Hitmen (Mel & Sue Sitcom)

[Malcy]

This starts tonight at 10 on Sky One.

Hitmen is about two best friends trying to make their way in the world with only each other to rely on. They also just happen to kill people for a living.

Having stumbled into a career in contract killing, misfits Fran and Jamie are not your typical killers for hire. Working out of their scruffy van, each episode follows the hapless duo as they try to carry out their latest hit, inevitably derailed by incompetence, bickering, and inane antics. As each hit goes south, our (anti)heroes are thrown into one bizarre misadventure after another, each full of oddball characters and unexpected dilemmas.

Across the series, as the mishaps - and bodies - rack up, Fran and Jamie's friendship is put through the wringer: while affable goof Jamie seems content to spend her days hanging out with her best mate, the more sensitive Fran starts to question whether it's really the life she wants. Will their friendship survive their trials and tribulations? More to the point, as the jobs get increasingly dangerous, will they even survive?

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8p9aeR2JDY

[DrGreggles]

Is it just me, or are they fucking awful?

[Twonty Gostelow]

"Based on an idea by Jake Thingray."

[lankyguy95]

Is that... Mel and Sue... with guns in their hands? What can they possibly want?

[the science eel]

Is it just me, or are they fucking awful?

They're absolutely terrible.

[jsgibble]

I happened to watch an episode of Light Lunch on Youtube the other week and thought they were quite funny

[Jittlebags]

Sky One! Enough said.

[Twonty Gostelow]

I happened to watch an episode of Light Lunch on Youtube the other week and thought they were quite funny

They were really likeable in their early days, Sue's Emma Thompson impression etc, but they tend towards too arch and self-knowing now, like plenty of others who stretch out their careers with a series of unnecessary vehicles instead of retiring from TV and doing a proper job stop me if I sound bitter. I'm kidding, I just went off them on Bake Off.

I once saw a 1980s documentary (can't find it online now) where Tim Brooke-Taylor (Me & My Girl actor) revisits Cambridge to chat to players in the current Footlights, including a young Mel, Sue and Henry Naylor. I remember Mel seeming uncharacteristically shy and self-conscious being on camera.

[Virgo76]

They are still very likeable.
This sounds like an odd choice for them though. Possibly a very bad one by the sounds of it.
Has Sky One had any homegrown comedy successes?

[Bazooka]

They are still very likeable.
This sounds like an odd choice for them though. Possibly a very bad one by the sounds of it.
Has Sky One had any homegrown comedy successes?

Well Alan Partridge stuff was obviously bloody brilliant, but outside of this realm? you mean?

Anyway terrible title.

[BlodwynPig]

Hitmen and Hurs

[dunelm]

Very likeable but they've never been able to do scripted. I remember a radio 4 thing they did years ago, playing their own characters. Terrible hammy performances.

They should stick to presenting, they're quite good off the cuff, particularly Sue.

[phantom_power]

Sky's Urban Myths series is very good, if we are talking about decent homegrown comedy

[momatt]

Is it just me, or are they fucking awful?

I swear they used to be really funny when they did that lunchtime thing in the 90s.
Was I just an idiot who fancied them a bit, or have they changed?  Both?

Anyway, yeah this new thing in the trailer looks rather pooey.

[dunelm]

Late lunch had its moments, was well suited to their spitballing, freewheeling style. They also would get decent guests.

But as soon as they try and do scripted it becomes very apparent they aren't up to it.

[Huxleys Babkins]

Sky's Urban Myths series is very good, if we are talking about decent homegrown comedy

Off the top of my head, I've enjoyed;

Urban Myths
Sick of It
Camping
Sick Note
Sally4Ever
Bliss

Not sure I'd count Partridge, The Trip, etc. as they didn't originate on Sky, but fair play to them for making new Alan when the BBC wouldn't.

[sirhenry]

Hitmen and Hurs

Hitmen and Hearse?

[Malcy]

Off the top of my head, I've enjoyed;

Urban Myths
Sick of It
Camping
Sick Note
Sally4Ever
Bliss

Not sure I'd count Partridge, The Trip, etc. as they didn't originate on Sky, but fair play to them for making new Alan when the BBC wouldn't.

Trollied as well. Haven't seen this yet. Don't have Sky so waiting on it appearing elsewhere.

[Pseudopath]

I suppose Trollied was reasonably successful (well-known, at least). Never seen an episode of it, so couldn't possibly hail it or vilify it.

[Twonty Gostelow]

I'd watch it if it was just Catherine Shepherd.

[idunnosomename]

They are still very likeable.
This sounds like an odd choice for them though. Possibly a very bad one by the sounds of it.
Has Sky One had any homegrown comedy successes?

time gentlemen please

Baddiels syndrome lol

[phantom_power]

I keep meaning to watch Brassic as Joe Gilgun is ace. Is it any good?

[Virgo76]

I suppose Trollied was reasonably successful (well-known, at least). Never seen an episode of it, so couldn't possibly hail it or vilify it.

Er... was it? I'd literally never heard of it until now. Although it does seem to have lasted for seven years, so fair enough.

[derek stitt]

It's just them doing what they do in a strange setting, i.e. being amiable and chatty with guns and killing. Don't hate the show but cant see the point of it either. Did have some fun thinking of other performers who are remembered for one type of role being hitmen though, Norman Colliers dodgy mic act and the bloke who used to hit himself over the head with a tea tray being the two that made me chuckle the most.

[sick as a pike]

[Trollied] I'd literally never heard of it until now. Although it does seem to have lasted for seven years, so fair enough.

I wrote a couple of episodes for series (#?) and though everyone on the writing team was lovely, I just could not understand the humour aesthetic. 
I spent many meetings thinking "well, yes, these are a series of events that could plausibly occur, but how are they in any way amusing?"
I think they hated me, and quite rightly so.

[Gulftastic]

I used to fancy Sue, until a mate pointed out that she looks a bit like Paul Loughlin who used to play for St Helens.

[chveik]

would

[Ignatius_S]

Off the top of my head, I've enjoyed;

Urban Myths
Sick of It
Camping
Sick Note
Sally4Ever
Bliss

Not sure I'd count Partridge, The Trip, etc. as they didn't originate on Sky, but fair play to them for making new Alan when the BBC wouldn't.

Rovers only got one series, which was a shame as I rather liked it.

A few more that did well:

Moone Boy
Stella
Spy
Mount Pleasant

Haven't watched it (yet) but Frayed was a recent show that was recommended to me.

[jsgibble]

time gentlemen please

Baddiels syndrome lol

There seemed to be a couple of (awful, panned) things around the time that tried to copy American stuff, as if what comedy really needed was a hammy impression of Seinfeld or Friends or whatever.

It's especially baffling when you think how much groundbreaking comedy there was in the late 90s / early 00s. Hardly a lack of inspiration, you know.

[dissolute ocelot]

A few more that did well:

Moone Boy
Stella
Spy
Mount Pleasant

Sky seems to excel at making shows that superficially resemble comedies, and on occasion are mildly amusing or lightly heartwarming (e.g. Moone Boy). As sick as a pike said above, Sky seem to have an entirely different idea of humour to everyone else, as if they were aliens attempting to make comedy for an earth audience.