I wasn't alive during the second world war or in the Middle Ages but I still laugh at Dad's Army and Blackadder. Unfortunately this show just isn't funny.
I can only assume that the very funny observational humour about the Seventies is completely lost on most who have posted on here......................
I'm sorry for those who are simply too young enough to get it, but for those old enough to remember those times, I promise you it really was very funny.
So once again it's the fault of anyone who doesn't find a programme funny, because they just don't "get it", whatever 'it' is.
The clichés about the 70s aren't "funny observational humour", they're simply obvious clichés. The real point about the 70s is completely missed : any couple with a child would probably have been brought up in the 40s and 50s. The 70s, when many couples were the first ever in their family to own a house, a car plus many other things now regarded as necessities, was a time of aspiration. Many of these couples would now see themselves as middle class, rather than working class (or even lower), and hence struggled to conform.
It's easy to laugh at couples like that now, but the period between the 40s and the 70s saw huge social change.
I can only assume that the very funny observational humour about the Seventies is completely lost on most who have posted on here. I can see how most in the younger age group just wouldn't see the significance of the spaghetti bolognese references, the dinner party and the cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks – all at the very height of sophistication in those days. It's similar to the way that many couldn't understand Caitlin Moran's similar sit-com and why My Fat, Mad Diary had to be brought forward a decade.
I'm sorry for those who are simply too young enough to get it, but for those old enough to remember those times, I promise you it really was very funny.
Slightly condescending post.
I was around in the darkest 1970s. The jokes about the pasta were exagerated for effect I think. Things progressed at a natural rate. There were no big jokes about new food, at least not in our house. We certainly were not so ignorant to believe that spaghetti only came in a tin.
In retrospect, we see things differently than it actually was.
Still, it was enjoyable and I'll watch the next episode.
I was around in the darkest 1970s. The jokes about the pasta were exagerated for effect I think. Things progressed at a natural rate. There were no big jokes about new food, at least not in our house. We certainly were not so ignorant to believe that spaghetti only came in a tin.
In retrospect, we see things differently than it actually was.
Still, it was enjoyable and I'll watch the next episode.
I can certainly remember the excitement when my mother cooked her first spaghetti bolognese and for most people, curry was something that came either dried in a packet or as something you boiled in a polythene bag. Prawn cocktails were seen as the height of sophistication. It was a period of such appalling taste that it deserves sending up, although the world has changed so much since then that it must seem completely alien to anyone in their twenties. The wartime era is familiar to most people due to the huge numbers of films about it, but the Seventies is almost the lost decade.
I do agree with those who are getting a bit fed up with this colour wash gimmick which has detracted from nearly all recent period comedies and dramas.
I can only assume that the very funny observational humour about the Seventies is completely lost on most who have posted on here. I can see how most in the younger age group just wouldn't see the significance of the spaghetti bolognese references, the dinner party and the cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks – all at the very height of sophistication in those days. It's similar to the way that many couldn't understand Caitlin Moran's similar sit-com and why My Fat, Mad Diary had to be brought forward a decade.
I'm sorry for those who are simply too young enough to get it, but for those old enough to remember those times, I promise you it really was very funny.
I lived through it.
This just wasn't funny.
You can't demand I like it- or that if I don't like it I don't get it.
I can only assume that the very funny observational humour about the Seventies is completely lost on most who have posted on here. I can see how most in the younger age group just wouldn't see the significance of the spaghetti bolognese references, the dinner party and the cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks – all at the very height of sophistication in those days. It's similar to the way that many couldn't understand Caitlin Moran's similar sit-com and why My Fat, Mad Diary had to be brought forward a decade.
I'm sorry for those who are simply too young enough to get it, but for those old enough to remember those times, I promise you it really was very funny.
No it wasnt. I was born in Stevenage and grew up here, I was very much alive during the period. The programme was just naff and pathetic.
I can only assume that the very funny observational humour about the Seventies is completely lost on most who have posted on here. I can see how most in the younger age group just wouldn't see the significance of the spaghetti bolognese references, the dinner party and the cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks – all at the very height of sophistication in those days.
