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March 28, 2024, 07:35:42 PM

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Worst Acting In A Sitcom

Started by Satchmo Distel, April 28, 2019, 09:26:23 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

St_Eddie

I'd always assumed that Polly was supposed to be American in Fawlty Towers.  I'm kind of surprised to read that others don't think that was the case and now you've got me doubting myself and questioning my initial assumption.

Quote from: bgmnts on April 29, 2019, 01:05:00 PM
There is that one character in Red Dwarf season 2, who is engaged in a chess game with Holly, who is absolutely abysmal, but it works.

Yes; Gordon.  The actor was incredibly nervous to be performing in front of a live studio audience, hence his twitchy and naff performance but like you say, it works for the scene and character.  Of course, Doug Naylor replaced him with a different actor for the Remastered episode, which is yet another reason to stick with the originals.

Sebastian Cobb

^ that's shit.

As someone mentioned Joe Thomas I always thought Carly wasn't very good in The Inbetweeners.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Quote from: Lisa Jesusandmarychain on April 29, 2019, 11:32:30 AM
She must feel a bit stereotyped though, constantly playing women who react in a frightened way when they see a mouse.

You do know who Maxine Peake is, yes? I mean, you must do.

Ballad of Ballard Berkley

Everyone in Red Dwarf was shit, apart from Chris Barrie.

lankyguy95

Quote from: St_Eddie on April 29, 2019, 04:54:46 PM
I'd always assumed that Polly was supposed to be American in Fawlty Towers.  I'm kind of surprised to read that others don't think that was the case and now you've got me doubting myself and questioning my initial assumption.
This, except I always thought Polly was supposed to be British.

imitationleather

Doesn't Basil reference that she's American in one episode?

Jockice

I thought she was American but had moved to Britain when young. Wasn't one of the wedding party guests supposed to have gone to school with her?


magval

I think Basil might make fun of her in an American accent twice. She also uses one herself when she says the cook is "under the tay-bulll" and she sings that song, too.

Never once thought she was American myself though. She's an English accent like.

St_Eddie

Quote from: imitationleather on April 29, 2019, 06:00:23 PM
Doesn't Basil reference that she's American in one episode?

You're right!  It's the episode where Polly tries to order a Waldorf salad.

Seriously though, I do have a sneaking suspicion that Basil makes reference to Polly being American at some point during the series.

BritishHobo

Quote from: thenoise on April 29, 2019, 10:14:24 AM
The young dinner lady in Dinnerladies pretty much stank up every scene she was in.  I wonder who she was and how she got the gig?  I like Victoria Wood and really wanted to enjoy this, but it doesn't quite work, partly because of the wildly inconsistent acting styles.

My mum loved this show but fucking HATED Julie Walters in it. I can see why, as for the most part it's a slow, quiet-ish show about the shit people chat while bored in the routine of work - and then Walters always rolls in, bellowing and jamming it up. It's odd.

Her and Maxine are incredible actors though, obviously.

BritishHobo

Although just to add, everyone's assumed that thenoise meant Maxine, but I thought the post was referring to Anita, who got some dramatic moments to work with.

Quote from: Virgo76 on April 29, 2019, 11:59:14 AM
Connie Booth in Fawlty Towers.

No, no, I won't have that!

Fawlty Towers wouldn't work without Connie Booth. She's terrific in this scene, for example:

https://youtu.be/vvblvLpo-Pk?t=884

rasta-spouse

Quote from: BlodwynPig on April 29, 2019, 03:27:44 PM
guuuuuh - the dying embers of BBC sitcom shite here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4ocjaT05cI

that Badults clip is even worse than I remembered.

Bennett Brauer

Quote from: Ballad of Ballard Berkley on April 29, 2019, 05:45:43 PM
You do know who Maxine Peake is, yes? I mean, you must do.

A throwaway joke about studpuppet writing eek instead of eke, innit.

Lisa Jesusandmarychain

Quote from: Bennett Brauer on April 29, 2019, 07:06:32 PM
A throwaway joke about studpuppet writing eek instead of eke, innit.
[/quote
He's right, y' know.

Dusty Substance


Zara Nutley, who played Miss. Courtney in the bleak, boring and awfully unfunny Mind Your Language (currently sat at #121 in IMDB's Top 250 TV shows of all time, above Father Ted and Peep Show) was really bad in that role. The terrible script and dull set probably didn't help things but I recall her performance being woeful.

