Limmy's Show - series two

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Starts on BBC2 Scotland on Thursday 17th Feb. I really enjoyed the first series, as did a small hardy band of fellow CaBbers. So I thought I'd start a new thread in readiness.

And any excuse to post this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWHNVwxJEeU

Incidentally, a compilation of highlights from series one is on tomorrow night on BBC2. Again, Scotland only, but it should all be available on the iPlayer in due course.

[vrailaine]

I really enjoyed the first series, listened to the first 30 or so podcasts and liked them too, dunno why I haven't gotten around to the rest.

Following him on twitter and facebook, find him really hard to peg as a person. He seems to shift between being very casual and such to absolutely hating all of his followers.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Following him on twitter and facebook, find him really hard to peg as a person. He seems to shift between being very casual and such to absolutely hating all of his followers.

Just a comedy online persona, isn't it? An amoral cynic full of seething hatred for his followers, rather than the usual mutual back-slapping bonhomie. That's how I take it anyway.

[vrailaine]

Yes, which is good, but he doesn't stay in character the whole time. I'd imagine that would make it very easy to slip into Linehan mode and very difficult to maintain an effective balance, yeah?

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Yes, which is good, but he doesn't stay in character the whole time. I'd imagine that would make it very easy to slip into Linehan mode and very difficult to maintain an effective balance, yeah?

I would imagine so, yes.

[Retinend]

The World of Glasgow podcasts were an inspiring example of comedic monologue at its best - a humour borne from the characters, their foibles/adventures and very rarely outright gags - and the care he took with those characters made for some really poignant moments. The TV show had less heart, but was full of really unique and funny observations - the whole thing had a single comedian's personality shining strong throughout, which was refreshing to see come through so uncompromised. The lack of Footlights type people from other BBC comedy based in England was also a nice, if peripheral, change. So I'm unsurprisingly very happy to see a new series of this and I really hope they iron out some of series 1's faults - overly long sketches, characters who are only worth seeing if you know their appearances on the podcasts, and sketches which come across as more experimental/self-interested than funny.

[non capisco]

Limmy's Show is the only recent British TV comedy show I can think of that managed to baffle me in a positive way. I couldn't ever really get a handle on it and it was for that reason that it got me hooked. 

And the Millport sketch absolutely nails the age-old theme of the seductiveness of nostalgia and its damages. It ain't funny in the slightest but is strangely beautiful. 

[benjula]

Starts on BBC2 Scotland on Thursday 17th Feb. I really enjoyed the first series, as did a small hardy band of fellow CaBbers. So I thought I'd start a new thread in readiness.

And any excuse to post this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWHNVwxJEeU

Incidentally, a compilation of highlights from series one is on tomorrow night on BBC2. Again, Scotland only, but it should all be available on the iPlayer in due course.

that sketch is so perfect, it's incredibly sad,makes me choke up, cant wait for this show to be back on.

[Smeraldina Rima]

I love him and I can't wait. Falconhoof is also oddly touching, admittedly in a weirder way than the scene posted. A lot of people have mentioned that there weren't enough laughs in the first series but I laughed plenty and would be happy for the same amount of experimental and thoughtful sketches to be there. The only bits I thought were disappointing were when the observations were too obvious, like some of the linguistic complaints; Americanisms, use of literally, etc. and the newsreader's foreign pronunciations and presenting clichés. I think my favourite bits were when he was playing himself or someone quite like him. The characters from the podcast are excellent and he's a very good actor, I'm just not such a fan of that kind of sketch show. It's very like The Armando Iannucci Shows in places but without seeming derivative. It's also rare to see a funny comedian who looks so normal, with sensible hair, quite good looking, wearing nice shirts. Without making too much out of this, it definitely helps the surreal stuff that it comes from someone who isn't eccentric, and he's helped that style by casting other ordinary looking actors and setting lots of the scenes in everyday places. Another thing I notice is how he gets a lot out of repeated words or phrases, like 'just kick about' in the Millport sketch and 'really innapropriate situations' in the 'Whit's the Ploblem' sketch. It lets the performances dangle quite loosely and vulnerably and they're all the better for it. I was hoping there might be a trailer or two by now.

[Retinend]

I love him and I can't wait. Falconhoof is also oddly touching, admittedly in a weirder way than the scene posted. A lot of people have mentioned that there weren't enough laughs in the first series but I laughed plenty and would be happy for the same amount of experimental and thoughtful sketches to be there. The only bits I thought were disappointing were when the observations were too obvious, like some of the linguistic complaints; Americanisms, use of literally, etc. and the newsreader's foreign pronunciations and presenting clichés.

I suppose I prefer the experimental ones in there too - even if some work for me and others don't. For example, I thought the sketch with the tellietubbies-style DVDs ("modus operandi") was gutwrenchingly funny; a). because it's an observation that applies to any sudden change in image (I immediately thought of Justin Timberlake's transformation from teeny popstar to funky sexpot) and b). just because of the oddness of Limmy coming up with this hypothetical situation just to react to it. It's the kind of "wouldn't it be weird if..." observation that you'd share with your friends, but that most writers would think was too potentially alienating to be funny... but it isn't! At least to me.

Limmy's Show - Series 1 , Episode 3 [ Part 1/3 ]

On the other hand I found the "what if you followed somebody" sketch amazingly overdrawn, and the payoff seemed to overcompensate / insist too heavily on the whole conceit - if that makes sense. The central premise just didn't do it for me, but I can easily imagine these two examples being taken the opposite way for another viewer.