I was fifteen at the time of Star Wars' UK release, and too old to be interested in a kids' film!
I do recall the era perfectly well, and think they have got much of the period detail wrong by going for early seventies clothing, hair, toys (Edit: apart from the modern playground!) and lifestyle. By 1978 even my Mum, who was a fairly limited cook, would serve up lasagne quite regularly, and we were by no means well-off. Cheese and pineapple chunks speared into a foil hedgehog had been features at parties for as long as I can remember (along with twiglets, meat paste sandwiches, etc).
So I didn't find anything very humourous about the period setting, it just kept irritating me with anachronisms. There wasn't much in the way of any other humour to compensate either, I particularly thought the girI playing Emma behaved in much too contemporary a way. I might watch the second episode to see if it grows on me at all.
I followed it up by watching the first episode of the comedy about Danny Baker's 70s memories - and found that spot-on for detail and laugh out loud funny, demonstrating that it can be done.
I can only assume that the very funny observational humour about the Seventies is completely lost on most who have posted on here. I can see how most in the younger age group just wouldn't see the significance of the spaghetti bolognese references, the dinner party and the cheese and pineapple on cocktail sticks – all at the very height of sophistication in those days. It's similar to the way that many couldn't understand Caitlin Moran's similar sit-com and why My Fat, Mad Diary had to be brought forward a decade.
I'm sorry for those who are simply too young enough to get it, but for those old enough to remember those times, I promise you it really was very funny.
What utter nonsense.
The problem with this show is that it's relying on 70s cliches to make it funny. It has no wit and the pacing is really slow and stilted.
I was 5 in 1970 and 14 in 1979, I'm pretty au fait with a working class 70s childhood thank you very much. How patronising are you by the way?
The fashion was terrible. Polyester, wide collars, flares, horrible patterns, bad hair cuts.
The music was ok if you liked rock, but otherwise over rated.
The TV wasn't much better with racism and sexism rampant.
Hardly any electrical gadgetry.
Power, refuse and bread strikes.
I've hardly anything good to say about the 70s, except for the hot summers. Although that lead to droughts and water taps in the street.
A programme that's hoping to appeal to a wide audience needs more than a few nostalgia-related lines to make it funny - they should be the jam in the comedy sandwich, not both slices of bread.
First episodes of sitcoms are often a bit pants, so I'll give this another try - but if after the second episode the only pleasure I've got from it is constantly saying 'My mum had that dinner service' or 'I had a dress like that', then I'll probably pass.
The fashion was terrible. Polyester, wide collars, flares, horrible patterns, bad hair cuts.
The music was ok if you liked rock, but otherwise over rated.
The TV wasn't much better with racism and sexism rampant.
Hardly any electrical gadgetry.
Power, refuse and bread strikes.
I've hardly anything good to say about the 70s, except for the hot summers. Although that lead to droughts and water taps in the street.
the greatest changes in most people's lives occurred in the 70s , buying houses , holidays abroad , flying ,
Colour tvs , washing machines in the home , cars , Hi-Fi , phones - 15 years previous most people didn't have those things , now most did .
still the best decade for films , sexual freedoms - contraception,
plenty of great tv , especially sit-coms , and lots of great music , look at how much of it is regurgitated now .
working class people had power back then , not now
.
The TV wasn't much better with racism and sexism rampant. .
But there were many gems from the '70s
Sitcoms like Rising Damp, Reggie Perrin, Porridge, Fawty Towers.
Dramas like I Claudius, Secret Army, Colditz.
Documentries like World at War, Life on Earth, Ascent of man.
Proper investagative journalism in World in action, Panaroma.
I think I can forgive the '70s for Benny Hill and Love thy neighbour.;-)
I liked it. It was rather light on drama and comedy but was interesting enough for me to sit through.
There were points that I didn't like.
I don't buy Emma Pierson as a hard suffering girl friend. Possibly both the neighbours were miscast. Did Peacock get the job cos he's married to Parkinson?
