Series 3 was even more disturbing than before because it went a bit more 'gritty', losing the laughter track, hardly any gags, more plot than before. Who can forget Pauline and Ross shagging in the first episode?? You've got to wonder how stuff like that was even broadcast!! Classic League.
That was classic. There was always a little vibe there after Ross reveals himself to be a spy but when she ties him up in Series 2 and threatens to 'cut his benefits' whilst running a pen up his groin, you knew something would have to happen. And he's so darn alluring...
Series 3 does have some classic moments but they're more classic shock moments: Pauline and Ross (the sound effects!); the auto-erotic asphixiation machine; Charlie giving 'extras' to the customers. The only misfire for me in that series was episode 2- though I also have mixed feelings towards the finale.
For sheer acting ability and guts, Series 3 deserves praise. There's moments in the earlier seasons where the show hits the levels of tragedy but the kind of tragicomedy/comic tragedy on show here is fantastic. Also, it may be dark but it's quite romantic (even if one of the romances really was not going to work...). Maybe I just love the kink.
I liked the third series. They deserve credit for being willing to break with their established format, when it would have been very easy just to keep churing 'em out.
Saying that, the first series was easily the best. Outstanding stuff. Legs Akimbo was amazing.
I love Legs Akimbo! Having been a drama student, it is eerily accurate of some drama folk.
I also have a fondness for Series 3. It shouldn't work at all, making your sketch characters into dramatic characters, but it does. Some of the sketches around them are a little, er, 'sketchy', but there's lots of fun to be had here.
Series 3 really was the prototype for Inside No. 9
Much more intricately plotted and focusing more on the macabre aspects of their characters' lives, rather than comedy that could be sapped from such macabre aspects. I do think Series 3 is a masterstroke of a series, but I don't watch it anywhere near enough as I have with Series 1 and 2. I'm a moody person as it is, and Series 3 is far too dark and depressing (even more so than anything done in Inside No.9) for me to be able to sit through.
Series 3 really was the prototype for Inside No. 9
Much more intricately plotted and focusing more on the macabre aspects of their characters' lives, rather than comedy that could be sapped from such macabre aspects. I do think Series 3 is a masterstroke of a series, but I don't watch it anywhere near enough as I have with Series 1 and 2. I'm a moody person as it is, and Series 3 is far too dark and depressing (even more so than anything done in Inside No.9) for me to be able to sit through.
I don't think Inside No. 9 is anywhere near as dark as Series 3, though Series 3 has a happy ending of sorts. The first and last episode of Inside No. 9 might fit the bill but it didn't plumb the depths of human dysfunctionality and misery as Series 3 did.
Series 3's problem was that it still had a 'duty' to be a sketch show but the sketches surrounding the main story weren't half as compelling (although I did love Legz Akimbo's attempt at writing a play about disability)- or even half as funny as the main stories.
I'm watching Psychoville at the moment and it's not really working for me. It's a bit too 'let's try and be as freaky as possible' rather than focusing on the 'freakiness' of 'normal people'. League of Gentlemen was great because it was identifiable, despite the surreality.
My brother once went to a fancy dress party as Papa Lazarou. He won first prize too, but not before he'd frightened the life out of his mate's missus when he banged on their front window in full costume!:D:D:D
The first 2 series and the Christmas special were amazing - the film and series 3... not so much.
The film is a messy drag.
Christmas Special kind of segues into Series 3; after such a dark ending naturally they were going to go down a darker route. It does require you to be emotionally invested in the characters but I really enjoyed that. I enjoy it in a different way to the other series.
Once a month or so my sister and I go to the big town to a big shop- not a local shop. Every time at the check outs when I get my reusable bags out of my bag we go through the whole "a bag in a bag? That Meryl, she makes me sick" Every time!
Coke is "I can I can't" or occasionally Cuke- it's heaven in a can (IT Crowd reference).
Our vet is actually called Mr Chinnery. First time i had to take a pet there I kept a close eye in case he exploded anything!
I used to love the Dentons, particularly some of the things Harvey came out with.
