Well if it is entirely scripted - which I don't believe it is - then they both do a bloody good job at pretending they're add-libbing. I'm sure the scenarios etc are thought up in advance so cameras, locations, extras, can be sorted, but surely they are not quoting actual scripts word for word written in advance? I'm sure there is alot of improv going on in each episode.
Number 2 was very enjoyable to watch, and it makes for great telly - wow that ship was amazing! Though I wish Rob Bryden didn't play with his food like a little boy. And I suspected Steve Coogen's abstinence from alcohol wouldn't last.
Surely everyone knows that this show is a sitcom, not a fly on the wall documentary.
It is like Hancock's Half Hour, in which Tony Hancock and Sid James played versions of themselves, called Tony Hancock and Sid James, except in Trip to Italy the script writers are the two main actors.
It is like the Simon Amstell sitcom Grandma's House, in which Simon Amstell played a version of himself called Simon Amstell.
Most of the dialogue in The Trip to Italy is written long in advance, so that all the other actors in the programme can be cast and directed, and all the locations and camera positions can be determined.
Steve Coogan would be the first to admit that the show is a complete copy of "Curb Your Enthusiasm". Its exactly the same. He is a huge fan of Larry David and has even appeared in the show himself in America, so its clear where the idea for this came.
Thats ok though, Its not trying to be anything ground breaking - its simply a brilliantly delightful watch. I love it.
Somewhat enjoyed episode 2 more than 1 . Im not sure what line this treads really in terms of reality. I hadnt realised it was so set up with actors et al in fact, no!
Are you 100% sure it is? That makes it rather weaker overall as a piece in my opinion then.. i thought it was more 'slice of life'.
Somewhat enjoyed episode 2 more than 1 . Im not sure what line this treads really in terms of reality. I hadnt realised it was so set up with actors et al in fact, no!
Are you 100% sure it is? That makes it rather weaker overall as a piece in my opinion then.. i thought it was more 'slice of life'.
Of course its not real. You cant honestly think that was the "real" and "married" Rob Brydon chatting up
that women on the boat ?
Steve Coogan would be the first to admit that the show is a complete copy of "Curb Your Enthusiasm". Its exactly the same. He is a huge fan of Larry David and has even appeared in the show himself in America, so its clear where the idea for this came.
I did not know that Coogan has explicitly stated that Curb was the inspiration for his show, but now you mention it, I can see what he means.
The way that Curb works is that the plot and outline for each scene is written in advance, which is pretty obvious since if you have set up a location and employed a lot of background artists you need to know what you are going to do.
The actual words that the actors say are not written in advance, and they are told to improvise. However actors on the show say that it usually takes a lot of takes to get it right and that by the final take they are using the words that the director prefers from the earlier takes, so it is then similar to learning a part.
But onto Larry David. Here's what Danson and I talked about off camera. I asked him how much writing goes into "Curb Your Enthusiasm." It seems to me the show is almost entirely ad-libbed. Well, turns out it is, kind of. He says the writers (and Larry) develop an outline for a scene-- ("I have to ask you out to dinner but this is the problem...") and then they ad lib the scene. Then they ad lib it again. And then again. And then they take the best parts of the ad libbing and actually start doing the scene the way they want it.
So by the final take, Danson says he's "back to being an actor." Meaning, he's back to working off a script, albeit a script they formed on the spot in previous takes.
A similar popular show would be Top Gear, when the cast act out scripted scenarios pretending not to know what happens next.
Well if it is entirely scripted - which I don't believe it is - then they both do a bloody good job at pretending they're add-libbing. I'm sure the scenarios etc are thought up in advance so cameras, locations, extras, can be sorted, but surely they are not quoting actual scripts word for word written in advance? I'm sure there is alot of improv going on in each episode.
Rob said in an interview that the food bits are filmed over multiple takes.. where sometimes they eat the same course more than once to get the different angles.. so it's possible some of what they say has already been said and they're adding to it and refining it. I don't mind really.. it works for me.
Steve Coogan would be the first to admit that the show is a complete copy of "Curb Your Enthusiasm". Its exactly the same.
Really? It's exactly the same? I have to say, I can't remember if Larry Graham's impressions of Roger Moore and Michael Caine are any good or not.
The only similar things about The Trip and Curb are that they both start with a loose script and allow for some improvisation from the actors. Saying The Trip is a complete copy is complete hyperbole.
It's Gervais' and Merchant's Extras that (Gervais admits) is influenced heavily by Curb Your Enthusiasm...and also The Larry Sanders Show too.
The Trip/The Trip to Italy doesn't have the same impressive parade of celebrities making fun of themselves/twisting their persona and showing themselves up in a bad light.
Really? It's exactly the same? I have to say, I can't remember if Larry Graham's impressions of Roger Moore and Michael Caine are any good or not.
The only similar things about The Trip and Curb are that they both start with a loose script and allow for some improvisation from the actors. Saying The Trip is a complete copy is complete hyperbole.
I obviously meant that the whole "premise" of the two shows are exactly the same, as in the main actors are all playing exaggerated versions of themselves, with minimal scripts and improvised acting etc. i thought it would be fairly obvious I didnt literally mean the shows were the same word for word or storylines etc.
Steve Coogan would be the first to admit that the show is a complete copy of "Curb Your Enthusiasm". Its exactly the same. He is a huge fan of Larry David and has even appeared in the show himself in America, so its clear where the idea for this came.
Thats ok though, Its not trying to be anything ground breaking - its simply a brilliantly delightful watch. I love it.
The Trip, you mean? If so, it's really nothing like Curb, certainly not a "complete copy". You must be referring to something else?