A bit too much forced slapstick with the blonde rolling down the hill, then climbing the fence and breaking and entering. Really? I'm sure they were supposed to be the laugh out loud moments but raised and eyebrow more for me.
But I did think there were a couple of funny moments. The young girl is good and the scenes with her and her father worked well together.
Her being thrown in the bushes and getting a punch in the face did raise a smile from me.
So i'll give it another watch to see if it improves or not.
I liked it too, a couple of good laughs in there, otherwise it's mostly amusing.
Only thing with Josie Lawrence is not enough of her and not given enough to do IMO, on the rare occasion she pops up on the TV.
Then again I've had a thing for her for 20+ years.
You're right of course ... and she was the original receptionist at Doc Martin's surgery. We've also seen her in the annoying Maltesers advert, where she and a friend in the office are sort of sharing a chocolate bunny with one of its legs bitten off.
I'm old enough to clearly remember the 1970's (and 60's!) and, I was confused from the start over the actual period setting intended, since all the food and other references, behavioural patterns, etc., were definitely beginning of the 1970's. Whereas, as other posters have said, Star Wars didn't arrive in the UK until early 1978, when things had moved on culturally.
I assume therefore, that the Producers are all wet behind the ears, early twenties somethings straight out of uni, whom studied one of those 1970's scrap books and, have then morphed it all together!
The fashion was terrible. Polyester, wide collars, flares, horrible patterns, bad hair cuts. The music was ok if you liked rock, but otherwise over rated.
The TV wasn't much better with racism and sexism rampant.
Hardly any electrical gadgetry.
Power, refuse and bread strikes.
I've hardly anything good to say about the 70s, except for the hot summers. Although that lead to droughts and water taps in the street.
It's widely acknowledged as the best decade for music by critics: soul music peaked, punk rock happened, electronic music arrived, new wave, disco, and, if you like that sort of thing, prog rock/classic rock like Led Zep/Pink Floyd.. The decade is also hailed as the best for film too.
Oh and you forgot to mention unemployment levels we can only dream of and a far smaller gap between the top and bottom sections of society.
I watched the episodes broadcast so far. It's mildly amusing at times, but not exactly side-splittingly hilarious. Mind you, it's streets ahead of Mountain Goats.
Who does the girl remind people of? I think she looks like Ellen Page but I'm sure there is another actress who she looks a lot like, especially her mannerisms.
Comments
So once again it's the fault of anyone who doesn't find a programme funny, because they just don't "get it", whatever 'it' is.
The clichés about the 70s aren't "funny observational humour", they're simply obvious clichés. The real point about the 70s is completely missed : any couple with a child would probably have been brought up in the 40s and 50s. The 70s, when many couples were the first ever in their family to own a house, a car plus many other things now regarded as necessities, was a time of aspiration. Many of these couples would now see themselves as middle class, rather than working class (or even lower), and hence struggled to conform.
It's easy to laugh at couples like that now, but the period between the 40s and the 70s saw huge social change.
It relied too much on absurdity, such as not knowing how to make a lasagna (read a cook book), or the couple next door being so dysfunctional.
And what was up with the little girl looking around like she was blind everytime she go excited?
I was around in the darkest 1970s. The jokes about the pasta were exagerated for effect I think. Things progressed at a natural rate. There were no big jokes about new food, at least not in our house. We certainly were not so ignorant to believe that spaghetti only came in a tin.
In retrospect, we see things differently than it actually was.
Still, it was enjoyable and I'll watch the next episode.
I do agree with those who are getting a bit fed up with this colour wash gimmick which has detracted from nearly all recent period comedies and dramas.
I lived through it.
This just wasn't funny.
You can't demand I like it- or that if I don't like it I don't get it.
Or that if I don't get it I must be too young.
Makes Citizen Khan look like a classic.
No it wasnt. I was born in Stevenage and grew up here, I was very much alive during the period. The programme was just naff and pathetic.
I was fifteen at the time of Star Wars' UK release, and too old to be interested in a kids' film!
