Telly thread

[Merzbow]

51 minutes ago, FLips said:

It’s not as funny as a house full of comedians really should be

If it's anything like the original show it's based on there's that line where they're either trying to be funny for TV or for the other comedians, sometimes the latter just isn't all that funny to an audience. I found that it's often really fucking dumb stuff that works to get them to laugh.

[Ro_y Disco]

2 hours ago, gmoney said:

Friday Night Dinner.

Of course the advantage of having such a backlog is that I've still got another five series to binge! 

Similar to comments on Taskmaster, you're very lucky that you've got all those series ahead of you to watch! A show that makes me laugh like not much else and might edge out Partridge for quotes in our house

Spoiler

Chicken?

The... the weevils

Punk rockers

I've not watched UK LOL yet, but loved the German series and the Australian one is utterly unhinged! Ireland and Canada are also fun (not really a Tom Green fan, but he was fantastic).

[TheBurningRed]

The whole Danny Dyer bit in episode 4 was fantastic. I would’ve cracked. I would’ve been gone at 

Spoiler

Judi Love cracking up at Bob’s chair creaking. An infectious laugh. 

Started watching the Irish version last night. It’s decent with a couple of proper laugh out loud moments. Jason Byrne is still terrible though. 

Edited March 24, 2025 by TheBurningRed

[tiger_rick]

4 hours ago, gmoney said:

Last night I finally watched Friday Night Dinner. I like Mark Heap, Tamsin Grieg, Paul Ritter, and show creator Robert Popper, but I was a bit wary of Simon Bird and Tom Rosthental. I needn't have been. Everyone's great in this, I had an absolute blast. Caned the first series. The scene when Simon Bird's on the phone to a girl and his brother is trying to sabotage him, chasing him into the bathroom, throwing water down the toilet and flushing it... I was in stitches.

We've started watching it again with our 10yo. I had forgotten just how unsuitable it was when I let her watch the first episode but she loves it so we've cracked on. The bad language is OK, she's at that age where she knows all the bad words enough to grass up anyone who uses them anyway so I'm just hoping that she doesn't start shouting "Shit on it" everytime something goes wrong around the house.

The rude bits are her favourite. I think one of the texts Adam received from "Mum's mobile" said something like "Kiss her nipples" and there's a big scene where Martin admits he kissed Bitchface's breasts. She doesn't really bat an eyelid at the swearing but those bits always get a chuckle at the rudeness.

It's such a great show. I think the latter series do drop in quality but the early ones are so good. Jim being scared of Wilson will always get a laugh out of me.

On mention of Joe Wilkinson, we watched something called The Cockfields on iPlayer which he's in and co-writes. The first series is only 3 episodes but it's a nice little show. Sue Johnson is in it, basically being Barbara Royle but with money and there's a nice little dynamic between Wilkinson and Bobby Ball who plays his step-Dad. It's shot on the Isle of Wight, which looks beautiful and it's just all quite nice. We started series 2 which is more of the same, except Bobby Ball passed away so Rab C. Nesbitt becomes his step-Dad. That's a fucking odd replacement. Diane Morgan, who was Wilkinson's girlfriend in series 1 is replaced by Susannah Fielding, playing a new girlfriend, but the plot is pretty much the same and it's just the same but different. One of those shows that would have been better as 3 episodes and done, like a film in 3 parts.

We've also just finished After Life, which also has Joe Wilkinson and Diane Morgan amongst a pretty great cast. It's a belting show. Gervais is one of those people I really don't want to like but I've loved every show he's ever put out except Derek, which I haven't seen. After Life is brilliant in it's serious moments and Gervais is brilliant in it. Some of the light-hearted stuff isn't particularly novel or clever, a lot of it feels like a stand-up routine paying out on TV but it's really funny and the premise is so heart-breaking and well done. I really liked it.

[SuperBacon]

6 hours ago, gmoney said:

but I was a bit wary of Simon Bird and Tom Rosthental.

Exactly this, and I must've watched it 3 or 4 times through now. Absolutely love it, a show with a lot of heart and warmth.

