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Karl Pilkington - Sick Of It

Started by Malcy, July 05, 2018, 10:17:55 AM

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Replies From View

Quoteas with most stand-up comics (who wouldn't be described as playing character)

Yet many do, don't they.  Johnny Vegas and Richard Herring spring immediately to mind, but I am sure there are many many others.

Wet Blanket

I don't think he's playing a character so much as just a bloke with an interesting perspective on life who also knows how to fit that into a persona. The 'act' at first at least, was that he was a gormless bumpkin, not someone savvy enough to have a successful career in radio production.

Even back when he was third fiddle to Merchant and Gervais I thought the 'stupid little round-headed monkey' thing was mainly Gerv just being a bell. Most of what he says is actually quite insightful.

He seems to be drifting in the direction of becoming a sort of dour, manc Limmy, which i'm all for. 

Sin Agog

The sheer number of podcasts in which the hosts turned on one of their own and made them their personal pinata makes me think this is more about a comedy, and maybe even a social, dynamic, than anything unique about Karl.  'course Karl's pretty interesting- any Manc auto-didact would be a refreshing change from Oxbridge gets- but you see him talking to anyone other than Ricky & Steve and he becomes just a funny introverted dude who lives in his head a lot, like a lot of comedians and creative types.

Digging the show, by the way.  Was some genuinely poignant acting at the end of the second ep.

Utter Shit

Quote from: Replies From View on October 04, 2018, 12:48:55 PM
It's to do with repetition and pretence, and the level to which the character develops a backstory that is distinct from Karl's own and can be independently built upon.  This turns it from a persona to a character.

To me, the idea that he isn't a character is the belief that he is a clueless village idiot who doesn't know that he is funny, and during An Idiot Abroad was just filmed doing real things.

I'd agree to an extent with regard to An Idiot Abroad, but if you take that line then you would have to say the same about more or less every travel documentary, it's all artifice and set piece. "We're taking you to this place, can you look overwhelmed by the majesty/say something deep about the poverty/complain about all the fucking bees please".

I'm not sure what you mean with regard to him developing a backstory separate from the reality - is that true? It's not an allegation I've ever heard before, and would completely change my opinion on the issue.

Sebastian Cobb

Never mind the navel gazing lads, in the third episode Karl's genuinely seem to be enjoying themselves to apache.

Sebastian Cobb

3rd episode is my favourite, has a wonderful Waiting for Godot vibe. Lou Sanders cameo's.

Angela Heaney crops up in the 4th one.

leighhart

I dont understand the whole "hes just doing a character" given there are no examples of him ever "breaking" character it just seems silly.
I think what this show is revealing is that the guy that emerged out of that heavy shadow Gervais was casting is a genuine talent who has a world view that isnt as narrow as some people think and is more nuanced and capable than given credit for

the science eel

Quote from: leighhart on October 05, 2018, 12:42:54 AM
I dont understand the whole "hes just doing a character" given there are no examples of him ever "breaking" character it just seems silly.
I think what this show is revealing is that the guy that emerged out of that heavy shadow Gervais was casting is a genuine talent who has a world view that isnt as narrow as some people think and is more nuanced and capable than given credit for

Indeed.

I think people who go for this 'character' nonsense just haven't stepped away from their PCs for a while.

colacentral

Quote from: leighhart on October 05, 2018, 12:42:54 AM
I dont understand the whole "hes just doing a character" given there are no examples of him ever "breaking" character it just seems silly.
I think what this show is revealing is that the guy that emerged out of that heavy shadow Gervais was casting is a genuine talent who has a world view that isnt as narrow as some people think and is more nuanced and capable than given credit for

I did always think that Gervais and Merchant always came across as more ignorant than Pilkington, at least on certain issues. Dare I say I actually relate to Karl a bit in those conversations - the intellectual fear of the crowd which leads to wilful ignorance and bullying. Gervais pretending to not have an internal monologue when Karl says something about the voice in his head always springs to mind. He's clearly not an idiot and any time he's played it up I think is down to peer pressure / audience expectation.

I feel for him as in any interview now he has the weight of expectation on him to say something weird, which keeps the charade going - see his recent appearance on This Morning where Schofield and that other one stare at him the whole time with smiling gormless expressions. I'm sure many on this forum have been in situations where merely having independent thought leads to them being treated like the elephant man, and I understand why that film resonates with him so much.

jimboslice

Can anyone tell me the song that's playing faintly when they're in the diner in episode 3?

trabuch

#100
I'm fairly sure it's Train Song by Feist and Ben Gibbard. But it sounds like a different version to the one I've heard. Appropriate choice of song though - if it is that.