I do recall the era perfectly well, and think they have got much of the period detail wrong by going for early seventies clothing, hair, toys (Edit: apart from the modern playground!) and lifestyle. By 1978 even my Mum, who was a fairly limited cook, would serve up lasagne quite regularly, and we were by no means well-off. Cheese and pineapple chunks speared into a foil hedgehog had been features at parties for as long as I can remember (along with twiglets, meat paste sandwiches, etc).
So I didn't find anything very humourous about the period setting, it just kept irritating me with anachronisms. There wasn't much in the way of any other humour to compensate either, I particularly thought the girI playing Emma behaved in much too contemporary a way. I might watch the second episode to see if it grows on me at all.
I followed it up by watching the first episode of the comedy about Danny Baker's 70s memories - and found that spot-on for detail and laugh out loud funny, demonstrating that it can be done.
What utter nonsense.
The problem with this show is that it's relying on 70s cliches to make it funny. It has no wit and the pacing is really slow and stilted.
I was 5 in 1970 and 14 in 1979, I'm pretty au fait with a working class 70s childhood thank you very much. How patronising are you by the way?
The fashion was terrible. Polyester, wide collars, flares, horrible patterns, bad hair cuts.
The music was ok if you liked rock, but otherwise over rated.
The TV wasn't much better with racism and sexism rampant.
Hardly any electrical gadgetry.
Power, refuse and bread strikes.
I've hardly anything good to say about the 70s, except for the hot summers. Although that lead to droughts and water taps in the street.
First episodes of sitcoms are often a bit pants, so I'll give this another try - but if after the second episode the only pleasure I've got from it is constantly saying 'My mum had that dinner service' or 'I had a dress like that', then I'll probably pass.
the greatest changes in most people's lives occurred in the 70s , buying houses , holidays abroad , flying ,
Colour tvs , washing machines in the home , cars , Hi-Fi , phones - 15 years previous most people didn't have those things , now most did .
still the best decade for films , sexual freedoms - contraception,
plenty of great tv , especially sit-coms , and lots of great music , look at how much of it is regurgitated now .
working class people had power back then , not now
.
the clothes were shit tho .
But there were many gems from the '70s
Sitcoms like Rising Damp, Reggie Perrin, Porridge, Fawty Towers.
Dramas like I Claudius, Secret Army, Colditz.
Documentries like World at War, Life on Earth, Ascent of man.
Proper investagative journalism in World in action, Panaroma.
I think I can forgive the '70s for Benny Hill and Love thy neighbour.;-)
There were points that I didn't like.
I don't buy Emma Pierson as a hard suffering girl friend. Possibly both the neighbours were miscast. Did Peacock get the job cos he's married to Parkinson?
A bit too much forced slapstick with the blonde rolling down the hill, then climbing the fence and breaking and entering. Really? I'm sure they were supposed to be the laugh out loud moments but raised and eyebrow more for me.
But I did think there were a couple of funny moments. The young girl is good and the scenes with her and her father worked well together.
Her being thrown in the bushes and getting a punch in the face did raise a smile from me.
So i'll give it another watch to see if it improves or not.
Enjoyed it again. I liked the school scenes and the driving
The thing I'm most not keen is the friends, the couple......it would be better without them
Only thing with Josie Lawrence is not enough of her and not given enough to do IMO, on the rare occasion she pops up on the TV.
Then again I've had a thing for her for 20+ years.
ever since that sketch show on the first night of Channel 4......:D
it's more like 30 years......:o
she wasn't the original Doc Martin Receptionist, she was the 2nd replacing Lucy Punch
I assume therefore, that the Producers are all wet behind the ears, early twenties somethings straight out of uni, whom studied one of those 1970's scrap books and, have then morphed it all together!
It's widely acknowledged as the best decade for music by critics: soul music peaked, punk rock happened, electronic music arrived, new wave, disco, and, if you like that sort of thing, prog rock/classic rock like Led Zep/Pink Floyd.. The decade is also hailed as the best for film too.
Oh and you forgot to mention unemployment levels we can only dream of and a far smaller gap between the top and bottom sections of society.