"What?!! Butt naked in the lobby of this house? Doubtless you've been in the bathroom, spraying your belly with sticky white love-piss!!"
And "Madame Palm and her five lovely daughters"! Loved the Dentons gaslighting Benjamin. They probably had the happiest marriage of anyone in Royston Vasey.
Also like the lower-key moments such as Mark Gatiss as the cave tour guide.
As well as the tour guide, Gatiss was magnificent as Les McQueen.
The one where his old band run off with his redundacy pay is heart-breaking.
I really liked him as Mrs Beesley as well (the women visiting the charity shop donating the kids' clothes). So poignant as well as being darkly funny. Maybe he has a knack for those roles: mild-mannered slightly tragic figures. Although I also find him hilarious as Iris.
Saying that though, Steve Pemberton plays a few 'tragic' characters: Herr Lipp, Charlie, Tubbs, Pauline (at times), as well as creeps ('Daddy' and Pop for example). I don't think Reece Shearsmith does a bad job either, with tragedy underlying Judee's bitchiness and the tragicomedy of Geoff.
Hehe its still great for a rewatch, and my mum is particularly creeped out by the 'pops' character. I recently let my 12 year old, quite mature, watch series 1, she loved the humour, and to my shock got most of it..and the creepyness. so i can now enjoy the 'this is a local shop, we'll have no shouting here' when the situation occurs to use it, and it has muhahaha!
Hehe its still great for a rewatch, and my mum is particularly creeped out by the 'pops' character.
He's really creepy, and not comic creepy like Herr Lipp. He's a little bit surreal but still a recognisable type; I think that's why people found Series 3 disturbing.
I recently let my 12 year old, quite mature, watch series 1, she loved the humour, and to my shock got most of it..and the creepyness. so i can now enjoy the 'this is a local shop, we'll have no shouting here' when the situation occurs to use it, and it has muhahaha!
Love Series 1 and I think it would be fine for twelve-year-olds, unless they were very sensitive. Series 2 gets a little more creepy but I think the humour of 1 and 2 outweighs the 'scariness'.
A thought just occured to me: though Mark Gatiss and Steve Pemberton do a variety of regional accents (if predominantly Northern), as far as I can remember apart from Edward and Papa Lazarou, all of Reece Shearsmith's characters are Northern- yet they all have a different sound to their voice. Really like how each character has their own voice but it's not as forced or simplistic as some other comedy shows.
The original Radio series is well worth a listen too.
Ooh, I love the radio series! I find it most hilarious to see which bits have been censored. 'Onanism' is allowed but not 'masturbation',
and the word 'semen' is forbidden! It surely must have been shown in a later slot though because some of it's still quite dark, or a bit raunchy (Ingleby and Barbara).
It's also interesting to see what they changed, as in the radio series Benjamin goes for a job interview-if he hadn't missed it, he'd be stuck in that town forever!
Comments
That was classic. There was always a little vibe there after Ross reveals himself to be a spy but when she ties him up in Series 2 and threatens to 'cut his benefits' whilst running a pen up his groin, you knew something would have to happen. And he's so darn alluring...
Series 3 does have some classic moments but they're more classic shock moments: Pauline and Ross (the sound effects!); the auto-erotic asphixiation machine; Charlie giving 'extras' to the customers. The only misfire for me in that series was episode 2- though I also have mixed feelings towards the finale.
For sheer acting ability and guts, Series 3 deserves praise. There's moments in the earlier seasons where the show hits the levels of tragedy but the kind of tragicomedy/comic tragedy on show here is fantastic. Also, it may be dark but it's quite romantic (even if one of the romances really was not going to work...). Maybe I just love the kink.
I love Legs Akimbo! Having been a drama student, it is eerily accurate of some drama folk.
I also have a fondness for Series 3. It shouldn't work at all, making your sketch characters into dramatic characters, but it does. Some of the sketches around them are a little, er, 'sketchy', but there's lots of fun to be had here.
one of us replies, 'we keep the key cutting machine'....
