BBC BAFTA-TV Auto-fellation

[jutl]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3558731.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3558309.stm

Little Britain has become Britain's best-loved sketch comedy since The Fast Show - and has three nominations at this year's Baftas.

I liked the show, but this really is nauseating...

[Munday's Chylde]

I don't know about this one... I'm not aware of anybody in my real life banging on about this show and certainly have never heard anyone quoting it. I've only ever caught it a couple of times myself.

I think I'm starting to believe the hardcore nerds...

[butnut]

Also - weren't there 8 episodes, not 6 as that first link says?

A few old school friends of mine have said they liked it, and one can do a passable impression of the guy in the wheelchair, but I wouldn't yet say it had achieved 'classic' comedy status yet.

Although having said that, my dad's friend's kids (aged about 12) really like it, as does my 4 year old nephew. Maybe because I don't spend much time hanging out in playgrounds these days (honest 'guv!) that I don't realise how much the 'kidz' are into this.

[Almost Yearly]

In its first series it has gone from cult cool - thanks to those digitally-converted viewers catching it on BBC Three ...

Fucking bollocks. Thanks to meeja shock and awe more like.

my real life

Yeah right.

Well anyway, you're lucky. I've heard nothing but Yeah'know and I want that one for months. In the office; in the pub; in the pasty shop. People catch themselves saying "Yeah, I know" in the run of normal conversation, realise it's off the telly, and repeat it in a slightly different voice, giggling. Comedy pewter.

I think I'm starting to believe the hardcore nerds...

Ditto. The BBC's advert soliciting for sitcom writers seemed quite poignant yesterday, nestled in between Catherine Tate and Nighty Night.

[jutl]

Comedy pewter.

You trust Chicolini - he knows everything about the comedypewters.

[european son]

i juts woke up and was going to post the same article... frankly the thing amazed me!

some more choice cuts.....

In its first series it has gone from cult cool - thanks to those digitally-converted viewers catching it on BBC Three - to the kind of quotable success that comedy classics are made of.

As the digital audience mushroomed with the rise in sales of Freeview boxes, Little Britain became one of the BBC's worst-kept digital secrets, before making its terrestrial debut on BBC Two late last year.

But with a second series already in development - and its catchphrases part of the comedy landscape, Little Britain may be a force to be reckoned with itself in years to come.

this article is basically an in-house advert for the show yeah? the same way that all the S Club 7 show's are basically extended adverts for their records?

it's fucking cheeky i can tell you that. i've not even seen LIttle Britain, but even if it is as good as they say, the way they attribute the success to the BBC (and Digital in particular) is fucking sickening.

[jutl]

it's fucking cheeky i can tell you that. i've not even seen LIttle Britain, but even if it is as good as they say, the way they attribute the success to the BBC (and Digital in particular) is fucking sickening.

It's the same smarmy circle-jerk that the Radio Times has been for years..

[Darrell]

The radio series of Little Britain deserves the 'modern classic' tag, as it really is as good as they come.

The TV series is going to be crushed under the wait of all these Alison Graham/Heat Magazine tossers wanting to be 'part of the 'cult''. There are already ludicrous expectations and stupid hype for the second series, it seems as though L&W aren't going to have the chance to do the more experimental stuff they wanted to put in series one (but couldn't afford). Also, a year doesn't seem long enough for them to do a great second series.

[Peking O]

You lot don't like success do you? It's time to face the fact that Little Britain was a popular show. Of course the BBC is going to gloat about it, isn't that what TV stations do when they have a hit on their hands?

The TV series is going to be crushed under the wait of all these Alison Graham/Heat Magazine tossers wanting to be 'part of the 'cult''

Good! I thought LB was extremely patchy, but it showed promise. Another series could be great, if more people get into it then it could lead to more interesting comedy on our screens.

[Emergency Lalla Ward Ten]

Its stautus as a 'hit' is entirely defined by the BBC though, that's the problem. A BBC which is desperate for the Next Big Thing.

As for it showing promise - all this hype may end up killing it prematurely. It puts a stupid amount of pressure on Lucas and Walliams. 10 or 15 years ago, it would have been allowed to develop at its own pace.

[Peking O]

As for it showing promise - all this hype may end up killing it prematurely. It puts a stupid amount of pressure on Lucas and Walliams. 10 or 15 years ago, it would have been allowed to develop at its own pace.

