Anyone else dreading the BBC classic remakes? (5 Viewers)

[Otis]

Dad's Army declined to catchphrase after a while, too.

Think it's more they didn't know when to quit so just kept going rather than anything else. I know it's only half of 'em, but 'Allo 'Allo had the same problem. Early series are superb, and then it just becomes catchphrase central!

Yep. Was a big fault with Dad's Army too, but they still managed to pull it off and the playing off of Wilson against Mainwaring worked so well and the nostalgia of it all with the harking back to the war brought into into people's hearts too I think.

Never watched any of the early Allo Allo so can't really comment. Caught it much later.

 

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[Deleted member 5849]

Never watched any of the early Allo Allo so can't really comment. Caught it much later.

The early stuff's reasonably inventive farce (IMHO!). Once Sam kelly left and then they got a new waitress, it went downhill

My parents loved it just because it was such an absolute ripoff of the Secret Army.

 

[Otis]

The early stuff's reasonably inventive farce (IMHO!). Once Sam kelly left and then they got a new waitress, it went downhill

My parents loved it just because it was such an absolute ripoff of the Secret Army.

Yeah, I can bet.

Always feel with so much of Perry and Croft though the plotline seems to just encourage the script along in order to get to the next catchphrase.

 

[Sky_Blue_Daz]

I never found dads army funny

 

[Otis]

I never found dads army funny

Well, I can emphasise with that, Daz.

I liked it, but never got all the adulation it received. I didn't find it that funny, but I did find it warm and fuzzy. Sort of smiled rather than laughed.

Against though, some characters only seem to be there to deliver a catchphrase and nothing else, or it is the same Godfrey or Pike's mum joke every week.

Think they got a formula that worked and then just kept regurgitating it every week , same characters delivering the same lines time after time.

Us Brits are obsessed with catchphrases for some reason. You don't see much at all of that in Clement and La Frenais writing of Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Porridge and Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads.

I can understand why Perry and Croft's stuff was popular. A lot of people do like the same safe familiarity every week in their TV.

Ricky Gervais clearly had a poke at the tired old catchphrase ridden formula in Extras with his Andy Millman's 'You having a laugh?'

 

[Grendel]

The early stuff's reasonably inventive farce (IMHO!). Once Sam kelly left and then they got a new waitress, it went downhill

My parents loved it just because it was such an absolute ripoff of the Secret Army.

It was a parody of that and it was very funny.

Same as Hi De Hi - it was a very good mocking of the holiday camp industry.

They only became stilted as they went on for too long.

If Fawlty towers went on for 10 series it would have been the same. That was slapstick on heat really.

Most comedies don't manage to stay funny for long.

 

[bringbackrattles]

Just had a quick look and it seems the BBC didn't keep any of the stuff he did, so it is lost forever.

Wasn't he a bit of a one liner wordsmith?

Didn't find him funny at all but he was popular I recall.
But reading about him found out he toured with Laurel and Hardy,now they were funny !

 

[bringbackrattles]

Funniest female ? Lucille Ball ?

 

[Houchens Head]

I've had the recent Dad's Army film for a few weeks but still haven't watched it yet. Somehow won't seem the same. I know some people didn't find the original TV series funny but I don't think it was meant to be hilarious. Just daft old British humour set in the war days.

 

[Otis]

I've had the recent Dad's Army film for a few weeks but still haven't watched it yet. Somehow won't seem the same. I know some people didn't find the original TV series funny but I don't think it was meant to be hilarious. Just daft old British humour set in the war days.

Yep, agree. It wasn't intended to be laugh out loud funny I don't think and they play very much on the warmth of the characters and their familiarity of the situation.

Nearly all Perry and Croft's characters are likeable characters.

They are the same week in week out though with very little or no depth to them. That could have course been deliberate. But if Mainwaring was pompous one week, he was pompous every week. Nearly all the characters are in the same mindset and same mood every week, happy or grumpy, pompous or meek.

When you look at Porridge, Barker's Fletcher could be a happy, joke playing clown one week, or be in a awful mood and upright pain in the arse the next. He could go from enjoying life behind bars and the security it gave, to the next week where the whole system got him down. Same with Godber too.

Not Perry's and Croft's style though and they played it safe and it was very, very popular.

Can't say I am looking forward to any of these remakes though. I really think they should leave well alone.

 

[Gazolba]

Didn't we still have it until BHS just closed down?

I don't recall BHS ever having wooden cabinets they kept the folded sweaters in! They used to at Owen and Owen and at Rackhams in Birmingham.

 

[Otis]

I don't recall BHS ever having wooden cabinets they kept the sweaters in! They used to at Owen and Owen and at Rackhams in Birmingham.

