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Little - Remenbered Comedy Shows

Started by Lisa Jesusandmarychain, November 19, 2020, 08:03:26 AM

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Brundle-Fly

Quote from: j_u_d_a_s on November 20, 2020, 01:09:41 AM

Something I really enjoyed despite being way too young for it at the time, The Ritz. Can't remember a thing about it though, maybe it's time for a rewatch...

The Ritz holds a great fondness for me because it's basically a reboot of John Godber's play, Bouncers. Back in the early 1980s, I went with my college class to see the Hull Truck Theatre Company production of it and some of the cast, Richard Ridings and Paul Rider chatted with us in the theatre bar after the show. It was a real thrill to see them go on to play the leads in The Ritz. Casting unknowns probably wouldn't happen today as TV producers would want names attached.  I'm sure it must've been a massive influence on a young Peter Kay. It's very Phoenix Nights.

DrGreggles

I rewatched The Ritz for the first time since its initial broadcast a few months ago.
Thoroughly enjoyable. Shame there's not a decent quality version anywhere.

Norton Canes

I remember The Ritz really well too, brilliant stuff.

Simon Nye's How Do You Want Me is one of my favourite ever sitcoms. Not exactly obscure but it doesn't seem to get mentioned much and I doubt people remember it often.

George White

Quote from: non capisco on November 19, 2020, 09:17:45 AM
John Gordon Sinclair has little remembered sitcoms falling out of his arse, doesn't he? 'An Actor's Life For Me', 'Nelson's Column', 'Mad About Alice'. He loved a one series underwhelming BBC sitcom more than any other living actor.
Enn Reitel Syndrome.

Jockice

Quote from: icehaven on November 19, 2020, 11:48:42 PM
I'm "friends" with Neil too! I went out with a mate of his in the 90s so we ended up fb friends. He's one of my favourite tenuous social media connections.

I'm not even that close. I just like his writing and we have a few mutuals so I sent him one and he accepted. He's even 'liked' some of my posts. I think his sister lives in Sheffield but I've never met her.

Jockice

Quote from: Jockice on November 19, 2020, 09:03:15 PM
I've never been to Coventry. I don't think I've even met anyone from Coventry. I'm friends on Facebook with Neil Kulkarni and The Specials are one of my favourite bands. That's my entire connection with the place. And I still liked it.

I met some blokes from Coventry in a bar in Budapest once and had a drink with them. But that was in 1992 and we haven't stayed in touch.

paruses

Quote from: Brundle-Fly on November 20, 2020, 10:24:21 AM
The Ritz holds a great fondness for me because it's basically a reboot of John Godber's play, Bouncers. Back in the early 1980s, I went with my college class to see the Hull Truck Theatre Company production of it and some of the cast, Richard Ridings and Paul Rider chatted with us in the theatre bar after the show. It was a real thrill to see them go on to play the leads in The Ritz. Casting unknowns probably wouldn't happen today as TV producers would want names attached.  I'm sure it must've been a massive influence on a young Peter Kay. It's very Phoenix Nights.

Good choice. I loved that when I first saw it. I remember my dad had taped it for me while I was away at scout camp as he thought I would like it. I may have gone to see it at Hull Truck later when I was a student in Hull.

Just watching on YouTube now. Is much much slower and considered than I remember.

I think I might have been disappointed by The Continental - was that just a one hour special after the series?

Phil_A

How about Shane, early 2000's familycom written by/starring Frank Skinner(he also sang da feem toon). Had a dream sequence where his cock turns into a puppet crocodile which proceeds to ravage a saucy young American girl in the bath which probably look a bit dodgy now.

The other notable thing about it is a second series was commissioned and made, then there was a contractual dispute between Skinner and ITV and the whole thing got shelved indefinitely. To this day these episodes never been shown or released in any form. Imagine what we missed out on there.