The fact is, if they're good enough they'll be able to live up to the hype. Seinfeld was hyped enormously in America, had huge success, but the writers/producers/directors/actors all managed to overcome that by having talent.

I'm sure the viewing figures must have at least been reasonable, otherwise why would the BBC choose to hype this over another comedy show? If they didn't promote it people on here would be saying "where's the publicity for this show?" Someone at the BBC believes the L&W have what it takes, and is willing to put some publicity into this show. I can't see how that's a bad thing.

[weekender]

I can't see how that's a bad thing.

If you hype something up enough, people will believe that it's great and you can't have a reasoned discussion with them about it because they have been brainwashed.  That doesn't necessarily mean that the thing being hyped is any good or deserves the hype.

This does not apply solely to comedy either.

[Peking O]

If you hype something up enough, people will believe that it's great and you can't have a reasoned discussion with them about it because they have been brainwashed.  That doesn't necessarily mean that the thing being hyped is any good or deserves the hype.

So essentially what would you like the BBC to do in relation to promoting Little Britain?

[weekender]

So essentially what would you like the BBC to do in relation to promoting Little Britain?

Well, I'd like them to promote it to a reasonable extent (I quite enjoyed it), but also spend 'promotion money'  - presuming they have some sort of 'promotion budget' - on other programmes which also deserve praise.  I'm not going to be specific on programmes here because I realise that my comment encompasses programmes that don't appeal to my tastes - it's fine by me if the BBC wants to promote great ballet etc, as long as there is a choice for people.

What I'm trying to get at is that I would rather see a balanced approach where quality - in whatever sphere it comes in - is promoted.  I don't like seeing one programme being lauded as 'great' - particularly when it's not great and the common opinion is such (2POLAAPACP - does anyone really like this?) - , when the money spent on lauding could have been spent on making better programmes.

It seems to me that we're headed (if we're not there already!) towards a 'bandwagon' approach to television, whereby we are told what to like, and if what we like doesn't fit into what is 'desired' by the media/broadcasting corporations, then we are wrong.  I think that this approach is leading to a restriction of choice, and is restricting programme makers/authors/viewers alike into accepting what is there, as opposed to a situation whereby people have choice as to what they want to watch.  I'd like to imagine that in the latter scenario then people would choose quality.  I'm frequently proved wrong by people, however.

[Goldentony]

what i never understood about little britains popularity is that it was the same frigging joke for every character each bastard week

and none of its fans seems to have noticed

[weekender]

what i never understood about little britains popularity is that it was the same frigging joke for every character each bastard week

and none of its fans seems to have noticed

Worked for 'The Fast Show'.

[Goldentony]

which is exacty why i got tired of both very quickly

[Emergency Lalla Ward Ten]

Little Britain gets lower viewing figures than Absolutely or A Bit Of Fry and Laurie did 15 years ago. Fewer channels, I know, but it's a perception thing - those shows *seemed* obscure, you could be fairly certain the bloke sitting next to you at the bus stop had never heard of them. They were just allowed to be what they were and pick up a following naturally. It wasn't all 'Look, look, watch this, it's the next cult, you don't want to be left behind do you?'.

Nighty Night gets pisspoor viewing figures, and - as someone revealed on another thread - is shedding about half a million a week. Doesn't stop the continuity woman announcing it as 'the hit series' the other week though. It's all meaningless.

It's the sheer desperation of it all.

[Emergency Lalla Ward Ten]

what i never understood about little britains popularity is that it was the same frigging joke for every character each bastard week

and none of its fans seems to have noticed

But they also do brilliant stand-alone sketches - the policeman/driving instructor, for one. Pirate Memory Games for another. And great one-off quickies, like the world record attempts at the end of each show.

[Emergency Lalla Ward Ten]

So essentially what would you like the BBC to do in relation to promoting Little Britain?

Just broadcast it. Once.

[Rev]

what i never understood about little britains popularity is that it was the same frigging joke for every character each bastard week

and none of its fans seems to have noticed

But they also do brilliant stand-alone sketches - the policeman/driving instructor, for one. Pirate Memory Games for another. And great one-off quickies, like the world record attempts at the end of each show.

