Human Remains/People Like Us

[neveragain]

And what's the name of the bitch who declined John Morton's script for a third series: People Like U.S., set in America?

That would be Jane Root, who was also responsible for banishing The Goodies and only making comedies with Ricky Gervais or Ralf Little in, as far as I can see. Back to my mini-argument with Jemble, I should have phrased my response better but what I meant was I just think Humourless Remorse is more enjoyable than The Keith Barrett Mess. I'm sorry but I can't help thinking that; the basis of the show is better formed, the characters are much better per-formed and... yes... I even find the jokes funnier. And it doesn't rely on bringing in different celebrities each week. Oh, and one other thing, did you call my opinion a cliche? I should have to raise hell!

[FanOfKylie]

You won't notice them all until you've seen it at least five times, probably more.

That's what puts PLU above the majority of 90s comedies. It's custom made for video/DVD release.

Which is another reason why the BBC's refusal to release the second series is even more annoying.

Why did the BBC say last year that it was releasing the second series of People Like Us and then changed its mind ? It can't be that difficult to release it on DVD as the first series had no extras.
And why won't BBC repeat Larry Sanders ? I so want to see the Wu-Tang Clan episode again after some bastard stole mine.

[Pepotamo1985]

Why did the BBC say last year that it was releasing the second series of People Like Us and then changed its mind ?

I'm fairly sure the BBC announced its release in 2002/2003, but I may be wrong.

It can't be that difficult to release it on DVD as the first series had no extras.

Exactly, and that's a point I brought up in the letter I wrote to the BBC. I didn't even get a reply.

[Autopsy Turvey]

But People Like Us, in its own way, is every bit as bleak as Human Remains. It has as pessimistic a view of relationships and the way men and women manipulate each other. It doesn't linger on it like Human Remains does, and it's far funnier for this and other reasons, but it's fairly unmissable.

[Mister Six]

And the bit where Roy has to tell the factory worker that he's sacked is far sadder and more moving than anything in The Office. God, that series was good.

[thatmuch]

what do you think of 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' ? Or 'The Ladykillers'? How many people are happy in those films (apart from the little old lady at the end)? How many times do you laugh out loud?

Lots!
The crucial difference is that there IS humour in those films, albeit frequently black. A dragged-up Alec Guinness dying in a balloon crash is a major laugh-fest for me.
A boorish groom-to-be trying to force his distraught-to-the-point-of-tears fiancee and her equally upset friend into a lesbian sex act isn't.
Simple as that.

It's not that simple! You've just used the most ill-judged section of the whole of HR, which is hardly a fair comparison. The swingers and their bondage/fetish parlour next to the sister in a coma is funniny all the way through. Flick's 'vaginismus' treated as a disabling disease is a brilliant conceit. The ex-satanists turned christians and their paranoia about the satanic neighbours is hilarious and my grammar isn't very good.
Then again I liked a lot of the parts that weren't funny as well because they were excellent absurd drama and I'm not a comedy purist.

[Dark Sky]

And the bit where Roy has to tell the factory worker that he's sacked is far sadder and more moving than anything in The Office. God, that series was good.

Don't they rip that scene off in the very first episode of the Office?

How come the Office is really big and famous and hailed as being so original and hilarious (despite the fact that it's not original and doesn't actually have any jokes in it), and yet no-one's ever heard of People Like Us?  WHY?!?!?!

[Darrell]

From Action TV:

"BBC releases for 2005 include JUST WILLIAM, PEOPLE LIKE US series 2, SWISS TONI series 1."

So there!

[Pepotamo1985]

Don't they rip that scene off in the very first episode of the Office?

Sixth episode (but he's being hired in the first ep), but yeah.

[Orias]

I love the portrayal of the Vicar and the Vicar''s wife in PLU Vicar episode.  Both trapped in lives of quiet desparation, both having made wrong choices and now find themselves stuck, both regretting it, and both not being able to express their dissatisfaction to each other.  Heartbreaking really.

Not bad for a comedy progamme.

I also love the line (paraphrasing) "Both found they had a shared interest in not being lonely all their lives".  Found myself thinking this on my recent speed dating evening.