Ahh, forgot about Rackham's!

There's a Beale's in Bedford that has that old fashioned rickety past glory feel to it.

 

[Grendel]

Yep, agree. It wasn't intended to be laugh out loud funny I don't think and they play very much on the warmth of the characters and their familiarity of the situation.

Nearly all Perry and Croft's characters are likeable characters.

They are the same week in week out though with very little or no depth to them. That could have course been deliberate. But if Mainwaring was pompous one week, he was pompous every week. Nearly all the characters are in the same mindset and same mood every week, happy or grumpy, pompous or meek.

When you look at Porridge, Barker's Fletcher could be a happy, joke playing clown one week, or be in a awful mood and upright pain in the arse the next. He could go from enjoying life behind bars and the security it gave, to the next week where the whole system got him down. Same with Godber too.

Not Perry's and Croft's style though and they played it safe and it was very, very popular.

Can't say I am looking forward to any of these remakes though. I really think they should leave well alone.

You keep eulogising porridge as a great comedy invention but ultimately it was a rather typical sitcom of the 70's. A black man with a Scottish accent calked "black jock" and a gay inmate calked "lukewarm" - now it looks as tired and dated as others.

Fawlty towers probably stands the test of time as it is so over the top and suspends any attempt at reality. Cleese is the show.

The second series of Auf Wiedersein was rather trite. Frankly I found the likely lads a rather dull affair that tried too hard to be edgy.

From the 70's and 80's I would say the one comedy actor that would make most things work was Rossitter. The rest was really very stereotypical.

 

[Otis]

You keep eulogising porridge as a great comedy invention but ultimately it was a rather typical sitcom of the 70's. A black man with a Scottish accent calked "black jock" and a gay inmate calked "lukewarm" - now it looks as tired and dated as others.

Fawlty towers probably stands the test of time as it is so over the top and suspends any attempt at reality. Cleese is the show.

The second series of Auf Wiedersein was rather trite. Frankly I found the likely lads a rather dull affair that tried too hard to be edgy.

From the 70's and 80's I would say the one comedy actor that would make most things work was Rossitter. The rest was really very stereotypical.

Could not disagree with you more.

Porridge is still as brilliant today as it was then. Fantastic scripts, great acting, fabulous characters. Trust you to pick on probably the only two stereotypes.

It was the 70.'s. Fletcher is a beautifully rounded character, as too is Godber and Grouty and Warren. McKay does have a degree of stereotype about him, but the play off between Fletcher and McKay is a joy to behold.

I knew you would come back with an argument. I bet my 12 year old daughter a make believe million pounds. You deliberately set up a contrary position and immediately try and take the high ground.

Ask around and I think you will find people find Porridge as funny today as it was back then.

 

[Otis]

Why don't we just agree to disagree on everything. Will make life a lot easier from this point forwards.

 

[bringbackrattles]

Sorry to jump in but without doubt Porridge is a classic comedy with great scripts and great characters. British comedy is the envy of the world, and when you have Porridge, Rising Damp,Steptoe and Son,and Fools and Horses, just to name a few is it any wonder !

 

[Otis]

Sorry to jump in but without doubt Porridge is a classic comedy with great scripts and great characters. British comedy is the envy of the world, and when you have Porridge, Rising Damp,Steptoe and Son,and Fools and Horses, just to name a few is it any wonder !

Cheers, BBR.

I actually have the Porridge scripts and they are brilliantly conceived and very fresh still.

Porridge very nearly didn't get made because of its groundbreaking concept. The thought of the 'heroes' all being villains and locked up behind bars almost resulted in the BBC turning it down.

It has very much stood the test of time for the very reason it is set its own bubble, in its own world. Because we barely ever see the world outside it doesn't suffer from the dated feel or look to it. It is very unique.

 

[Gazolba]

I was always a big fan of "The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin"

John Barron was brilliant as the snooty boss ...

"1 2 3 4 make 'em wait outside the door .... 5 6 7 8 always pays to make 'em wait"

"I didn't get where I am today by telling the truth, Reggie!"

 

[Nick]

Will they be doing Keeping up appearances?

 

[Sky_Blue_Daz]

Will they be doing Keeping up appearances?

Bloody hope not it was shite

 

[bringbackrattles]

Bloody hope not it was shite

That and Open All Hours both garbage. Granville piss off !

 

[Grendel]

Cheers, BBR.

I actually have the Porridge scripts and they are brilliantly conceived and very fresh still.

Porridge very nearly didn't get made because of its groundbreaking concept. The thought of the 'heroes' all being villains and locked up behind bars almost resulted in the BBC turning it down.