We do that too!
Much more intricately plotted and focusing more on the macabre aspects of their characters' lives, rather than comedy that could be sapped from such macabre aspects. I do think Series 3 is a masterstroke of a series, but I don't watch it anywhere near enough as I have with Series 1 and 2. I'm a moody person as it is, and Series 3 is far too dark and depressing (even more so than anything done in Inside No.9) for me to be able to sit through.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuGnT1EYvBA
So much to like about it, And what was the special stuff? I like that they never actually told us and let it stay secret
Each character had a full personality and you knew why they did what they did
I don't think Inside No. 9 is anywhere near as dark as Series 3, though Series 3 has a happy ending of sorts. The first and last episode of Inside No. 9 might fit the bill but it didn't plumb the depths of human dysfunctionality and misery as Series 3 did.
Series 3's problem was that it still had a 'duty' to be a sketch show but the sketches surrounding the main story weren't half as compelling (although I did love Legz Akimbo's attempt at writing a play about disability)- or even half as funny as the main stories.
I'm watching Psychoville at the moment and it's not really working for me. It's a bit too 'let's try and be as freaky as possible' rather than focusing on the 'freakiness' of 'normal people'. League of Gentlemen was great because it was identifiable, despite the surreality.
The film is a messy drag.
Christmas Special kind of segues into Series 3; after such a dark ending naturally they were going to go down a darker route. It does require you to be emotionally invested in the characters but I really enjoyed that. I enjoy it in a different way to the other series.
"What?!! Butt naked in the lobby of this house? Doubtless you've been in the bathroom, spraying your belly with sticky white love-piss!!"
Coke is "I can I can't" or occasionally Cuke- it's heaven in a can (IT Crowd reference).
Our vet is actually called Mr Chinnery. First time i had to take a pet there I kept a close eye in case he exploded anything!
And "Madame Palm and her five lovely daughters"! Loved the Dentons gaslighting Benjamin. They probably had the happiest marriage of anyone in Royston Vasey.
Also like the lower-key moments such as Mark Gatiss as the cave tour guide.
The one where his old band run off with his redundacy pay is heart-breaking.
I really liked him as Mrs Beesley as well (the women visiting the charity shop donating the kids' clothes). So poignant as well as being darkly funny. Maybe he has a knack for those roles: mild-mannered slightly tragic figures. Although I also find him hilarious as Iris.
Saying that though, Steve Pemberton plays a few 'tragic' characters: Herr Lipp, Charlie, Tubbs, Pauline (at times), as well as creeps ('Daddy' and Pop for example). I don't think Reece Shearsmith does a bad job either, with tragedy underlying Judee's bitchiness and the tragicomedy of Geoff.
Harvey's masturbation euphemisms are the best
My personal favourite is "shaking hot white coconuts from the veiny love tree".
He's really creepy, and not comic creepy like Herr Lipp. He's a little bit surreal but still a recognisable type; I think that's why people found Series 3 disturbing.
Love Series 1 and I think it would be fine for twelve-year-olds, unless they were very sensitive. Series 2 gets a little more creepy but I think the humour of 1 and 2 outweighs the 'scariness'.
A thought just occured to me: though Mark Gatiss and Steve Pemberton do a variety of regional accents (if predominantly Northern), as far as I can remember apart from Edward and Papa Lazarou, all of Reece Shearsmith's characters are Northern- yet they all have a different sound to their voice. Really like how each character has their own voice but it's not as forced or simplistic as some other comedy shows.
Ooh, I love the radio series! I find it most hilarious to see which bits have been censored. 'Onanism' is allowed but not 'masturbation',
and the word 'semen' is forbidden! It surely must have been shown in a later slot though because some of it's still quite dark, or a bit raunchy (Ingleby and Barbara).
It's also interesting to see what they changed, as in the radio series Benjamin goes for a job interview-if he hadn't missed it, he'd be stuck in that town forever!
LOL, that as well (plus what . lady_xanax quoted). We need a 'Like' button on these forums