By the by, The commentaries on the DVDs are well worth watching, and, oddly, listening to it makes some of those slightly off sketches the more worthwhile. Also, one last time: EVERYBODY GO TO ITUNES NOW AND LISTEN TO THE WORLD OF GLASGOW PODCASTS. ALL OF EM.

[mikeyg27]

The menu screens on the DVD are great as well.

Something I liked a lot about Limmy's Show was the variety in pace - there were a lot of really short sketches in there which kept it all moving along nicely.

[papalaz4444244]

I really enjoyed the first series, listened to the first 30 or so podcasts and liked them too, dunno why I haven't gotten around to the rest.

I put in a couple of shifts of Limmy's World of Glasgow last week and got right through them all.

Fantastic stuff. The way the characters progress and then he ties them all together in the final special is fucking brilliant.

I liked the TV show, but it's a shame it has had to be slightly watered down for the BBC. Still good though.

[Bennygaylord]

Can't wait for this.

[Bound]

I have LITERALLY just finally got round to watching the first series, thanks to a 'Best of' appearing on catch-up and spurring me on to fucking get on with it, and I am now very much looking forward to series 2. I think Smeraldina Rima's comparison to The Armando Ianucchi Shows is very accurate, but I also see a touch of Tim and Eric (wont as I often am to make poor comparisons in comedy), what with the use of animation and varied filming techniques - most explicity in the bits that just plain make you confused, and the TV-parodies. His view on the human condition is fabulous though, and he is a really captivating performer at times. His bits to camera are great, and as a sketch actor...well, much as it pains me to bring up Boyle (pleasant) the cunt could learn a thing or two from Limmy. He's also just telegenic and likeable, which also helps.

Must seek out the ol' podcasts then, I s'pose...

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Limmy arseing around on his web-cam right NOW: http://www.justin.tv/brianlimond#/w/864540224

[doppelkorn]

I suppose I prefer the experimental ones in there too - even if some work for me and others don't. For example, I thought the sketch with the tellietubbies-style DVDs ("modus operandi") was gutwrenchingly funny; a). because it's an observation that applies to any sudden change in image (I immediately thought of Justin Timberlake's transformation from teeny popstar to funky sexpot) and b). just because of the oddness of Limmy coming up with this hypothetical situation just to react to it. It's the kind of "wouldn't it be weird if..." observation that you'd share with your friends, but that most writers would think was too potentially alienating to be funny... but it isn't! At least to me.

Limmy's Show - Series 1 , Episode 3 [ Part 1/3 ]

On the other hand I found the "what if you followed somebody" sketch amazingly overdrawn, and the payoff seemed to overcompensate / insist too heavily on the whole conceit - if that makes sense. The central premise just didn't do it for me, but I can easily imagine these two examples being taken the opposite way for another viewer.

By the by, The commentaries on the DVDs are well worth watching, and, oddly, listening to it makes some of those slightly off sketches the more worthwhile. Also, one last time: EVERYBODY GO TO ITUNES NOW AND LISTEN TO THE WORLD OF GLASGOW PODCASTS. ALL OF EM.

That was worth it for the bit where he slips from his airy delivery:

"No ya dinnae!No you did not."

[Smeraldina Rima]

http://living.scotsman.com/features/The-main-event-Limmy39s-show.6717351.jp

This is a short interview article in which Limmy says the series will be different from the first. The supporting cast has changed and there will be mostly new characters.

[Robot DeNiro]

There's a couple of new sketches on the BBC website, this one being the best:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/clips/p00f2d5g/limmys_show_work_it_to_the_bone/

Can't wait for the new series.

[Bound]

Bit of a shame about the supporting cast changing.

This interview tells us a little about the returning characters and...er...Limmy reproducing (via his lass, obviously): http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/2011/02/12/writer-and-comedian-brian-limond-wonders-what-he-should-tell-son-about-his-career-86908-22917670/

Really looking forward to the new series.

[SimonJT]

They asterisked out "tosser"?

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

They asterisked out "tosser"?

Daily Record readers are notoriously sensitive.

[papalaz4444244]

They asterisked out "tosser"?

It's punching down. It's an offensive term to professional caber enthusiasts. Often shouted at Highland Games by caberists to put the competitors off.

[Old Nehamkin]

Back on tonight!
There's an audio interview with Limmy up on the BBC website where he talks in more detail about the new characters/ supporting cast here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/comedy/limmysshow.shtml
Sounds promising, although his description of the "Major boo boo" character did remind me a little of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3A8ya9m91Fw

[Old Nehamkin]

That was great.

[PaulTMA]

Half and hour on and I'm still laughing thinking about the distressed chap staggering through the housing estate, that and the eckied West Kilbride conversation.

[lipsink]

It's not on iPlayer!!! Looks like I'll have to stay in for it on Saturday night!

[GMTV]

I really did enjoy it. Felt a bit faster paced than the previous series, i think i laughed more as well.

A few misses, mostly hits.... I still kind of miss the old cast though. Can't wait for the rest of the series.

[m...wW(wwMww)Ww...m]

Damn, was expecting this on iPlayer tonight.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Half and hour on and I'm still laughing thinking about the distressed chap staggering through the housing estate

"She's turned the wean's against us!" Very funny, as was the whole show. Enjoyed that more than any new British comedy since The Trip. And I laughed out loud - while watching on my own! - at the blunt slapstick of

Spoiler alert

whacking the mugger over the head with the laptop

[close]

. Only sketch I wasn't sold on was the nasty medium - seemed a bit too Shirley Ghostman for comfort.

Agree that it felt slightly tighter and more consistent than the last series. Let's hope he keeps up the standard.

Ah, it's great to have this back.

[PaulTMA]

^^^ Don't give the joke away!