Men Behaving Badly thread

[dead-ced-dead]

Apologies if there's already a Men Behaving Badly thread, but I've been watching several episodes as a way to have something on in the background as I work from home, and I don't remember finding the show so depressing when I would watch re-runs as a nipper on UK Gold.

I was born in 1990, which I think has a lot to do with it, so I missed the lad culture window and only saw episodes on UK Gold in the early 2000s.

Individual jokes and plot lines are funny (but there's a lot of naff "Tony is embarrassed wearing glasses because he thinks it makes him look like a git HUR HUR." plotlines too).

But every episode Dorothy moans about dating Gary, rolls her eyes and says "Why am I going out with you Gary?" as Gary does something inconsiderate, to which I think, "Yeah, why are you?" I really just get the impression that she's so pathologically terrified of dying alone that she's just latched herself to the nearest sinking ship she could find. Which is really depressing to me. Same with Deborah and Tony, though I haven't got to them going out together yet. They're still arguing/flirting.

Carolyn Quentin and Martin Clunes do sell their gags, though.

[Huxleys Babkins]

One thing I never understood was the choice of theme tune. It's so trad, jaunty and "chat show" for a sitcom about toxic masculinity.

[dead-ced-dead]

One thing I never understood was the choice of theme tune. It's so trad, jaunty and "chat show" for a sitcom about toxic masculinity.

I don't usually skip openings on Amazon Prime or Netflix, but I do for Men Behaving Badly.

[Huxleys Babkins]

It's really, really long too. And imagine my surprise when seeking out the "lost" ITV episodes to discover it used to be even longer. Absolutely baffling.

[EOLAN]

One thing I never understood was the choice of theme tune. It's so trad, jaunty and "chat show" for a sitcom about toxic masculinity.

I kind of like it. Never thought as you do. Could suppose the theme tune may represent the perceived fun of getting drunk and being a lad while the show more represents the consequences from the resultant hangovers and relationship issues.

[The Culture Bunker]

I did used to watch it and enjoyed doing so, but there's not much about it that I can remember. The wedding episode I think was pretty funny, with the running joke about it being pushed back through the day and there not being enough space in the assorted cars for everyone.

I never did understand why Gary let Tony off relatively easy for copping off with Dorothy, though.

[Malcy]

One of my favourite comedies ever. Have watched the lot several times over the years. The episode where Tony gets his glasses is one of the funniest for me. Clunes face while he's trying to keep it together on the couch is brilliant.

[chrispmartha]

Not sure I class it as underrated as it's quite highly rated but I think it's definitely a great show IMO, I actually think its dated OK aswell.

It's one of those shows that no matter how many times ive seen it I'll still happily watch it if its on.

I think it's got some great writing and lots of good gags including some good physical comedy.

There's a bit that always gets me and its a simple gag but I think its the Christmas episode when Gary turns the blender on whilst on the phone...

[chrispmartha]

Not sure I class it as underrated as it's quite highly rated but I think it's definitely a great show IMO, I actually think its dated OK aswell.

It's one of those shows that no matter how many times ive seen it I'll still happily watch it if its on.

I think it's got some great writing and lots of good gags including some good physical comedy.

There's a bit that always gets me and its a simple gag but I think its the Christmas episode when Gary turns the blender on whilst on the phone...

I also think its quite wildly misunderstood, its seen as 90s 'lad' culture but Gary and Tony seem quite anti 'laddish' well what was being portrayed as Laddish at that time.

[chrispmartha]

Made a right old bollocks of that edit.

[dead-ced-dead]

Made a right old bollocks of that edit.

I noticed. HAHA. I suppose I should give it a fairer run.

[Armin Meiwes]

Yeah haven't seen it in a veeeeery long time but my take on it was always that they were sort of wannabee lads that totally failed at every aspect, except for the drinking lots of cans of lager, of being laaads. Obviously that being where much of the humour of it came from as lads aren't funny, but sad sacks attempting to be are.

[SteveDave]

My wife had never seen it so we watched it all (except for the first series) about 4 years ago and I yucked myself stupid.