(Actually I've just seen on youtube someone commented the second series was eventually shown on Paramount Comedy rather than ITV, so it's not even notable for that.)

I used to love Chance In A Million, one of those excellent early Channel 4 shows when it first launched alongside Prospects with Gary Olsen & Brian Bovell that I used to watch with my mum.

Annie Labuntur

Quote from: Phil_A on November 20, 2020, 01:49:07 PM
How about Shane, early 2000's familycom written by/starring Frank Skinner(he also sang da feem toon). Had a dream sequence where his cock turns into a puppet crocodile which proceeds to ravage a saucy young American girl in the bath which probably look a bit dodgy now.

The other notable thing about it is a second series was commissioned and made, then there was a contractual dispute between Skinner and ITV and the whole thing got shelved indefinitely. To this day these episodes never been shown or released in any form. Imagine what we missed out on there.

(Actually I've just seen on youtube someone commented the second series was eventually shown on Paramount Comedy rather than ITV, so it's not even notable for that.)

Although Paramount at some stage bought the rights to show it I think it may just have been the first series. I can't see any real evidence that Series 2 was ever broadcast at all (although the Radio Times comedy site has a list of episode titles for it). I'm sure it would have been discussed on CaB if so.

paruses

Quote from: Phil_A on November 20, 2020, 01:49:07 PM
How about Shane, early 2000's familycom written by/starring Frank Skinner(he also sang da feem toon). Had a dream sequence where his cock turns into a puppet crocodile which proceeds to ravage a saucy young American girl in the bath which probably look a bit dodgy now.

The other notable thing about it is a second series was commissioned and made, then there was a contractual dispute between Skinner and ITV and the whole thing got shelved indefinitely. To this day these episodes never been shown or released in any form. Imagine what we missed out on there.

(Actually I've just seen on youtube someone commented the second series was eventually shown on Paramount Comedy rather than ITV, so it's not even notable for that.)

Very vague memories of Shane but I watched Blue Heaven which is written by/starring/sung by Frank Skinner. It's a bit ropey / bit dodgy in parts but given Skinner's blue period it's nothing like it could have been. I enjoyed it but am a Frank Skinner fan on the whole (proper love-hate really and I wish there were more threads about him).

All of it is on All4 (but ep 5 has knackered sound).

petril

Quote from: paruses on November 20, 2020, 02:59:49 PM
Very vague memories of Shane but I watched Blue Heaven which is written by/starring/sung by Frank Skinner. It's a bit ropey / bit dodgy in parts but given Skinner's blue period it's nothing like it could have been. I enjoyed it but am a Frank Skinner fan on the whole (proper love-hate really and I wish there were more threads about him).

All of it is on All4 (but ep 5 has knackered sound).

the episode where they get hustled into appearing into some "let's take the piss out of some shit bands" type video, with the ITV Chart Show graphics still sticks out to me. And the line about his first time signing on, "is this where I get me free money then?"

olliebean

Can't believe nobody's mentioned Kinvig yet.

Ignatius_S

Quote from: non capisco on November 19, 2020, 09:17:45 AM
John Gordon Sinclair has little remembered sitcoms falling out of his arse, doesn't he? 'An Actor's Life For Me', 'Nelson's Column', 'Mad About Alice'. He loved a one series underwhelming BBC sitcom more than any other living actor.

A tad unfair arguably - particularly as An Actor's Life For Me was on radio as well and combined ran for a few years.

A while ago, I was listening to a series that featured Graeme Garden discussing comedy and he commented that one of the problems with shows going from radio to television (this would have been around the time of when Count Arthur Strong was adapted for television) is that they often lose what makes it a good series and if the show fails/doesn't last long, that's the end of the show for good normally. However, AALFA was one of those exceptions and did go back to the radio and would have been a shame if it hadn't.

