Paddywhack Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 The new series is going to explore how the cynical and sarcastic Basil navigates the modern world. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 1 hour ago, Seat68 said: Another sacred cow I never found funny at all. File with Rik Mayall and Robin Williams. Never got it, didn’t find any of them or it funny. I saw Rik Mayall on an escalator in a shopping centre and he had me laughing as he realised I’d recognised him and went straight into character , I think he was a “comic genius” as they say Robin Williams though … meh 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 2 hours ago, Demitri_C said: Faulty towers is returning. Hmm not sure how i feel about this. Was a great show but i think the audience has changed now not sure how well it will do now It will be funnier than Mrs Browns boys regardless . some of fT was very clever writing , some of it missed the mark by being too OTT ( attacking the car with the branch etc ) But , I’ll watch the first one and take it from there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted February 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 8, 2023 Comedy is very subjective. For me, Fawlty Towers was very good (but you should never go back). As for Rik Mayall, I liked his pre-Young Ones, sketch stuff a lot (Kevin Turvey), and I thought The Young Ones itself was fantastic. But Bottom and Filthy Rich were poor attempts to mine the same vein, and left me cold. Never watched his later stuff (New Statesman, Man Down, etc.) One hit wonder for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post The Fun Factory Posted February 8, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted February 8, 2023 Cleese hasn't done anything of note since the 80's. This will be terrible as he obviously needs the money for all of his divorces. He has moaned at the BBC for years and now its the second time he is doing a sitcom with them in a few years after doing Hold the Sunset with Alison Steadman. She did her best like the great pro she is but that was absolute dross. Fawlty Towers comedy was based on manic energy and boiling down about 45 minutes of dialogue into a half an hour show. A 80 year old Cleese won't be able to do this and it will be rubbish. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 10 minutes ago, The Fun Factory said: Cleese hasn't done anything of note since the 80's. This will be terrible as he obviously needs the money for all of his divorces. He has moaned at the BBC for years and now it’s the second time he is doing a sitcom with them in a few years after doing Hold the Sunset with Alison Steadman. She did her best like the great pro she is but that was absolute dross. Fawlty Towers comedy was based on manic energy and boiling down about 45 minutes of dialogue into a half an hour show. A 80 year old Cleese won't be able to do this and it will be rubbish. I had a similar thought, a big part of the Basil Fawlty character was the energy and the panicking. He won’t be bringing that in his 80’s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 19 minutes ago, mjmooney said: Comedy is very subjective. For me, Fawlty Towers was very good (but you should never go back). As for Rik Mayall, I liked his pre-Young Ones, sketch stuff a lot (Kevin Turvey), and I thought The Young Ones itself was fantastic. But Bottom and Filthy Rich were poor attempts to mine the same vein, and left me cold. Never watched his later stuff (New Statesman, Man Down, etc.) One hit wonder for me. Young ones was hilarious at the time , but I've watched a few episodes on Gold recently and it hasn't held up well IMO Bottom for me will always be funny , yeah its a bit OTT at times but its up there with a Laurie and Hardy type slapstick and its timeless , i don't think someone having their head slammed in a fridge door will ever not be funny !! You'd probably like New Statesman , he plays a cheating , lying , corrupt bastard Tory , it was quite clever comedy but I suspect that one will have dated and wouldn't work now in 2023 where we no longer have cheating, lying , corrupt Bastard tory MP's 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 8, 2023 37 minutes ago, Paddywhack said: The new series is going to explore how the cynical and sarcastic Basil navigates the modern world. Sounds like he would fit in well on Villatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demitri_C Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 32 minutes ago, tonyh29 said: It will be funnier than Mrs Browns boys regardless . some of fT was very clever writing , some of it missed the mark by being too OTT ( attacking the car with the branch etc ) But , I’ll watch the first one and take it from there Ergh i cabt stand mrs browns boys. The most unfunniest shit ive seen on tv. Can't believe its so popular 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 8, 2023 Surely Lord Flashart was Rick Mayall at his finest? I do think Fawlty Towers at it's heart was always about Slapstick, Clowning and idiocy. I am sure with clever writers that can translate easily enough to modern times. Might even be refreshing because I think a lot of comedy has gone up it's own arse lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinker Posted February 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 8, 2023 31 minutes ago, tonyh29 said: It will be funnier than Mrs Browns boys regardless . some of fT was very clever writing , some of it missed the mark by being too OTT ( attacking the car with the branch etc ) But , I’ll watch the first one and take it from there Attacking the car with a branch was funny to me, we all have that hate towards objects that have no feelings, rant at things that break. JC just took it a level further and beat his car up, I'm laughing now thinking about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmooney Posted February 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 8, 2023 3 minutes ago, sidcow said: Surely Lord Flashart was Rick Mayall at his finest? Yeah, I forgot about that rather excellent cameo. Add Blackadder to the very short list of sitcoms that I like(d). (Actually, don't we have a sitcoms thread?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 8, 2023 (edited) The ironic thing is Cleese would really have to place Fawlty as a firm Brexiteer and then highlight his idiocy in believing that was a good idea Edited February 8, 2023 by sidcow 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amsterdam_Neil_D Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 1 hour ago, sidcow said: Surely Lord Flashart was Rick Mayall at his finest? He was amazing in general but Flashart, no one past or future could have played that part so well. Utter genius he is from my childhood. I was a teeny weeny bit upset at his passing. Think of the people on that set at the time, I remember they all looked on at the master in awe when in the throne room scene. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted February 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 8, 2023 I'm in the minority who didn't find Flashart interesting or funny. "Hi Rik, can you just dial up the Rik Mayall schtick to 110% and we'll write some lines around it" Loved Blackadder generally though. And the Young Ones, and Bottom. Flashart left me cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 8, 2023 16 minutes ago, Anthony said: I'm in the minority who didn't find Flashart interesting or funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted February 8, 2023 Moderator Share Posted February 8, 2023 2 hours ago, mjmooney said: Never watched his later stuff (New Statesman... To know what the content was, just look at the actual Tories, now. It was that. It was (at the time) satire, but.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidcow Posted February 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 8, 2023 I mean, it's one of the greatest comedy cameo performances of all time, anywhere, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fun Factory Posted February 8, 2023 Share Posted February 8, 2023 Other than the last series I don't think Blackadder has dated that well tbh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted February 8, 2023 VT Supporter Share Posted February 8, 2023 2 hours ago, mjmooney said: Yeah, I forgot about that rather excellent cameo. Add Blackadder to the very short list of sitcoms that I like(d). (Actually, don't we have a sitcoms thread?) We do indeed, Mike. Although I think when the conversation moves to the relevant thread, that’s normally the point when the chat dies Rik Mayall was one I could see was obviously a comic talent and I liked him, but in small doses. So Bottom, The Young Ones, nah not so much (although he is my favourite character in those). It’s all a bit much. Three minutes of Lord Flashheart is perfect. I never watched the New Statesman but I remember seeing a clip of someone talk about Mayall and in one instance how he managed to turn one laugh into three just by his reaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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