Do they?  If they do, they seem to spread the original material very thinly.  I managed to watch three episodes.  Liked the first one, got bored very quickly during the second one, and was absolutely livid at the laziness of the thing during the third one.  Didn't much care for the Fast Show either, but that one did at least attempt to inject some jokes into the sketches.  Little Britain is nothing but catchphrases.  It's like the tedious bastard down the pub who insists on telling you the one joke he knows every single time you meet him.

[bill hicks]

When you look at the stuff being written about Little Britain and compare it to what has been done to 15 Storey's High you can't help but despair.

Little Britain is an average show at best, yet is BAFTA bound and "The Best Thing on telly since The Office".

15 Storey's High has been fucked in the schedules, cancelled, slagged off by the head of the channel, will probably get a token airing at midnight on BBC2 after the snooker highlights and if we're lucky sneak out on DVD in a year without publicity.

And one episode of 15 Storey's High puts all 8 of Little Britain to shame with it's invention, pure gags per minute hilarity and the number of physical deep belly laughs it provides.

Comedy (and BBC3) seems to be choosing it's 'hits' based purely on how many catchphrases they think will seep into the addled brains of morons in pubs across the country.

And it's only going to get worse.

[gazzyk1ns]

my real life

Yeah right.

Well anyway, you're lucky. I've heard nothing but Yeah'know and I want that one for months. In the office; in the pub; in the pasty shop.

Yeah ditto here, that's the "in public" one, isn't it... when round friends' houses the most popular is "oh It's so lonely, being the only gay in the village!" Hehe it is funny that doesn't get said much in public, because of course bystanders might misinterpret them shouting "...being the only gay in the village!" in a ridiculous accent, and think they're actually gay.

All of that said I really like Little Britain, we mustn't get twats constantly quoting it mixed up with it not being any good. Parts of it can be described as "obvious repetition" but there again so can a lot of The Fast Show. At times I think the show is dying a little but then along will come something that is really funny, like Marjorie Doors taking her dieting class, asking people what they get cravings for... not understanding the Indian woman's answer and just writing "curry" on the whiteboard.

[Darrell]

People who use the "it's exactly the same every week!!!" excuse are deluding themselves. It's not the same every week. Just because characters re-occur doesn't mean all their sketches are the same, every sketch has unique features and dialogue.

The exception here is the Lou and Andy sketches, where the predictability and repetition is the joke.

Then again, the 'same every week' excuse is equally invalid for the glory days of The Fast Show - they did actually bother writing proper sketches for the characters, y'know.

[alan strang]

I was watching an episode of Series 2 Absolutely earlier. That particular series was remarkable - a 45-minute slot, two ad breaks and a lovely laid-back feel - most of the shows had a pre-filmed linking device between sketches (eg Jack Docherty as a sleepwalker, Gordon Kennedy as a daft poet), which gave it a more 'Flying Circus' feel than the average sketch show - a proper structure rather than a collection of unrelated sketches. That laid-back presentation was one of the reasons I was first attracted to the show.

Later they were advised that they should cut it down a bit and make the shows tighter in order for it to be a 'success'. The subsequent series lost that dreamy feel in the process, which was a shame. The last series reduced everything to a base level, in terms of character and presentation.

I do get the impression, watching 'Little Britain', that they've been given similar advice - and that this advice is pretty much accepted across the board now. It does seem to be a given factor in modern comedy that to fight against the cut and thrust you need to use certain tricks to win an audience very quickly, either by reducing everything to bite-sized chunks or creating repetitive, easily-quotable material.

This isn't a good thing for creativity or experimentation, especially when 'creatives' get lauded for making such choices, following prewritten rules to ensure viewing figures. "We're so good at telly", etc. Whatever happened to the attraction of mavericks who don't play by the rules?

But, as I mentioned a while back, the fact that 'Little Britain' still manages to be pretty good in the face of having to fit in with this template shows a lot of promise. It could be better - and hopefully Lucas & Walliams will use the hyping to their artistic advantage by Series 2.

[Rev]

Then again, the 'same every week' excuse is equally invalid for the glory days of The Fast Show - they did actually bother writing proper sketches for the characters, y'know.