[Mr_Danger]

I liked that episode of After Life where Ricky Gervais walked around in the style of a sketch show calling people cunts but not caring because he wants to die anyway but then doing a kindness for some poor unfortunate because deep down he’s a good guy really.

I lie, my actual favourite part is when Joe Wilkinson takes a bath in his house. Funny postman.

It does have a cracking cast but it feels a bit cheap and exploitative in earning its sad moments and Gervais is nowhere near a good enough actor to sell that to me.

[SuperBacon]

I hated After Life. Not as much as I hate myself though, so I've watched all 3 series.

[LaGoosh]

I tried watching After Life and I couldn't believe it wasn't a parody. Unbelievably bad.

On the other side of the coin, season 3 of White Lotus is shaping up to be the best one yet. Jon Gries is creepy as hell in it and Parker Posey has some of the funniest line readings I've ever seen. 

Edited March 24, 2025 by LaGoosh

[Devon Malcolm]

I've pretty much given up TV again because I just don't have time but I have to make time for The White Lotus 3, the first two series were awesome.

[Lorne Malvo]

After Life is awful but at least it gave us that Stewart Lee line about Oppenheimer not being proud of creating the atomic bomb.

[Daaaaaad!]

There is one really, really good scene in After Life, where David Bradley is talking about his son drawing on the wallpaper. It's so accurate and heartbreaking, particularly if you've been on the other end of that situation in your life. And the punchline at the end is genuinely funny.

The rest of it, though, is just so difficult to watch. I just kept thinking 'people don't talk like this, people don't act like this' throughout the show. The tone is so jarring as a result because it tries to marry its realistic moments with these imagined argument scenarios like him gobbling fish fingers and throwing plant pots through windshields. Ricky Gervais Tony is a fucking miserable cunt and I lost sympathy for him so quickly, particularly when he helps the drug addict kill himself. Yet everyone in the show keeps banging on about how good a bloke he is and Penelope Wilton keeps speaking in Facebook quotes as it goes on.

LIke Bacon, I watched every episode.

[tiger_rick]

1 hour ago, Daaaaaad! said:

The rest of it, though, is just so difficult to watch. I just kept thinking 'people don't talk like this, people don't act like this' throughout the show. The tone is so jarring as a result because it tries to marry its realistic moments with these imagined argument scenarios like him gobbling fish fingers and throwing plant pots through windshields. Ricky Gervais Tony is a fucking miserable cunt and I lost sympathy for him so quickly, particularly when he helps the drug addict kill himself. Yet everyone in the show keeps banging on about how good a bloke he is and Penelope Wilton keeps speaking in Facebook quotes as it goes on.

LIke Bacon, I watched every episode.

I agree with almost all of this but I still really liked it!

[Liam O'Rourke]

Bob's joker magic show had me legitimately in tears of laughter, which almost never happens to me. The timing to the music as Bob waved his arms in the air whilst wielding a carrot in each hand, Richard sitting feet away contorting his face and looking like the most uncomfortable man alive to hold his laughter in was...well...it was magic.

Shhhhh.

Edited March 25, 2025 by Liam O'Rourke

[JLM]

I love the White Lotus 3 opening theme. It’s been quite a journey from the disappointment of not getting another remix of the incredible original theme to possibly maybe thinking this one is better. The series has also been excellent. That Goggins/Rockwell scene was such a delight. A character who has been so distant and preoccupied for the whole show, suddenly incredibly present and sincere, then captivated and then utterly flabbergasted as it went on.   It was laugh out loud funny but sincerely heartwarming at the same time. Falling for Carrie Coon all over again after The Leftovers has also been lovely. Parker Posey and Jason Isaacs have been brilliant. I’ve also never watched Sex Education, so Aimee Lou Wood has been quite a revelation too,

The whole thing looks and sounds absolutely gorgeous, both the score and the soundtrack have been wonderful, particularly the perfect use of Khruangbin in the first couple of episodes. What a good television programme. 

Edited March 25, 2025 by JLM

[FLips]

Tried LOL Ireland and Canada and couldn’t get away with either of them. Canada especially was brutal as they had some big names in there and after 3 episodes nothing funny had happened so we tapped out. Dave Foley and Colin Mochrie looked fed up to be there.