It has very much stood the test of time for the very reason it is set its own bubble, in its own world. Because we barely ever see the world outside it doesn't suffer from the dated feel or look to it. It is very unique.

Going straight was hilarious as well.

 

[Otis]

Going Straight just didn't work at all. Very lame. As soon as they took the concept out of the prison the whole thing fell down.

I'm sure I heard Clement and La Frenais say it was a mistake.

Can't remember the other one they did which they admit was absolutely terrible. Didn't last long at all. They are very good at admitting what was good and what was bad and what what worked and what didn't.

Will check.

 

[Otis]

Can't find it. Could be The Train Now Standing, with Bill Frazer, but maybe it just didn't get made.

As for Rise and Fall, it had a lovely, district quirkiness to it and Rossiter simply has a ball.

That show had an awful lot of catchphrases, but again I feel that was parody and deliberately played OTT to up Reggie's mundane, same old tired world he had, had enough of.

The sitcom had it's glory years in the late 60's and then 70's and it is alas pretty much dead these days.

Mrs. Brown's Boys appears to hold the mantle of the 'best' out there at the moment, but personally I really think it is very poor, predictable, crass and unfunny (and that's just the positives! )

The last really good British sitcom for me was Men Behaving Badly and just how long ago was that!?!!

 

[Sky_Blue_Daz]

Can't find it. Could be The Train Now Standing, with Bill Frazer, but maybe it just didn't get made.

As for Rise and Fall, it had a lovely, district quirkiness to it and Rossiter simply has a ball.

That show had an awful lot of catchphrases, but again I feel that was parody and deliberately played OTT to up Reggie's mundane, same old tired world he had, had enough of.

The sitcom had it's glory years in the late 60's and then 70's and it is alas pretty much dead these days.

Mrs. Brown's Boys appears to hold the mantle of the 'best' out there at the moment, but personally I really think it is very poor, predictable, crass and unfunny (and that's just the positives! )

The last really good British sitcom for me was Men Behaving Badly and just how long ago was that!?!!

Otis have you ever watched a series called Still Game?
It's a Scottish comedy about pensioners from Glasgow it's absolutely brilliant it's available on you tube or Netflix
I think you'll like it

 

[Otis]

Otis have you ever watched a series called Still Game?
It's a Scottish comedy about pensioners from Glasgow it's absolutely brilliant it's available on you tube or Netflix
I think you'll like it

I know, Daz. You keep mentioning it and it IS on my list. Must get round to it and I will, I promise.

 

[chiefdave]

Will they be doing Keeping up appearances?

They're doing a prequel

 

[Otis]

They're doing a prequel
View attachment 5502

You could have told me after I had finished eating my breakfast.

 

[bringbackrattles]

Can't find it. Could be The Train Now Standing, with Bill Frazer, but maybe it just didn't get made.

As for Rise and Fall, it had a lovely, district quirkiness to it and Rossiter simply has a ball.

That show had an awful lot of catchphrases, but again I feel that was parody and deliberately played OTT to up Reggie's mundane, same old tired world he had, had enough of.

The sitcom had it's glory years in the late 60's and then 70's and it is alas pretty much dead these days.

Mrs. Brown's Boys appears to hold the mantle of the 'best' out there at the moment, but personally I really think it is very poor, predictable, crass and unfunny (and that's just the positives! )

The last really good British sitcom for me was Men Behaving Badly and just how long ago was that!?!!

Men Behaving Badly is my sons favourite but that was when he was fairly young,so he may change his mind if he watched it now ? I reckon Dear John was good and never got the recognition it deserved.

 

[Otis]

I liked Dear John at the time. Never seen it since. That's another of John Sullivan's creations.

He first came to my attention with Citizen Smith. Not sure if that's his first ever sitcom though.

 

[Otis]

Just looked and it was. Good start to a career that.

1977-1980.

 

[bringbackrattles]

Just looked and it was. Good start to a career that.

1977-1980.

Forgot Sullivan wrote Dear John. Sadly he died fairly young like the actor in Dear John, great talent gone too soon.

 

[Otis]

Do you remember Billy Liar, BBR? The TV series with Jeff Rawle.

Never ever been repeated since it first came out in the early 1970's.

 

[bringbackrattles]

Do you remember Billy Liar, BBR? The TV series with Jeff Rawle.

Never ever been repeated since it first came out in the early 1970's.

No must have missed that. In the Daily Mirror today theyve got an article on bringing back favourite comedy shows etc.Looks like its a popular decision ?

 

[Gazolba]

Will they be doing Keeping up appearances?

I thought there were a couple of good episodes. The one where she installed a burglar alarm that sounded like an ocean liner. And the one where she arranged a 'riparian picnic' and ended up dunked in the river.