As for a guest star in a sitcom, the worst of all time goes to Gordon Ramsay in Extras. Possibly because I hated him anyway but he was spectacularly bad in his cameo. 

JamesTC

Quote from: St_Eddie on April 29, 2019, 04:54:46 PM
Yes; Gordon.  The actor was incredibly nervous to be performing in front of a live studio audience, hence his twitchy and naff performance but like you say, it works for the scene and character.  Of course, Doug Naylor replaced him with a different actor for the Remastered episode, which is yet another reason to stick with the originals.

The alternative was filmed but never used.

Gordon is just irreplaceable.

Armin Meiwes

I've got one.. Simon Amstell in Grandma's House! Although it does kind of work in a weird way (I like grandma's house).

Dusty Substance

Quote from: Armin Meiwes on April 29, 2019, 09:03:36 PM
I've got one.. Simon Amstell in Grandma's House! Although it does kind of work in a weird way (I like grandma's house).

Yes, it does work in a weird way. Didn't a lot of the conversations in GH revolve around Simon wanting to further his acting career but also not being a very good actor. Under-rated show.

St_Eddie

Quote from: JamesTC on April 29, 2019, 09:01:07 PM
The alternative was filmed but never used.

Ah, okay.  It's been a long time since I've had the inclination to rewatch the Remastered episodes.  I must have watched that scene as a part of the deleted materials on The Bodysnatcher Collection and mistakenly lumped it in with having made the final edit.  It may as well have done.  It's par for the course, as far as the Remastered episodes go.

Quote from: JamesTC on April 29, 2019, 09:01:07 PM
Gordon is just irreplaceable.

I like the fact that this quote follows on from a post mentioning Gordon Ramsay.

pigamus

Quote from: BritishHobo on April 29, 2019, 06:21:46 PM
My mum loved this show but fucking HATED Julie Walters in it. I can see why, as for the most part it's a slow, quiet-ish show about the shit people chat while bored in the routine of work - and then Walters always rolls in, bellowing and jamming it up. It's odd.

Her and Maxine are incredible actors though, obviously.

To be honest I've always thought that about Julie Walters. Too much hammy shouting.

Lisa Jesusandmarychain

Quote from: David Pielingtonburygrot on April 29, 2019, 06:47:12 PM
No, no, I won't have that!

Fawlty Towers wouldn't work without Connie Booth. She's terrific in this scene, for example:

https://youtu.be/vvblvLpo-Pk?t=884

I ended up watching all of that episode. You know, it strikes me that Connie Booth definitely was fit as fuck back in the day going For a British accent with Polly , wasn't she ?

magval

Can't believe youse thought Polly from Fawlty Towers was a fucking American there for a page or two!

Naboo from The Mighty Boosh. Just inept.

Lisa Jesusandmarychain

#84
Quote from: magval on April 29, 2019, 09:36:30 PM
Can't believe youse thought Polly from Fawlty Towers was a fucking American there for a page or two!

Ah, but how do you explain John Cleese clearly doing an American accent when he's mimicking her for lying to him about having a rat-loving friend , hey? hmmmm? Come on, answer me that ( it puzzles me as well, That's clearly an English accent on yer woman Polly ).
Wikipedia says she's English, too.

Lisa Jesusandmarychain

Is Richard Ayoiadia- Sallawallah- Howeveryouspellhissurname a crap actor when portraying Moss in the IT Crowd, or not ?

Armin Meiwes

Yeah wtf! File me under always thought she was meant to be American as well! In fact I still think that.

Jockice

I was going to say the entire cast of Citizen Khan. But weirdly I don't mind watching it.

a duncandisorderly

Quote from: Lisa Jesusandmarychain on April 29, 2019, 09:44:18 PM
Is Richard Ayoiadia- Sallawallah- Howeveryouspellhissurname a crap actor when portraying Moss in the IT Crowd, or not ?

ayoade. I liked him as ned smank, but I don't think he really wants to act anyway. writing, directing, being funny & smart. but not acting. he should pack it in.

chris barrie came to 'brookside' for an audition, must've been around 1988, when the characters of gordon & lucy collins returned to the close (the original actors no longer available, one of them now sadly no longer with us). dorothy, our casting lady, sent him away- "you're too good to be in a soap", she told him. next thing we know, he's on the ben elton thing on saturday night, impersonating kenneth williams.
you know who it is before he even speaks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTPcVypWmLI

The Lion King

I always thought Polly had a bit of a Scandanavian accent. Though that may be because growing up I thought she was the blonde lady from Abba