Mine are, The Christmas Show, The Audition and The Radio Play.
I don't dislike the TV show there's enough of the Arthur like to keep me happy. I find that if I watch it again on iplayer it's better than my first impression, much better in fact.
think my fave episode is the curse of count arthur, when arthur and barry cryer go on the hunt for barrys missing briefcase containing tickets for the hammer films buffet party
I must admit I am rather enjoying this show. Being new to the character I don't have the radio show to compare it too but do find it very funny, mind you I didn't mind the Wright Way either:D
I am sure that they will be taking the remarks from critics and fans on board when working on series 2. Meanwhile, I will need to track down the radio show.
I must admit I am rather enjoying this show. Being new to the character I don't have the radio show to compare it too but do find it very funny, mind you I didn't mind the Wright Way either:D
I am sure that they will be taking the remarks from critics and fans on board when working on series 2. Meanwhile, I will need to track down the radio show.
BTW tomorrow's TV ep is about a radio play, could that be the same plot as the radio play ep in the radio series? (If you see what I mean!)
I hope it is, as that is one of my favourites from the radio show and the TV version hasn't matched it yet...
I'm always open-minded about sitcoms and have really liked some of the BBC's more recent offerings (not The Wright Way...) but I just don't find this remotely funny. The character doesn't work that well on TV. It's better if you don't see Delaney dressed up as Arthur and you just hear his voice.
I think there's a small minority speaking loudly here.
Great if you're a fan of the radio series, but even if you are, you're comparing an entire body of radio work to 2 episodes of the T.V. show...
It'll be interesting to see if this is similar to the I.T crowd, which was an underground success in its first series yet met with little public or critical acclaim.
Then in its second series they reacted to what worked and what didn't and it became a massive smash hit when the Theatre episode aired.
If that is the case then it is indeed very wise of the BBC to give this a second series so early. The stuff that is working here in series 1 will be cherry picked and merged into a series 2 that has shed things that don't work too.
But it still won't be anything like the radio show. Nothing that makes that transition remains the same as it did when it was audio only....
It's just bad T.V. to have someone sitting around reading half an hour worth of descriptive text, no matter how funny...
Still should've been John Shuttleworth though, Graham
Your lofty attitude aside my point still stands, the use of the term " canned laughter " is oft mis-used by the weak of brain.
Surely the weak of brain are those who are so focused on the terminology of "canned laughter" as to miss the point? The laugher in the first episode was off-putting. It was too loud, I think. Where-ever it comes from it has its own volume which can be adjusted in the edit.
For the second episode, it was better. Despite that, I didn't like the show. I've cancelled my Season Pass and doubt I'll watch again. The main character just doesn't work for me; somehow not real enough or close enough to what I know. He's no George Costanza. The waitress was the only relateable character and she's not enough to keep me watching.
I have actually had a few laugh out loud moments with this tonight.I wasn't keen on first episode so didn't bother watching it last week but thought i'd give it another go tonight and i'm glad i did
I'm going to watch this in a minute. Lindsay Duncan is actually a really great comedy actress, even though she's much better known for her dramatic roles - she did a really brilliant turn in one of the recent Ab Fab specials as a faded French film star.
There were some very funny bits in the show tonight, but once again tbere was not enough real CAS. The bit of business he did with his glasses in the cafe had us both chortling, and we need mor of this and less of the conventional sitcom stuff.
It's like two sitcoms awkwardly welded together, Linehan and Kinnear need to be ditched for series 2.
I'm not reading many posts at the moment as I haven't watched last night's episode yet, but this one caught my eye as it relates to something I was going to post about the series generally.
The radio show had only a cult following because the essence of Count Arthur Strong is Marmite. If you think someone going into a shop and asking for beta-blockers instead of odour-eaters is funny, you love it. If you don't, you hate it.
What I think has happened is that BBC bosses considered such a sharp polarisation of opinion to be too risky for BBC2, so they brought in Graham Linehan and Rory Kinnear to water down the Marmite, by broadening the spectrum of humour and moving it more in the direction of the mainstream. The result, inevitably, is a dreadful Comedy Culture Clash. (Try getting your gnashers round that one, Arthur!).
