Big Train

[checkoutgirl]

By the time Hyperdrive came along I can't blame the more devout comedy spods

It's mad because I thought I was one of those spods but I liked too many shows that were singled out for opprobrium by the hardcore nerds. Garth Marenghi, Nathan Barley, Mighty Boosh and Hyperdrive, I enjoyed them all. But looking back, I suspect it's better to be a bit lacking in discernment than being one of those joyless bores on SOTCAA. It's no way to live your life.

[Des Wigwam]

I love that. Eldon is brilliant there. Look at that little telly on its little stand as well! What a time to be alive.

A lesser performer wouldn't have made me laugh simply by not drinking from the coffee mug for an extra 15 seconds.

[thugler]

Not heard mention of 'that voice' for such a long time. Cab was endlessly drivelling on about it. Never really understood why it was such a bugbear.

[notjosh]

Don't know where in my head this was living, but I just remembered a quote from an interview that Armando Iannucci gave 18 years ago [emphasis mine]:

Steve wants to do an Alan Partridge film, but I couldn't bear to go through that again. For me, the idea of spending two more years in a room with that voice is more than I can take.

https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2005/05/07/190/men-on-the-moon

[Menu]

Don't know where in my head this was living, but I just remembered a quote from an interview that Armando Iannuci gave 18 years ago [emphasis mine]:

https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2005/05/07/190/men-on-the-moon

Did the novel he mentions ever materialise? I wonder if the lunar-base film was the origin for what eventually became Avenue 5? I could see Coogan doing the Hugh Laurie role.

[Choci Loni]

Is this Bridget Christie in the Big Train nazis backstage sketch? (56 seconds in, as mentioned by a YouTube commenter.)

[The Late Mike Morris]

Is this Bridget Christie in the Big Train nazis backstage sketch? (56 seconds in, as mentioned by a YouTube commenter.)

It does look quite like her, but I'd have thought they probably look a bit old to have been her in the late-90s(?)

[Sexton Brackets Drugbust]

It's definitely not her.

[Pink Gregory]

if you want some background Bridget (and Kevin Eldon) there is this

[kalowski]

Just what I was going to post. She - like everyone - is brilliant in this.

[popcorn]

I really like this sketch (and the other ones on the theme like the space shuttle — were there more?)

But it is an example of something I don't like in sketch writing:

You have volunteered to remain in this cell for 10 years, completely alone with nothing but three books for company, simply so that our scientists may ascertain how such treatment may affect an ape of roughly the same size as yourself.

Obviously I get the joke here, but adding silliness to the setup ruins the payoff. The joke should purely be in the "oh, just, sorry — ". Everything else should be played straight.

It's also a bit distracting. It creates the feeling that this ape idea is going to be something to do with wherever the sketch is going (especially as interestingly there's no audience laugh when it's mentioned, which generally means it's not supposed to be funny).

It's something I see in a lot of American sketch comedy like Mr Show — they'll inject jokes and wackiness at every possible moment which I think dilutes the overall impact.

One of the things I really like about Big Train is that, generally, each sketch is just one idea, executed quite surgically. It will be one very silly thing in an otherwise very straight situation.

[petril]

if you want some background Bridget (and Kevin Eldon) there is this

I love the side by side someone did with the original

[ERADICATOR!]

FInally got around to signing up here and I have something I'd like to show you all -



Bought this, the actual 'Uh-uh-uh-uh' letter from the Simon Pegg prison sketch, years back from the Prop Store and it's still one of the greatest things I ever stupidly decided to buy :D

I'd love to one day get a still frame from the sketch signed by Pegg to mount in a frame with it.

[neveragain]

Wonderful.

[famethrowa]

FInally got around to signing up here and I have something I'd like to show you all -

Bloody marvellous. Especially the bit that goes uh-huh-uh-huh

[Oosp]

FInally got around to signing up here and I have something I'd like to show you all -



Bought this, the actual 'Uh-uh-uh-uh' letter from the Simon Pegg prison sketch, years back from the Prop Store and it's still one of the greatest things I ever stupidly decided to buy :D

I'd love to one day get a still frame from the sketch signed by Pegg to mount in a frame with it.

Fucking yes mate. A sketch for the ages

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

[rectorofstiffkey]

FInally got around to signing up here and I have something I'd like to show you all -

Bought this, the actual 'Uh-uh-uh-uh' letter from the Simon Pegg prison sketch, years back from the Prop Store and it's still one of the greatest things I ever stupidly decided to buy :D

I'd love to one day get a still frame from the sketch signed by Pegg to mount in a frame with it.

That was the best sketch ever and my envy knows no depths.

[ERADICATOR!]

That was the best sketch ever and my envy knows no depths.

Exactly why I HAD to buy it. I actually went on there to get an Exorcist III crew shirt but got distracted, stumbled across this and flipped out. I never did get that Exorcist III shirt.

If I could, I'd love to have the 'Ha Ha, You Twat' paper plate as well.

[rectorofstiffkey]

Exactly why I HAD to buy it. I actually went on there to get an Exorcist III crew shirt but got distracted, stumbled across this and flipped out. I never did get that Exorcist III shirt.

If I could, I'd love to have the 'Ha Ha, You Twat' paper plate as well.

Another dream Big Train prop would be the puppet from this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfQWm2Hq2xM

Phwoar!!!

[neveragain]

Exactly why I HAD to buy it.

Where do you keep it?

[Imperator Helvetica]

If you can't afford fab genuine props why not try this knock off tat?



Seen only today at my local Quality Save Store.