Early Doors - New Series BBC2 10pm

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

The first series got a muted response on here, but this does have some good characters (especially the dodgy coppers) and a decent pedigree.

Judging by the first series this should be better than most of this year's comedic offerings.

[Goldentony]

i have to say, early doors has to be the worst thing ive seen, ever.

i think id rather eat glass than sit thru another series ever again.

[Qunt]

depressing, like sitting in a quiet pub and listening to the quiet people talking quietly about dull stuff

[Tibetan Singin' Bowl]

That was really good, funny stuff.

Its slow, its not laugh-a-minute, its not edgy or experimental, but it has some class observational stuff, some very witty lines, good jokes, and, in my view most importantly, very well rounded, well written characters.

Its also shot beautifully, like an Edward Hopper painting.

I love it.

[fbb bastard]

depressing, like sitting in a quiet pub and listening to the quiet people talking quietly about dull stuff

...........punctuated by some of the most smack in the face obvious set up/punch line pay offs in the history of comedy. i really wanted this to be good but the first series ended up doing nothing for me and this new one is giving off the impression of being even worse

[Borboski]

I thought the first series was jolly good - quite slow paced - more a drama really. I had taped the first one of the second series and watched it last night.

Just.
Awful.

Me and Mrs felt embharrassed it was that bad.  Every single joke was a long monologue followed by a statement that made clear we had made a misunderstanding or the monologue teller had told a lie.

[benthalo]

Note that the original director has left the series now, with Craig Cash taking over. The odd thing is that he's now the worst thing in it. I mean, clearly he is. The rest of the cast are absolutely fine, but Cash doesn't seems to have forgotten how to time lines and always over-expresses.

[Borboski]

Yes!

There was one line when he was sat in his seat - while they all gather round and listen - that feels wrong, it works much better when it's just a few characters having a conversation - when he big northern jaw threatened to eat himself up, such was the overelaboration of an "yerraaknnnnnooow" or some other northern saying.

Oh I was just gutted...

I really thought the first one of very good - perhaps because I live round the area its filmed - wythenshaw/kingsway etc - and it just seemed a very genuine reflection of the type of northerners that live here. Maybe it always was a lazy charicature - after all I'm not from this area.. .and I'm just seeing it a bit more critically.

I suppose there jokes in the first one that such as Duffy talking to his wife, lieing about why he can't get home late when in fact he's off to his fat mistress, ending the conversation "oh yeah... happy birthday love", that bring a smile to me now - whereas EVERY joke was like that, and EVERY piece of dialogue was part of a joke.  Felt more like a sketch show to be honest guv.

[The Plaque Goblin]

I quite like this, it's alright.

[Goldentony]

this is absoloute gash.

[ColinBradshaw]

I liked the first series of this. Started off a bit dodgy then got better as you got to know the characters.

[Maxloss]

Early doors is alright but can anyone look at Craig Cash without thinking of that infuriatingly shite insurance advert.  Watching it honestly makes me want to end my own life.

[steevbishop]

I wasn't aware there was a first series, and I've only seen the last two episodes. The Craig Cash directing thing is interesting as I would never have thought of him filling that kind of role. Out of all the characters it's his I like the least as he just doesn't seem to fit well with the others. This could easily be because I've no idea of the backstories but it feels like let's stick the guy out of The Royle Family in there for recognition.

In fact comparison to The Royle Family in regard to pacing, style, the almost-one-room-but-not-quite setting (and even using Roddy Frame like the other show used Noel) is easy and leads me to ask is Open Doors from the people that brought you etcetera-blah?

While I couldn't get on with The Royle Family, I'm enjoying Open Doors. Sure it's a bunch of northerners wasting their evenings in a nothing pub, but there's rounded characters in that small community that have plenty to bounce off each other for a warm, honest real-time sitcom. It provides a handful of laughter per show which, considering Buzzcocks generally burns out my laugh muscles, shouldn't be sneezed at.

[Rats]

I like this, it's canny. You can tell he's struggling without caroline aherne but for all it's faults, it's still not a bad little show, cheers me up anyway.
You really should give the royle family another chance steve, especially if you like this.

[cake jake]

Early doors is alright but can anyone look at Craig Cash without thinking of that infuriatingly shite insurance advert.

That advert is a shocker. And it shouldn't impinge on Early Doors, but it just does.
Other than that, I find this quite watchable (damn, there goes that faint praise thing).

[rjd2]

it was good last night the cops got more time which is a good thing as they are the funniest characters... i miss the shameless duo.. anybody see cashs crap reference to it the other week?

[Partridge's Love Child]

I thought after the first series it showed Cash to be a real one-trick pony both as a writer and a performer.  However, I'm really starting to warm to this now.  Last night's episode made me laugh a lot.  Yes, there's a few rather obvious punchlines, but it's nicely done I think.

[steevbishop]

I have no idea why I kept typing Open Doors ^^ up there, but y'all know what I meant.

Last night's show was great, and I'm loving the series as a whole. Guess I'd better search out Early Doors S1...

[Almost Yearly]

I've liked this all along. The whip-round for the simpletons' phone bill last night made me cry. Heh - might have had something to do with me and the missus having a VE day on Saturday night.

[sidecar_jon]

The latest series seems to have loosened the bonds of "The Royal family" going more for the laughs and the characters becoming more "comedy" characters, rather than sad people stuck in a pub. the Cops are now more lazy, corrupt and openly funny policemen with their joint and last nights story of the raid on the massage parlor. it has more chuckles and slightly less "oh funny but achingly sad too" moments. Fun tho.

[Beagle 2]

I find it mildly amusing, Craig Cash irritates the nads off me though, still good to see bonehead getting work after oasis. I liked the "GASP...she's got a conservatory?"gag though.

[fiddlesticks]

The first series had a tremendous gag about Neil Armstong but for the life of me I can't remember even a single word of it.

Anyone ...

[another Mr. Lizard]

The first series had a tremendous gag about Neil Armstong but for the life of me I can't remember even a single word of it.

Anyone ...

Cash sat supping his pint and pondered that if you ever met Armstrong, how long would it be before you mentioned the Moon to him?

[fiddlesticks]

That's the one. I think time makes things seem more tremendous than they really were.

[rjd2]

I missed it last night what happened?

[Jemble Fred]

I watched it, but um.. I don't know. Craig Cash's mate got back with his wife, because her new boyfriend dumped her. There's a rumour that the landlord (Ken?) is going to leave the pub. And his Mum pretended to do some ironing.

I think that covers everything.

[terminallyrelaxed]

Well I like it too. When I first saw it I thought it was part of that wobbly-camera Cops series, you know, the one where the Landlord in Early Doors played a very old fashioned (racist sexist etc) copper - I thought he'd retired and bought a pub and his demeanour had noticeably improved for the change!
Anyway, saw it for the first time in ages last night - the fresh farm eggs line although quite predictable really got me cackling - its the deadpan little-me Alan Bennett delivery that I like. I find the guy with the marital problems a bit unbelievable, a bit too over the top - I know his Jackson 5 entrance was supposed to be too much in last nights episode, and was meant to go on too long for comfort, but still, I find him over the top....

[Custard]

Maybe i should've started a new thread, but posted in here to play it safe.

Is there any word on a new series? Or is it being left as a 2-series job?

Seemed to reach a fitting-conclusion at the end of series two, so i wouldn't be overly upset if that was it, but i reckon i'd produce quite the grin if there are more planned.

[Maxloss]

If it means Craig Cash stops doing those insurance adverts, then I sincerely hope they do make another series.