I'm not reading many posts at the moment as I haven't watched last night's episode yet, but this one caught my eye as it relates to something I was going to post about the series generally.
The radio show had only a cult following because the essence of Count Arthur Strong is Marmite. If you think someone going into a shop and asking for beta-blockers instead of odour-eaters is funny, you love it. If you don't, you hate it.
What I think has happened is that BBC bosses considered such a sharp polarisation of opinion to be too risky for BBC2, so they brought in Graham Linehan and Rory Kinnear to water down the Marmite, by broadening the spectrum of humour and moving it more in the direction of the mainstream. The result, inevitably, is a dreadful Comedy Culture Clash. (Try getting your gnashers round that one, Arthur!).
Looking forward to Lindsay Duncan at least.
True, but there is so much more to the "real" Arthur on the radio than malapropisms. If that's all he did I would hate it.
Comments
I am sure that they will be taking the remarks from critics and fans on board when working on series 2. Meanwhile, I will need to track down the radio show.
BTW tomorrow's TV ep is about a radio play, could that be the same plot as the radio play ep in the radio series? (If you see what I mean!)
I hope it is, as that is one of my favourites from the radio show and the TV version hasn't matched it yet...
Great if you're a fan of the radio series, but even if you are, you're comparing an entire body of radio work to 2 episodes of the T.V. show...
It'll be interesting to see if this is similar to the I.T crowd, which was an underground success in its first series yet met with little public or critical acclaim.
Then in its second series they reacted to what worked and what didn't and it became a massive smash hit when the Theatre episode aired.
If that is the case then it is indeed very wise of the BBC to give this a second series so early. The stuff that is working here in series 1 will be cherry picked and merged into a series 2 that has shed things that don't work too.
But it still won't be anything like the radio show. Nothing that makes that transition remains the same as it did when it was audio only....
It's just bad T.V. to have someone sitting around reading half an hour worth of descriptive text, no matter how funny...
Still should've been John Shuttleworth though, Graham
More of a minor hit I'd say.
The two male leads have done well out of though especially Chris O' Dowd who's in everything these days.
For the second episode, it was better. Despite that, I didn't like the show. I've cancelled my Season Pass and doubt I'll watch again. The main character just doesn't work for me; somehow not real enough or close enough to what I know. He's no George Costanza. The waitress was the only relateable character and she's not enough to keep me watching.
It's like two sitcoms awkwardly welded together, Linehan and Kinnear need to be ditched for series 2.
I'm going to watch this in a minute. Lindsay Duncan is actually a really great comedy actress, even though she's much better known for her dramatic roles - she did a really brilliant turn in one of the recent Ab Fab specials as a faded French film star.
Exactly.
Tonight was bloody awful
The radio play was funny though, maybe not quite as funny as the one in Frasier but there were some laughs there, for me anyway.
So following that logic, the show is improving tenfold, can't wait for series 2 based on that logic!
The Count Arthur Strong stuff, particularly the radio play, was very funny.
The Michael stuff wasn't very funny, wasting too much time at the beginning of the show, and ending with a whimper.
The show has potential but for the second series I'd like to see Linehan up his game and Michael's part drastically reduced.
You might get your wish if Rory Kinnear get the Doctor Who gig
He won't
The radio show had only a cult following because the essence of Count Arthur Strong is Marmite. If you think someone going into a shop and asking for beta-blockers instead of odour-eaters is funny, you love it. If you don't, you hate it.
What I think has happened is that BBC bosses considered such a sharp polarisation of opinion to be too risky for BBC2, so they brought in Graham Linehan and Rory Kinnear to water down the Marmite, by broadening the spectrum of humour and moving it more in the direction of the mainstream. The result, inevitably, is a dreadful Comedy Culture Clash. (Try getting your gnashers round that one, Arthur!).
Looking forward to Lindsay Duncan at least.
True, but there is so much more to the "real" Arthur on the radio than malapropisms. If that's all he did I would hate it.