Which is why I made that distinction, although the Fast Show is probably to blame for this 'come up with a good pilot and let Uncle Xerox take care of the series' attitude.  There may be slight adjustments from episode to episode, but they *are* slight.  Even if you really like the series, does it not needle that about 90% of the material in each episode is recycled?  The fact that one episode viewed on its own is cracking suggests that they're capable of doing much better.  Again:  Lazy bastards, in a climate that supports lazy bastards.

[Almost Yearly]

The radio series of Little Britain deserves the 'modern classic' tag, as it really is as good as they come.

Disagreed. I heard it last night and felt like I was hearing proof once and for all that it never really was much cop.

You lot don't like success do you?

Cobblers. It's the forced perception of success people are objecting to. Emergency Lalla Ward Ten puts it well...

Little Britain gets lower viewing figures than Absolutely or A Bit Of Fry and Laurie did 15 years ago. Fewer channels, I know, but it's a perception thing - those shows *seemed* obscure, you could be fairly certain the bloke sitting next to you at the bus stop had never heard of them. They were just allowed to be what they were and pick up a following naturally. It wasn't all 'Look, look, watch this, it's the next cult, you don't want to be left behind do you?'.

Nighty Night gets pisspoor viewing figures, and - as someone revealed on another thread - is shedding about half a million a week. Doesn't stop the continuity woman announcing it as 'the hit series' the other week though. It's all meaningless.

It's the sheer desperation of it all.

[Peking O]

Nighty Night gets pisspoor viewing figures, and - as someone revealed on another thread - is shedding about half a million a week. Doesn't stop the continuity woman announcing it as 'the hit series' the other week though. It's all meaningless.

It's the sheer desperation of it all.

Of course they will announce it as a 'hit series' they're desperately trying to drum up publicity for it. The days of Fry and Laurie and 'organically' grown comedy are gone, this is a different time and different methods are adopted to promote things. If the makers of Little Britain have the talent to sustain another series (which I doubt) then it will be a success. If not they'll be disposed of. That's the reality of the situation whether you like it or not. Saying it was 'different 15 years ago' is totally irrelevant, those days are gone. Get over it.

[alan strang]

Of course they will announce it as a 'hit series' they're desperately trying to drum up publicity for it. The days of Fry and Laurie and 'organically' grown comedy are gone, this is a different time and different methods are adopted to promote things.

It's not just promotion though - different methods are used in the creative process too. Where's the fun in watching something which is so painfully tailored towards reaching the biggest share of the audience to the detriment of the material? The only people who view that as 'creative' these days are promoters or people attempting to get into the industry by joining the winning side. The same people who are involved in a rush to defend some awful new show as 'just as great as Fawlty Towers' (or alternatively diss great shows of the past by claiming that modern shows are just as good). It's all self-serving damage-limitation.

In bygone days, producers or editors would look at scripts and say "change that - they won't understand it in Bolton" or whatever. It was down to writers to fight for that material. These days it seems that the writers don't bother writing such material in the first place, for fear that it won't get past the first hurdle.

If the makers of Little Britain have the talent to sustain another series (which I doubt) then it will be a success. If not they'll be disposed of. That's the reality of the situation whether you like it or not. Saying it was 'different 15 years ago' is totally irrelevant, those days are gone. Get over it.

What a depressing outlook. Enjoy your DVD of The Day Today, Peking. Because you'll never get another series as fantastic as that while this media climate continues. Especially not with people like you around to defend it by saying "Thats just the way it is."

[Peking O]

.....different methods are used in the creative process too. Where's the fun in watching something which is so painfully tailored towards reaching the biggest share of the audience to the detriment of the material?

You can't blame the BBC for that - if that's something that L&W aren't prepared to stand up against then they get everything they deserve. Take a look at League of Gentlemen series 3 - a popular show, the writers completely changed the format, wrote out the two of the most popular characters and basically followed their own vision.  It can be done, I've got no time for people who haven't got the guts to do it.

What a depressing outlook. Enjoy your DVD of The Day Today, Peking. Because you'll never get another series as fantastic as that while this media climate continues. Especially not with people like you around to defend it by saying "Thats just the way it is."

I'm looking down the Comedy Chat page here and it seems like plenty of stuff is being produced that people like. Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, 15 Storeys High (Ok, it's cancelled now, but 2 series worth were produced), Catterick, Black Books 3, The Daily Show, Look Around You, Shaun of The Dead, etc. Naturally some shit is being produced, but it's always been that way.