I'm still brought to the verge of tears just thinking about George's "Oh yes, I think we should play (pretends to head an imaginary football)" when Gary doesn't want to take part in the inter-office five-a-side football tournament.

[thr0b]

Did a full rewatch of it a few months back.

Dorothy is an awful, awful person. Gary could actually do better than her, rather than the other way around. She regularly cheats on him and puts him down throughout.

None of them are particularly nice people, but she's the worst.

It's still very funny.

[idunnosomename]

I love the theme toon but always thought they behave more obnoxiously loutish than they ever did in the show. Looks like it was fun to film though.

Also "Men Behaving Splendidly"

[Old Gold Tooth]

I recently binged this from the start when it was added to Prime and it's been interesting reading people's thoughts.

I was a big fan of it growing up but hadn't seen it since it went out, so was pleasantly surprised it had aged so well. Great to find it's still really funny and nowhere near as tone-deaf as I feared a 90s sitcom about gender and relationships might be. Very few outright clangers I can think of (for my money the gay-panic episode after Tony first moves in has probably dated the worst).

Fully agree that none of the main characters are that nice, are almost always on the lookout for something better than what they've got, and that Gary and Dorothy are narcissists who fully deserve each other. They're all such opportunistic sods motivated by selfishness that it put me in mind of Always Sunny, which is not a comparison I was expecting to make.

Martin Clunes is fucking ace as well. In my head he'd been written off as a beige ITV stalwart, but he absolutely delivers the goods here.

[Phil_A]

I was quite surprised on rewatching some to realise how horrible Debs is, particularly after she and Tony get together. I don't whether it was the writing or Ash's really personality coming through, but she was really was unpleasant. It makes the relationship baffling as she seemingly just despises Tony altogether.

It one of those shows where there are loads of little bits of this I can quote despite not having watched the episodes in question for years.

"Thomas the Tank Engine, he's great isn't he...with his...face?"

"I AM KNEELING, I AM KNEELING! ON THE FLOOR...OUTSIDE THE PUB..."

[chrispmartha]

"When there's always biscuits in the tin, where's the fun in biscuits"

[Malcy]

"If it's wet, drink it"

[EOLAN]

Can't remember the exact quote; but always reminded of the show when one of my pockets gets caught in a door handle, as something Gary mentions you never see on TV. 

[Sebastian Cobb]

Nooooo! It's not meant for hats.

[BeardFaceMan]

Nooooo! It's not meant for hats.

From the same episode I think, the line "BRRRR I'VE HAD A GREAT DAY, BUILDING STUFF!" from Tony is also delivered quite beautifully.

[Malcy]

I tried typing out another favourite of mine but I couldn't. It's the "Woo her" bit between Gary & Tony. Great stuff.

[SteveDave]

"BED?! BEDS ARE FOR SLEEPY PEOPLE!"

[Dewt]

It's odd how beige middle-class it is. Normally when people are loutish in sitcoms they are also poor, or obscenely rich. Not middle-management in an office.

[Marner and Me]

Mazda wanker

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

It's odd how beige middle-class it is. Normally when people are loutish in sitcoms they are also poor, or obscenely rich. Not middle-management in an office.

Tony fulfils the "poor" bit, being an unemployed waster most of the time.

[thenoise]

It's odd how beige middle-class it is. Normally when people are loutish in sitcoms they are also poor, or obscenely rich. Not middle-management in an office.

Well he's a wannabe really. He's a bit bland with his office job and his girlfriend/wife who bores him and bullies him and his dull work colleagues who he insults all the time. So he gets a blokey lodger so he can drink cans and talk about tits with. Only, he's just as pathetic in his own way.

Also rewatching on prime, only made it to S3 so far though. I loved it as a young teen, just enough hints of naughtiness to be exciting. And i grooved around the sitting room to the end credit music with my brother, too. This was the first id seen of the Harry Enfield episodes though. I thought he was very good.

[Goldentony]

Always liked John Thompson as Ken a lot more than Les. First scene where he introduces himself like a Dutch king and goes "THIS IS KEN" to them. Fantastic

[idunnosomename]

that's 'cause oi'm a miserable bastard