The radio series was excellent and, from what I remember, they did a good job transition to television - certainly deserving of (at least) another series. The Andy Hamilton penned Trevor's World of Sport was around the same time, IIRC, that lasted a single series but then transferred as a radio show - from what I remember, the latter was very good, the former not so much; whereas with AALFA, although I liked the radio series more, the gap between the TV and radio versions less so.

JGS' television sitcoms lasted either one or two series - although I was surprised that he wasn't in a more successful sitcom, we're talking about a time where that was pretty standard for a lot of shows and it's not as if everything was strictly one series only. Anyway, he was in Your Cheatin' Heart and would have one series of that than long-running mediocrity.

Small Man Big Horse

Quote from: j_u_d_a_s on November 20, 2020, 01:31:28 AM
And Dead at 30 (and second part here), a pilot for a flatshare sitcom by Paul Whitehouse and Charlie Higson that was on Channel 4 around 91 or so? Nothing earth shattering but a good stab at doing a show that captured the 90s zeitgeist. Plus for me, seeing a mega drive in an actual TV show was really exciting at the time[nb]Look, it was a different world back then.[/nb]. Apparently a whole series was written but sadly not picked up.

I just watched this now and it's not aged well, it manages to mostly avoid being laddish (bar Jesse Birdsall's character) but a lot of the time it's just a bit bland, and one of the poorer things I've seen by Whitehouse and/or Higson.

Brundle-Fly

Quote from: paruses link=topic=83695.msg4383189#msg4383189 date=1605879821

I think I might have been disappointed by The Continental - was that just a one hour special after the series?
/quote]



I forgot all about that.

Menu

Quote from: Phil_A on November 20, 2020, 01:49:07 PM
How about Shane, early 2000's familycom written by/starring Frank Skinner(he also sang da feem toon). Had a dream sequence where his cock turns into a puppet crocodile which proceeds to ravage a saucy young American girl in the bath which probably look a bit dodgy now.

The other notable thing about it is a second series was commissioned and made, then there was a contractual dispute between Skinner and ITV and the whole thing got shelved indefinitely. To this day these episodes never been shown or released in any form. Imagine what we missed out on there.

(Actually I've just seen on youtube someone commented the second series was eventually shown on Paramount Comedy rather than ITV, so it's not even notable for that.)

Frank Skinner is one of those people who think a pun is the highest form of wit. The sort of person who writes 'Bravo!' under a tweet by Richard Osman. Shane was a reflection of that unfortunately. There was no characterisation or thematic interest or any other kind of joke, it was just puns. Really draining. Every other comedic thing Frank does I love but puns are a blind spot for him.

monkfromhavana

Quote from: icehaven on November 19, 2020, 08:27:21 PM
I remember that, largely because I'm from Coventry so I watched it because it's the only TV comedy, in fact possibly the only TV show ever to be set there (apart from Blitz Live!). I remember nodding merrily at the Memorial Park and Fishy Moores references but also thinking anyone not from Coventry wouldn't give a toss about that, which narrowed the potential audience somewhat.

Plus scenes with Japp from Poirot driving around the ring road. I think I lasted about 10 minutes.

monkfromhavana

Controversially, Desmond's. I loved it as a kid, but it has never ever been repeated, never gets mentioned, never in any clips shows, nothing.

A whole host of sitcoms fall into that - remembered but ignored (regardless of their quality).

petril

Quote from: Menu on November 20, 2020, 09:01:34 PM
Frank Skinner is one of those people who think a pun is the highest form of wit. The sort of person who writes 'Bravo!' under a tweet by Richard Osman. Shane was a reflection of that unfortunately. There was no characterisation or thematic interest or any other kind of joke, it was just puns. Really draining. Every other comedic thing Frank does I love but puns are a blind spot for him.

Edson Arantes de Excremento was the peak. all downhill since then

studpuppet

I have the DVD of How Do You Want Me? and it's still available, so not as little-remembered as you might think!

My family had the last ten minutes of the last episode of The Ritz stuck on the end of a VHS that never got taped over, so I remember the names Skodge and Chike.