No it's Vashti Bunyon doing it. I'd only heard the cover.

Twed

Reply to kill off that stupid edit bug.

H-O-W-L

That interview Pilkington had with that other manc bloke a few pages back has put paid any belief in my eyes that it's ALL an act. Yes, he's played it up, probably embellished some stuff, but there's no fucking way that he's not 100% real. The way they talked about their childhood (and seemed to connect over it genuinely, with the host being blindsided by nostalgia a couple times) was so legitimate.

the science eel

I honestly have no idea why people would think it's an act. I really honestly don't get that at all.

jimboslice

Quote from: trabuch on October 05, 2018, 05:31:19 PM
I'm fairly sure it's Train Song by Feist and Ben Gibbard. But it sounds like a different version to the one I've heard. Appropriate choice of song though - if it is that.

No it's Vashti Bunyon doing it. I'd only heard the cover.

Thanks. I didn't know it was a cover either, I must have known it from 'Dark Was The Night'


Dr Rock

I'd watch this but I don't have Sky One. Has anyone put it up elsewhere? Asking for a friend.

amnesiac

Quote from: Dr Rock on October 10, 2018, 12:23:52 PM
I'd watch this but I don't have Sky One. Has anyone put it up elsewhere? Asking for a friend.

Now TV 30 day trial? wait for it to finish first obvs.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: Dr Rock on October 10, 2018, 12:23:52 PM
I'd watch this but I don't have Sky One. Has anyone put it up elsewhere? Asking for a friend.

It's up on the pirate bay, or if you prefer file lockers, https://rlsbb.unblocked.gdn

Dr Rock

Ta. I imagined it wouldn't be on PB as it wasn't international and that.

Dr Rock

There's some nice musical choices in the first episode (and I expect in the rest), Fred Neil for example. Who's responsible? The credits list Joshua Moshier (I expect his name doesn't rhyme according to him, but it does) as 'music by' and he's indeed plugging it on Twitter but he seems to be a composer rather than a soundtrack organiser. So maybe he just done the music that's in the background sometimes.

Dr Rock

I enjoyed episode three a lot too. Bleak and that. And two Hank Williams songs and a Lee Hazlewood.

Pilks is a very good actor I reckon. I keep forgetting when there's two of him interacting he had to pretend the other Karl was there. What was the name of the feature on the XFM shows where he inserted himself into A Few Good Men and some other films? That was the first sign he could do this pretending lark. I suppose he's playing himself, but he's still very natural and convincing. He's pissed over Life's Too Short and Derek hasn't he?

jobotic

Lady with the Braid playing in episode 4. I only know this song because it was recommended on here. He's clued up as fuck.

Replies From View

Quote from: Dr Rock on October 10, 2018, 07:23:59 PM
What was the name of the feature on the XFM shows where he inserted himself into A Few Good Men and some other films?

"Karl in a film."

http://www.pilkipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php/Karl_in_a_Film


Sin Agog

That weirdly great scene of Karl jamming with himself to the instrumental was a bit surprising. 
Instrumentals aren't songs with a story!

Dr Rock

Another great choice, that version of Apache by The Incredible Bongo Band

https://youtu.be/6tQXy3sd1Xs

Dr Rock


the science eel

Good stuff.

Looking forward to the second season!

Replies From View

That was all very good.  Very well directed, with the two-Karl conceit feeling natural and never too gimmicky at all, and sequences that could have been dull on paper, like establishing shots and anything involving the taxi driving around, were very well handled and watchable.  Some of the writing was great - finding a way to confuse "bollocking" and "blocked in" was quite pleasing and unexpected, for example.  Even when the car was blocked in and the woman returned I didn't expect her to make that reference back, and normally I can see things like that coming a mile off.  See also the reveal that the random pregnant woman was Karl's former girlfriend - very lightly handled in a way that Gervais should envy, and again it took me by surprise.

Karl seems to have a thing about connecting with people through arse issues; in series 3 of An Idiot Abroad he was keen to make Warwick Davis suffer with the shits so they'd be having the same experience.

Six episodes of 23 minutes feels like hardly anything at all, so I do hope there will be further series.  I wonder how long Karl will want to keep going with it.