The Services, That Peter Kay Thing and Phoenix Nights

[Solid Jim]

I don't often laugh out loud at comedy programmes but I did uncontrollably when I first saw the ice cream man have his freak out in the van.

The line delivery that always comes back to me is "What's this? MILK!?" when his assistant returns with the melted ice cream.

[darby o chill]

Das Boot fruit machine is always a winner

Schnell! Schnell!
And the old bags -
I'm havin his fridge freezer, less than 12 months old that.
What about his dog?
Get it put down.

First series is great.

[petril]

I wish they'd done more with Alan being a recurring character in every episode, but it seems a running thing with Kay that things get dropped. Like questioning whether Brian Potter was really paraplegic or faking it.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Schnell! Schnell!
And the old bags -
I'm havin his fridge freezer, less than 12 months old that.
What about his dog?
Get it put down.

First series is great.

"A little respect for The Captain"
*places pint on coffin*

[darby o chill]

...questioning whether Brian Potter was really paraplegic or faking it.

Totally missed him walking in TPKT 'In the club', just saw it after looking it up. Wiki says Kay admitted it was a mistake.

"A little respect for The Captain"
*places pint on coffin*

Haha. That whole Captain scenario is great.

'ee.... 'ee were asthmatic! Put him in the Pennine suite.

[H-O-W-L]

I've forgotten all of Phoenix Nights season 2 except for the insane levels of racism and the bit where he gets stuck on the stairs.

[non capisco]

I've forgotten all of Phoenix Nights season 2 except for the insane levels of racism and the bit where he gets stuck on the stairs.

I think the quite funny quiz night bit is series 2.

"The answer to question 15 is...the Shroud of Turin!"
"What did we have?"
"Lisa Stansfield."

Wasn't it the dodgy 'Ant and Dec' Chinese immigrant stuff that directly led to Kay and Kitson falling out?

[H-O-W-L]

I think the quite funny quiz night bit is series 2.

"The answer to question 15 is...the Shroud of Turin!"
"What did we have?"
"Lisa Stansfield."

Wasn't it the dodgy 'Ant and Dec' Chinese immigrant stuff that directly led to Kay and Kitson falling out?

I can't be sure but I know from anecdotes here on CaB that Kitson took a very fucking dim view in regard to Peter Kay's Hilariously Wacky Racial Characters, yeah. Not to mention the Japanese stereotypes in the first episode of the second season, whom I do remember quite vividly.

[petril]

I think the quite funny quiz night bit is series 2.

"The answer to question 15 is...the Shroud of Turin!"
"What did we have?"
"Lisa Stansfield."

the "guess the intro" question is a great gag in itself. WALKING ON THE MOOOON

[Captain Z]

I've just rewatched it over the last few days and it's still brilliant. Didn't notice too much of a drop in quality between series 1 and 2, only gripe is slightly too much Max & Paddy towards the end which was obviously setting up their spinoff series. Excellent attention to detail and continuity, including the episode from TPKT, e.g. "50/50 dancing" posters in the background during both series. Always found Peter Kay's obsession with 80s/90s pop quite charming. Interesting to spot a young Philomena Cunk playing the brewery manager's fiance in the final episode.

I think 'insane levels of racism' is a bit of a stretch, but accept there's a couple of things you probably wouldn't put into a sitcom these days. Interesting that Daniel Kitson went along with dressing up and performing as Gary Glitter if he found those aspects problematic.

[madhair60]

Interesting that Daniel Kitson went along with dressing up and performing as Gary Glitter if he found those aspects problematic.

Well hang on, that's making his character/The Phoenix the joke for being tone-deaf. "Ant and Dec" were just lazy me so solly racist shit.

[Famous Mortimer]

But they were on the right side of the "Send The Buggers Back" bit.

[The Culture Bunker]

Well hang on, that's making his character/The Phoenix the joke for being tone-deaf. "Ant and Dec" were just lazy me so solly racist shit.

Can remember reading an interview with Benedict Wong where he said auditioning for a part in Phoenix Nights (presumably one of 'Ant and Dec') made him want to pack in acting, albeit as he was sick of only getting the chance to do such stereotypical parts.

[Sexton Brackets Drugbust]

Can remember reading an interview with Benedict Wong where he said auditioning for a part in Phoenix Nights (presumably one of 'Ant and Dec') made him want to pack in acting, albeit as he was sick of only getting the chance to do such stereotypical parts.

Yeah, he mentioned this anecdote at the 15 Storeys High retrospective earlier this summer. And now he's a Skeksis!

[Gurke and Hare]

Didn't notice too much of a drop in quality between series 1 and 2,

I've been watching it all since this thread started, and I'm halfway through series 2 now - I have to say that I think there is a drop in quality. Also, I don't remember nearly as much as I do of series 1, so it was certainly less memorable.

TPKT and The Services were a cut above Phoenix Nights.

[Goldentony]

It's a theme pub

WHAT THEME? HIROSHIMA? OLD SHITE?

[Gulftastic]

The need in the second series of PN to end every episode on a 'wah-wah' moment hurt it a lot.

[Gurke and Hare]

Also, someone says "Dick'ead" about every 20 seconds in series 2. Was he selling a t-shirt with it on?

[Phoenix Lazarus]

When that car's speaking alarm went off, I originally thought it was saying, 'Oi, get back, ya p**i bastard.  I'll break your legs!'

[Huxleys Babkins]

Also, someone says "Dick'ead" about every 20 seconds in series 2. Was he selling a t-shirt with it on?

That reminds me, I need to listen to that episode of Peacock & Gamble again. "Fick-fack-fuck!"

[Captain Z]

... covered in piss.

[Sebastian Cobb]

AH SAID 'PING PONG BALLS' NOT 'KING KONG'S BALLS'!

[Gulftastic]

Clinton Baptiste.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd79Ie_vWyQ

Brilliant

[monkfromhavana]

Clinton Baptiste.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd79Ie_vWyQ

Brilliant

"hands up who can't have children? <microphone goes floppy>

[petril]

Clinton Baptiste.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd79Ie_vWyQ

Brilliant

Clinton Baptiste is Sparky from Eyes Down

also: "you can walk". another hint from the thing that was dropped.

[Bennett Brauer]

Had no idea there was a second series of Alex Lowe's Clinton Baptiste's podcast out, and an upcoming tour. Will probably see him at the Leicester Comedy Festival in Feb.

[Rolf Lundgren]

I can't be sure but I know from anecdotes here on CaB that Kitson took a very fucking dim view in regard to Peter Kay's Hilariously Wacky Racial Characters, yeah. Not to mention the Japanese stereotypes in the first episode of the second season, whom I do remember quite vividly.

On the director's commentary, they bring up Kitson not being proud of it as a running joke. They're clearly not fussed.

That Peter Kay Thing was the best thing Peter Kay ever did. It's still great and always will be because of how accurate it is. Leonard for example is a brilliant character and although Kay admits it's almost wholesale based on a bloke who used to come into the garage he worked in, it's still a fantastically observed bit of comedy. The Phoenix Nights pilot is also so well formed and detailed that it could seamlessly be turned into a series.

[DrGreggles]

On the director's commentary, they bring up Kitson not being proud of it as a running joke. They're clearly not fussed.

Or they clearly are fussed, which is why they keep bringing it up.

[Sebastian Cobb]

And didn't Kay get Kitson blurred out on the repeats?

[Gurke and Hare]

And didn't Kay get Kitson blurred out on the repeats?

I doubt it - it was a fairly substantial speaking part so it would have looked extremely odd.

Do we know why they changed from the fake fly on the wall to the straight sitcom format?