as the minimum standard that they can get away with and not aim any higher.
In fact, The Guardian's review of the show was funnier than anything in the programme itself. So maybe it did make some (small) contribution to the net total of funnies - albeit unwittingly.
Sky can, and occasionally do (ref: Mad Dogs) produce some good, local content. So we know they can raise their game. That they either chose not to, or forgot how is not something that should be applauded. The Cafe was rubbish and a complete waste of half an hour and the commissioning people need to be told that, or they'll keep producing more dross like it.
Oh aye - I've not actually caught it yet but I will say that it doesn't at all like my cup of tea. And yes, the Guardian review is superb. It's just nice, in a TV landscape filled with panel shows, to see that some of the slightly more unlikely bidders have the confidence to throw a few pennies at a scripted comedy. Even if the results are (apparently!) a little mixed, I like that they're trying. I don't think they're deliberately producing tut; they have to spend money on each commission, so they're hoping it'll at least earn it back in advertising. I guess I'm thinking of it more like baby-steps - I think they're a little way away from realising their comedy ambitions yet, it'll always be shaky at first, but I'm glad they're having a stab.
(This is also more from the perspective of someone who scribbles out the occasional script, so I do have a vested interest not just as a viewer.)
I too was disappointed in this show. Beautiful scenery and lovely little cafe but that does not a comedy make. There was no substance, I'm sorry to say, nothing to laugh at and none of the characters garnered interest or sympathy or hatred.
I won't be watching it again.
I thought it was good - not often laugh-out-loud funny but some good dialogue. Probably lacks a really strong central character (Ken from Early Doors held the whole thing together marvellously) but easily enough wit for me to watch again.
I enjoyed it. It is gentle and undemanding - not all comedy has to be edgy, offensive, laugh a minute. I love the Nan character, an endearing mix of up to date (recommending use of emails, listening to music given to her on a memory stick) and batty ("Wendy's nephew drives an Aston Martin" "No Nan, an Austin Maestro...")
Thought I woulld give this a shot and to be honest the funniest thing in the show was seeing the sea, what did they do CGI it in? lol. I've only been to western 3 times and the sea was always mile out!.But seriously I was hoping it would be better. Give me Mount Pleasant over this snore fest anyday. The only thing I did like was the theme song..
Just caught this on Anytime and absolutely loved it. Nice and gentle comedy - yes, a bit repetitive in places bit overall very charming and funny. Sky's output this year has been fantastic.
i was looking forward to it. and i sat and watched it and instead of being delighted with it, and happy i was grinding my teeth....trollied was better, mount pleasent was better again....and neither of them where particulary outstanding, just ok, and something to watch....but this?....truely awful.
for me the main problem with it was that it was too like the royal family, and a nod here= and their to gavin and stacey and it just failed miserably....if craig cash had written it i would have said hes burned out.... if caroline aherne had written it i would have said the same....its just like ralf little and his friend michelle, as he keeps calling her in the two interviews ive seen him do about this.... sat down and copied random sentences, and repeated them for comic effect (not_) and copied the characters from the royal family and patted eachother on the back....even ralfs two interviews i ve seen/ read...the guardian and this morning...where identical....
im very sad and dissappointed i didnt like it or find it remotely funny. very sad indeed. i feel sorry for ralf...hes a poormans craig cash!!!!
I really liked it. As said earlier its a slow starter but it is growing on me. Comedy dosen't have to be full of corney one-liners these days like some old George and Mildred episode.
I didn't really like Mount Pleasant but that just might be a geographic, loved Trollied I mean fair enough it was like The Office in a supermarket and Jane Horrocks was annoying but it wasn't making obvious jokes you had to laugh at. the trouble with The Cafe is that Ralf Little had taken too many characters from the Royle Family so the woman playing the gran was being too much like Nan for me. It wasn't really funny whether it was meant to be subtle or not
I really liked it. As said earlier its a slow starter but it is growing on me. Comedy dosen't have to be full of corney one-liners these days like some old George and Mildred episode.
Agree. It's not supposed to be a gag driven show. It's very observational, like hearing a conversation on a bus.
In a way it's like Creature Comforts. Normal people talking, without realising they're funny.
The way they keep saying "Laters" makes me wish for a drive-by shooting.
Apart from that, gently amusing and beautifully shot but a bit too self-consciously eccentric.
Better than "Trollied" but not as entertaining as "Spy".
Comments
The show seemed very slow paced and easily predictable. The dialogue was lazy and unfunny. Perhaps this is a slow burner, there are clearly side stories which could be interesting (cafe woman's debts; london man's mum) but i fear they will be bogged down in the endless cheap laughs of saying 'funny words' (lapsong souchong in ep 3).
The characters seem very thin, a veneer of steroetype whose interaction is not believable.
I don't think I'll be watching again.
Checked for the rest of the week, doesn't look like it's getting repeated?
Yes, it was called Angelo's :
http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/angelos/
"Alright Scuttlers" was a good line but the statue guy is just a Gavin and Stacey rip orf and the guy in the glasses was too 1980s.
I will watch again as 2 eps is nothing
it's on Anytime this morning.
Repeated tomorrow night on Sky2 and Sky1. And Sky2 on Monday night.
Oh, thanks very much. Will give it a go.
I never remember about Anytime, don't know why!!!
(This is also more from the perspective of someone who scribbles out the occasional script, so I do have a vested interest not just as a viewer.)
I won't be watching it again.
No, Life's too short is cringeworthy.
This at least doesn't make me reach for a cushion.
I'll watch again.
for me the main problem with it was that it was too like the royal family, and a nod here= and their to gavin and stacey and it just failed miserably....if craig cash had written it i would have said hes burned out.... if caroline aherne had written it i would have said the same....its just like ralf little and his friend michelle, as he keeps calling her in the two interviews ive seen him do about this.... sat down and copied random sentences, and repeated them for comic effect (not_) and copied the characters from the royal family and patted eachother on the back....even ralfs two interviews i ve seen/ read...the guardian and this morning...where identical....
im very sad and dissappointed i didnt like it or find it remotely funny. very sad indeed. i feel sorry for ralf...hes a poormans craig cash!!!!
Agree. It's not supposed to be a gag driven show. It's very observational, like hearing a conversation on a bus.
In a way it's like Creature Comforts. Normal people talking, without realising they're funny.
Apart from that, gently amusing and beautifully shot but a bit too self-consciously eccentric.
Better than "Trollied" but not as entertaining as "Spy".