thank god, BBC2 finally has good comedy back once more.
this like The Thick of It, is another BBC4 hidden gem, I just hope it's promotion so early won't kill it.
fingers crossed it stays on BBC2 and steers clear of BBC2, that's kills *most* shows that go to it, bar HIGNFY.
was it just me or had Magda had botox, i'm sure she was more 'weathered' last time, which gave her character more of a world wiery look.
the same goes for the daughter, she appears to have lost weight between series 1&2, then again it could have been the make up that made her washed out.
However, the bit where Rick is looking for flowers and is considering taking them from a roadside memorial is a direct steal from the new series of Curb (ep 3). Looks like Jack's been doing some downloading in his spare time.
In fairness, I think the safe assumption would be that this episode was in production well before 'The Ida Funkhouser Roadside Memorial' had aired. He just got beaten to the punch.
This is an excellent show, and contrary to the general perception, it is different enough from Curb Your Enthusiasm to have a life of its own.
I quite like this, and I find Curb unwatchable. I think it's down to the difference in lead characters. The guy in Curb seems basically decent but with bad things happening either through misunderstandings or through other people being unreasonable. Where-as Rick brings it all onto himself, so there is a greater sense of justice. And most of the time he's just reasonable enough that I can relate to him - especially when he gets caught out.
(PS I love Seinfeld, and expected and wanted to like Curb; I just didn't.)
Wasn't he the actor who played Ricky Gervais's awful friend in The Office. Can't remember his name.
Chris "Finchy" Finch.
Actually, this time last year I hated Curb. The only time I had ever watched it was when the first two episodes aired on BBC Four, and I gave up not far into the 2nd ep. However, round about last Christsmas I started watching a few of the season 5 episodes on More4, and it eventually grew on me. I'm now working my way through all the previous seasons on DVD.
I loved the show, but I thought it was let down by the ham-fisted editing. It looks to me like it was edited by a blind monkey... or a spurs fan, same difference really.
I don't think show is quite as good as my TV guide says (five stars), but it's very enjoyable.
His kids are superb - brilliant supporting acting from them. His wife is lovely, while Magda is just gold. The slightly weaker link is Jack Dee, in my opinion.
EDIT: I agree with the person above - his wife was best when drunk!
I don't think show is quite as good as my TV guide says (five stars), but it's very enjoyable.
His kids are superb - brilliant supporting acting from them. His wife is lovely, while Magda is just gold. The slightly weaker link is Jack Dee, in my opinion.
EDIT: I agree with the person above - his wife was best when drunk!
I think the problem with Rick Spleen is that he seems to be just the same as Jack Dee, or at least very much the persona Jack Dee gives off and as such I can never really buy him as the character, I just think I'm watching Jack Dee. Larry David just used his own name for Curb which I think works better but then if Jack Dee did it I think it would seem even more of a rip-off.
They seem to have tried to write too much deliberate cruelty and malice into the Rick Spleen character in this series - and it is less funny for that reason.
I prefreed it when the misfortunes befell him almost despite his efforts to control his bad side, rather than him bringing the misfortune on himself by being outright rude to people.
:mad: Caught most of the BBC4 repeat of the last episode...and, even though it was still running as the credits rolled, the Beeb have only still gone and squished it at the end! Couldn't see a lot of what was going on! ARGH! So NOT impressed by that...and that's the public forum version of my thoughts on all this. :mad:
I really like Lead Balloon, but I don't know anyone who watches it. It's a shame really - though it can't have done that badly if they commissioned a new series.
The kids are great in it. I think they and Magda steal the show. Great interview with Rasmus Hardiker, the stoner boyfriend on TV Scoop. He's in Saxondale as well.
I had all of the series backed up on the sky+, and I was really looking forward to seeing it with the positive comments here, but I've watched them all, and I just feel a bit 'meh'
All the situations he faces are so contrived they could be from My Family, or Green Green Grass. (Magda = a dour Mrs Cakeworthy!).
It's okay, but I don't love it, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone in the way I have with Peep Show for example. I think the beauty of Curb is it takes you in unexpected directions whereas this show feels more forced.
Still, this is the best thing I've seen Jack Dee in.
It's okay, but I don't love it, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone in the way I have with Peep Show for example. .
I think that's actually quite true. I like it more than you do, but I still haven't really bothered trying to encourage people to watch it.
But in all the years that I've cringed through Jack Dee's terrible acting in a variety of things, this is the first show where I think he does a great job of the role (obviously it's very close to his stage persona). And I do still think it's well worth watching and sticking with. We don't give shows enough time to develop and improve any more. It's a *lot* better than a lot of the rubbish you get on BBC One and ITV.
Curb Your Enthusiasm is brilliant, this is some cheap crap british ripoff, the leading actor can't even act. The BBC at it's best.
They can't even come up with their own music.