I obviously meant that the whole "premise" of the two shows are exactly the same, as in the main actors are all playing exaggerated versions of themselves, with minimal scripts and improvised acting etc. i thought it would be fairly obvious I didnt literally mean the shows were the same word for word or storylines etc.
Ah, someone else mentioned the lack of similarity between The Trip and Curb, I see
I'd say the premise of the two shows is not "exactly the same" either.
Curb is about a curmudgeonly bloke going about his life and being generally annoyed by societal tropes he doesn't really get, and annoying others with his lack of social niceties.
The Trip is about two blokes that sort of get along going on a trip round restaurants and generally having a bit of banter that lets us in on the characters these people are, in a way.
I can see how you can class them as similar because they both follow a model of 'this is sort of real but not really real, and these people are playing a version of themselves' but that's where the similarities end. They really are not very similar shows in my opinion!
Just watched and enjoyed episode 2. There is definately an air of melancholia with this programme that makes me find it quite sweet as well as funny. And it looks and sounds beautiful. Funniest part for me was Rob accepting Steve's posthumous Lifetime BAFTA from his prison cell whilst Melvin waited for his cuddle.
Yes, I am enjoying this second series but I don't feel that there is as much material there as there was in the first series.
The melancholia works well. They are two guys in middle age and it's all downhill from here on. It does feel a bit contrived because they are rich, successful and well-preserved so it's not typical of the experience of male middle age that most of us have to put up with.
The scenery was magnificent and I loved the sailing boat (I think it was a cutter). I would like to hear them talk more about the food and a bit more poetry would be nice but this is moving along quite nicely.
Comments
Number 2 was very enjoyable to watch, and it makes for great telly - wow that ship was amazing! Though I wish Rob Bryden didn't play with his food like a little boy. And I suspected Steve Coogen's abstinence from alcohol wouldn't last.
Steve Coogan would be the first to admit that the show is a complete copy of "Curb Your Enthusiasm". Its exactly the same. He is a huge fan of Larry David and has even appeared in the show himself in America, so its clear where the idea for this came.
Thats ok though, Its not trying to be anything ground breaking - its simply a brilliantly delightful watch. I love it.
Are you 100% sure it is? That makes it rather weaker overall as a piece in my opinion then.. i thought it was more 'slice of life'.
Of course its not real. You cant honestly think that was the "real" and "married" Rob Brydon chatting up
that women on the boat ?
I did not know that Coogan has explicitly stated that Curb was the inspiration for his show, but now you mention it, I can see what he means.
The way that Curb works is that the plot and outline for each scene is written in advance, which is pretty obvious since if you have set up a location and employed a lot of background artists you need to know what you are going to do.
The actual words that the actors say are not written in advance, and they are told to improvise. However actors on the show say that it usually takes a lot of takes to get it right and that by the final take they are using the words that the director prefers from the earlier takes, so it is then similar to learning a part.
A similar popular show would be Top Gear, when the cast act out scripted scenarios pretending not to know what happens next.
Rob said in an interview that the food bits are filmed over multiple takes.. where sometimes they eat the same course more than once to get the different angles.. so it's possible some of what they say has already been said and they're adding to it and refining it. I don't mind really.. it works for me.
Really? It's exactly the same? I have to say, I can't remember if Larry Graham's impressions of Roger Moore and Michael Caine are any good or not.
The only similar things about The Trip and Curb are that they both start with a loose script and allow for some improvisation from the actors. Saying The Trip is a complete copy is complete hyperbole.
The Trip/The Trip to Italy doesn't have the same impressive parade of celebrities making fun of themselves/twisting their persona and showing themselves up in a bad light.
I obviously meant that the whole "premise" of the two shows are exactly the same, as in the main actors are all playing exaggerated versions of themselves, with minimal scripts and improvised acting etc. i thought it would be fairly obvious I didnt literally mean the shows were the same word for word or storylines etc.
My only gripe *dons tin hat* is Rob uses his knife and fork the wrong way round to the way that I do.
eta: oh yeah forgot to ask... beginning credits said Ronni Anconna (sp), where was she?
The Trip, you mean? If so, it's really nothing like Curb, certainly not a "complete copy". You must be referring to something else?
Ah, someone else mentioned the lack of similarity between The Trip and Curb, I see
I'd say the premise of the two shows is not "exactly the same" either.
Curb is about a curmudgeonly bloke going about his life and being generally annoyed by societal tropes he doesn't really get, and annoying others with his lack of social niceties.
The Trip is about two blokes that sort of get along going on a trip round restaurants and generally having a bit of banter that lets us in on the characters these people are, in a way.
I can see how you can class them as similar because they both follow a model of 'this is sort of real but not really real, and these people are playing a version of themselves' but that's where the similarities end. They really are not very similar shows in my opinion!
I like how laid back it is - its very pleasant to watch.
Yes, I am enjoying this second series but I don't feel that there is as much material there as there was in the first series.
The melancholia works well. They are two guys in middle age and it's all downhill from here on. It does feel a bit contrived because they are rich, successful and well-preserved so it's not typical of the experience of male middle age that most of us have to put up with.
The scenery was magnificent and I loved the sailing boat (I think it was a cutter). I would like to hear them talk more about the food and a bit more poetry would be nice but this is moving along quite nicely.
I wouldn't believe that if I were you.
Correct.
4 episodes left (of 6) The first one was the best (including the first series). Rather disappointed therefore with the last one.
I wondered where Ronni Ancona was too. I have crush on her so was looking forward to seeing her.
Ah great, thanks. Have you seen them all already?.
No. I meant the best so far. But I'd put money on it being better than those not yet shown. ;-)