Staged (Tennant & Sheen Lockdown Sitcom)

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

David Tennant and Michael Sheen (or Michael Sheen and David Tennant) are fine actors, and they come across as nice people 'IRL'. But this show is terribly underwhelming. I don't find it funny or interesting, it's just there.

I know it's just a throwaway, utterly harmless thing, but what is point? The Trip is worth watching for those occasional moments where Brydon and Coogan hit upon an inspired piece of comic improvisation, but there's none of that in Staged. It just sort of wafts along, then ends. 

[olliebean]

I reckon I got more laughs out of the first series of this than the last series of The Trip.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Fair enough.

[Malcy]

I reckon I got more laughs out of the first series of this than the last series of The Trip.

Likewise.

Just watched the first one. Bit confused. Series 1 was about putting a play together during lockdown but this series is about trying to remake the first series in America? Not what I was expecting but it was funny and one of the guests had a great line.

IPlayer has fucked this series up again. After watching the third it puts ep 3 as the next one to watch. Had to hunt for ep 2. It was tucked away at the end after ep 8. Same shit last time.

[Malcy]

Loved it. Enjoyed it as much as last series and probably more. Lots of laughs, great guest stars & would happily watch and hoping for a 3rd series. The cast all work so well together that I would watch a series set under normal circumstances.

One tiny gripe that I've also had with Curb Your Enthusiasm on occasion with very recognisable people playing a fictional character amongst others playing themselves but it didn't take away from the overall and I thought it was very very good.

[flotemysost]

Just watched all of Series 1, I quite enjoyed it. Not amazing but a few good laughs, mainly it's just the sort of comforting mush I can digest easily at the moment.

I do also like dramatic premises built around some sort of 'limitation' as well (in this case, only being able to communicate through Zoom) - I mean it's hardly an original idea, but in some ways it makes it a bit more like a theatre production itself (as in, it's not like they can have endless different locations, etc.) - I really like all that stuff.

It's definitely very middle class and it's got a bit of the tired old "grown up man-children flounder, while their girlfriends/partners are sensible and practical" trope about it, but I guess you could level both accusations at The Trip as well.

[neveragain]

The Trip's better overall. I find Staged's dialogue a bit... stagey (!) most of the time. It feels too written (I know The Trip was semi-improvised, but I'm not really talking about it anymore), and I can feel the writer or writers trying really hard to try to get into the voices of the celebrity guests. Feels inauthentic. Not that it's a bad show, it definitely has its moments and is comforting in its silly middle-classness.

Spoiler alert

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

[close]

ended up being my favourite guest unexpectedly.

[Icehaven]

My Mum's been on at me to watch this for ages as she really enjoyed the first series, but she's just watched the second and didn't enjoy it as much as she said there were too many celebrity cameos. I've just watched the first and was surprised to see so many in that too, so I think she just didn't recognise anyone except Judi Dench (and Sheen and Tennant of course.)
I thought it was ok, definitely improves as it goes along. Agree with The Trip comparisons too, particularly when the impressions or accents start, although I notice they didn't say anything about their relationships in this (other than Sheen's whispered "I'm trying") given it's their real partners. The storyline with the neighbour felt a bit shoehorned in, as if it was there purely to inject some emotion and to remind us all that people are really getting ill behind all the fun with Zoom and day drinking etc. I'll probably give the second a go at some point, but not immediately.

On a purely superficial note, were they their real houses? I suppose they must have been given the circumstances of production.

[worldsgreatestsinner]

Yeah. I saw a mini-interview on Twitter when they said they were their own houses.

I really like this, but I also thought it dips in the second series solely because of the celebrity cameos. There were three or four cameos that really didn't work at all for me. I thought

Spoiler alert

Pegg & Frost

[close]

were particularly bad. Just over the top and not capturing the feel of the material.

[neveragain]

Again, I think it's a case of the writing not correctly capturing their personas (while clearly trying to do so).

[Alberon]

Both series were good lightweight fun. I hope they don't try another run as that should be it.

Sheen lunging into the camera, bellowing and filling the screen with hair will stay with me for life, though.

[Blue Jam]

Started this last night after iPlayer recommend it to me, having never heard of it before. Quite enjoyed it. Bitesize bits of enjoyable fluff. I'm enjoying it.

Also started watching The Trip To Greece last night after finding it on Now TV. Obviously Staged isn't up there with The Trip but it's in that same genre I guess, the amiable celebrity bickering genre, and Sheen and Tennant do it well so I'm in.

[Malcy]

Extended episodes of series 2 going to BritBox this time on the 1st of April. 7 minutes of extra footage per episode. Wish they would just put these versions out first.

[Blue Jam]

Hmmm, I like it but forking out for a Britbox subscription for an hour more? I don't like it that much.

[Malcy]

Hmmm, I like it but forking out for a Britbox subscription for an hour more? I don't like it that much.

Could get a free trial for a month. BritBox is pretty decent. More on that I'd want to watch than any other streaming service I've used/use.

The bits that were added to the Netflix versions ended up on YouTube so these probably will as well. Minus the context of the rest of the episode though.

[Echo Valley 2-6809]

If your internet provider is BT you can get 6 months of BritBox free. https://www.bt.com/tv/on-demand/britbox/britbox-whats-on-new-watch-stream-app

[Malcy]

Staged featuring on Comic Relief tonight as well.

[Malcy]

Staged 1592

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-0OUy7tIxc

[quinlad]

There's a world of difference between being able to act comically and being funny in your bones. This doesn't strike me as being that controversial but it amazes me how few producers/commissioners see it as important. I wonder if it's because so many come from drama backgrounds?

It means you end up with shows that work mechanically but lack any true comic magic.

This show is a prime example. Sheen and Tennant are both very good actors but neither is remotely funny. And the harder they try, the less funny they get. But I guess I must be eye of the beholder stuff.