They seem to have tried to write too much deliberate cruelty and malice into the Rick Spleen character in this series - and it is less funny for that reason.
I think he's meaner in this series as well, apart from letting his one-joke daughter and her bf walk all over him. She wouldn't get a penny from me!
It's similar in theme to Curb but far from a rip-off, Rick and Larry are different in personality and at different stages in their careers. Curb is improvised and seems to have a lot more going on where LB feels more focused on one thing.
Not sure what you mean about the music, CaptainPlaneto? The theme for Curb wasn't written for the show either.
Curb Your Enthusiasm is brilliant, this is some cheap crap british ripoff, the leading actor can't even act. The BBC at it's best. They can't even come up with their own music.
Eh?
Loving this series of Lead Balloon. Rick almost ruining Mel's business last week was brilliant.
It does make me laugh when people say oh its a rip off of Curb (which I also love incidentally). You could just as easily say Curb is a rip off of Fawlty Towers. The basic comic premise has been reused over and over - deeply flawed man who gets himself into hugely embarrassing and awkward situations and then just keeps digging deeper and deeper because he's too proud to admit he's wrong. And the reason it's been used many times - because it's funny.
I think people think it's a rip off mostly because the lead characters careers are similar, it's a flawed way of thinking, like the people who compare Studio60 with 30Rock.
Comments
this like The Thick of It, is another BBC4 hidden gem, I just hope it's promotion so early won't kill it.
fingers crossed it stays on BBC2 and steers clear of BBC2, that's kills *most* shows that go to it, bar HIGNFY.
was it just me or had Magda had botox, i'm sure she was more 'weathered' last time, which gave her character more of a world wiery look.
the same goes for the daughter, she appears to have lost weight between series 1&2, then again it could have been the make up that made her washed out.
another of my gripes, roll on episode 2.
In fairness, I think the safe assumption would be that this episode was in production well before 'The Ida Funkhouser Roadside Memorial' had aired. He just got beaten to the punch.
(PS I love Seinfeld, and expected and wanted to like Curb; I just didn't.)
Wasn't he the actor who played Ricky Gervais's awful friend in The Office. Can't remember his name.
Chris "Finchy" Finch.
Actually, this time last year I hated Curb. The only time I had ever watched it was when the first two episodes aired on BBC Four, and I gave up not far into the 2nd ep. However, round about last Christsmas I started watching a few of the season 5 episodes on More4, and it eventually grew on me. I'm now working my way through all the previous seasons on DVD.
You know the gags are coming but that
does'nt detract, esp the final moment as the potato bake is recovered across the road by Ricks neighbour
His kids are superb - brilliant supporting acting from them. His wife is lovely, while Magda is just gold. The slightly weaker link is Jack Dee, in my opinion.
EDIT: I agree with the person above - his wife was best when drunk!
I prefreed it when the misfortunes befell him almost despite his efforts to control his bad side, rather than him bringing the misfortune on himself by being outright rude to people.
Magda has all the best lines.
xx Joanna xx
The kids are great in it. I think they and Magda steal the show. Great interview with Rasmus Hardiker, the stoner boyfriend on TV Scoop. He's in Saxondale as well.
Regards
JohnDeals
All the situations he faces are so contrived they could be from My Family, or Green Green Grass. (Magda = a dour Mrs Cakeworthy!).
It's okay, but I don't love it, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone in the way I have with Peep Show for example. I think the beauty of Curb is it takes you in unexpected directions whereas this show feels more forced.
Still, this is the best thing I've seen Jack Dee in.
I think that's actually quite true. I like it more than you do, but I still haven't really bothered trying to encourage people to watch it.
But in all the years that I've cringed through Jack Dee's terrible acting in a variety of things, this is the first show where I think he does a great job of the role (obviously it's very close to his stage persona). And I do still think it's well worth watching and sticking with. We don't give shows enough time to develop and improve any more. It's a *lot* better than a lot of the rubbish you get on BBC One and ITV.
They can't even come up with their own music.
I think he's meaner in this series as well, apart from letting his one-joke daughter and her bf walk all over him. She wouldn't get a penny from me!
It's similar in theme to Curb but far from a rip-off, Rick and Larry are different in personality and at different stages in their careers. Curb is improvised and seems to have a lot more going on where LB feels more focused on one thing.
Not sure what you mean about the music, CaptainPlaneto? The theme for Curb wasn't written for the show either.
Eh?
Loving this series of Lead Balloon. Rick almost ruining Mel's business last week was brilliant.
It does make me laugh when people say oh its a rip off of Curb (which I also love incidentally). You could just as easily say Curb is a rip off of Fawlty Towers. The basic comic premise has been reused over and over - deeply flawed man who gets himself into hugely embarrassing and awkward situations and then just keeps digging deeper and deeper because he's too proud to admit he's wrong. And the reason it's been used many times - because it's funny.