George White

Quote from: monkfromhavana on November 20, 2020, 09:52:49 PM
Controversially, Desmond's. I loved it as a kid, but it has never ever been repeated, never gets mentioned, never in any clips shows, nothing.

A whole host of sitcoms fall into that - remembered but ignored (regardless of their quality).
Just popped up on Netflix, with fanfare.

Menu

Quote from: petrilTanaka on November 20, 2020, 10:08:44 PM
Edson Arantes de Excremento was the peak. all downhill since then

That is good I suppose. But it's sort of 'admirable' rather than funny. I'd hate to live with someone like Gary Delaney. You'd never laugh, you'd just have to give a sort of respectful grunt about twenty times a day. "Ha, yeah. That's a good one, Gaz. Cuh, dear."

Phil_A

Quote from: George White on November 21, 2020, 12:00:14 AM
Just popped up on Netflix, with fanfare.

It's also been in rotation on London Live in the last five years or so.

Icehaven

Quote from: monkfromhavana on November 20, 2020, 09:52:49 PM
Controversially, Desmond's. I loved it as a kid, but it has never ever been repeated, never gets mentioned, never in any clips shows, nothing.

A whole host of sitcoms fall into that - remembered but ignored (regardless of their quality).

Quote from: George White on November 21, 2020, 12:00:14 AM
Just popped up on Netflix, with fanfare.

And the theme tune has been on an ad for ages. Can't remember what for though.

paruses

Quote from: studpuppet on November 20, 2020, 10:45:13 PM

My family had the last ten minutes of the last episode of The Ritz stuck on the end of a VHS that never got taped over, so I remember the names Skodge and Chike.

Had forgotten the name Chike until yesterday. For some reason I absolutely loved it. I was a simple child.

Hand Solo

Strange, I remembered a weird scene as a child which I didn't know what show it was from but supposed it was from an 80s comedy and described it with nobody having a clue what it was from, found it was from The Ritz and posted the clip last week. Now every fucker mentions remembering the show..

Typical.

Catalogue Trousers

Yeah, we're in that slightly strange if welcome situation where calling Kinvig or How Do You Want Me? 'little-remembered' is somewhat pushing it, to be honest.

However, I will second whoever it was who nominated I, Lovett at the start of this thread. Loved that show. Was gutted that it never came back. In an ideal cosmos, Red Dwarf ran to only one series, and I, Lovett would now be on about its 12th. (And, hopefully, as good as its 1st.)

Quote from: Jockice on November 19, 2020, 08:09:21 PM
Home Time. An almost all-female sitcom set in Coventry. I thought it was quite good but it only lasted one series.

and it ended on a cliffhanger as well.

It was good, but not really a comedy?

j_u_d_a_s

Quote from: Small Man Big Horse on November 20, 2020, 07:26:11 PM
I just watched this now and it's not aged well, it manages to mostly avoid being laddish (bar Jesse Birdsall's character) but a lot of the time it's just a bit bland, and one of the poorer things I've seen by Whitehouse and/or Higson.

I don't disagree that it's a bit bland. But there's something I like about it. Not least that it manages a whole plot about video games that doesn't fall into the usual lazy cliche of "just for saddoes innit". Given time it could have developed into something snappier. But for a first attempt it's a cut above a lot of stuff that made it to several series *cough*Josh*cough*.

Another obscurity, Pets. Seems to have had a bit of a second life over the past decade. Was made available as a podcast then uploaded all to youtube. Looking at it now, it's basic stuff aiming to be The Young Ones but there's a charm to it all.

Something I've never seen mentioned since it finished, Watching. Seemed to be on for all eternity and I'm assuming it was a bit of a ratings hit at the time but remembered by no one now.

And Tottenham Two that took two characters who appeared between programs on 4Later and plonked them in sitcom. Made on a budget of 50p and it shows.