And from the Newspaper Editor "I believe you only get one chance in life to fuck it up big, and I took it with both hands"

[slim]

PEOPLE LIKE US series 2

Oooh! Thanks for the good news! :)

[Neville Chamberlain]

Next month apparently, according to this.

Can't wait!

[Macerate and Petrify]

The one with the failing photographer will always have my favourite bit in the series, because it had that perfect moment between hearing it, and realising the joke.

After spilling developing fluid(?) down himself earlier on.

Woman: Your jacket seems to be dissolving...
Roy Mallard: Yes, I dropped some acid earlier.
Woman: ...well I hope it was worth it.

The fact that it took around 3 seconds (scientifically proven to be the most satisfying wait before 'getting' a punchlike) for me to get it just made it hysterical.

[Neville Chamberlain]

Woman: Your jacket seems to be dissolving...
Roy Mallard: Yes, I dropped some acid earlier.
Woman: ...well I hope it was worth it.

Doh! So that's why that bit's funny! I suspected that exchange might be in some way as it seemed too significant not to be, but I couldn't quite work out what the joke was. I'd always concentrated on the "I hope it was worth it" line rather than what Roy says just before. The thick fool I am!

[Little Hoover]

Shit Yes I just got it to.

Seriously I think every line in People Like Us is actually a brilliant joke, you just need to watch it a few times to get it.

It happend in the police episode where he says the guy is covering for a friend who's wife is about to concieve a baby. I rember hearing that and just thinking "I'm sure that's a joke its got to be, think carefully" for about 10 seconds

[slim]

*bump*

Episodes 4 and 6 of series 2 have appeared on UKNova. Episode 5 has been available for a while - apologies for forgetting to let everyone know. 5 is also still available on the same site as part of a larger torrent of series 2, episodes 1, 2, 3 & 5.

Woop! Finally I get to watch them all! :)

[chrisevans]

I really enjoyed Human Remains but PLU is clearly funnier. I have to say though, I found parts of PLU are far more upsetting than Human Remains as the characters seem far more believable. It's painful to see Roy being treated so badly when he's clearly such a nice person. The worst bit for me was the end of the episode in series 2 with the actor (David Tennant) as he walks off leaving us knowing it's all going to go horribly wrong. Most of the characters in Human Remains are nutjobs which makes them amusing but means I don't really feel any empathy.

Anybody heard anything new on the PLU series 2 DVD? Seems to have gone all quiet which is worrying. At least the torrents have satisfied my needs for now. Thank goodness for UKNova.

[neveragain]

The worst bit for me was the end of the episode in series 2 with the actor (David Tennant) as he walks off leaving us knowing it's all going to go horribly wrong.

Similarly the bloke getting sacked at the end of 'The Managing Director', the way the photographer gets humiliated by the woman who owns the gallery and the tedious, unfulfilling existence of the vicar and his wife.

[purlieu]

I'm actually terrified to watch Human Remains again. I never caught it on TV, but I bought the DVD because it was cheap, highly rated and has good writers. I was expecting bleak, because of Julia Davis, but fucking hell. I really can't bring myself to watch it again.
I think that's what I love most about it.

[RedboX]

The worst bit for me was the end of the episode in series 2 with the actor (David Tennant) as he walks off leaving us knowing it's all going to go horribly wrong.

I wonder if now mooted release of PLU DVD will have a big picture of David Tennant on the front with a sign saying "DR WHO EXCLUSIVE" covering a much smaller picutre of Chris Langham....

[Neville Chamberlain]

I wonder if now mooted release of PLU DVD...

Mooted? Where? Where???!?

[Mister Six]

The worst bit for me was the end of the episode in series 2 with the actor (David Tennant) as he walks off leaving us knowing it's all going to go horribly wrong.

Is that the one where he's saying something like "I know you think I'm doomed Roy, but don't worry about me - I'm fine. I'm going to be fine. Alright? Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

Or something similar?

[Dark Sky]

Is that the one where he's saying something like "I know you think I'm doomed Roy, but don't worry about me - I'm fine. I'm going to be fine. Alright? Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

Or something similar?

He doesn't actually say "I know you think I'm doomed" or anything...  

He's at the top of the subway entrance and turns to Roy and says, "well, this is where I get off!"...  
There's an uncomfortable pause...  

"I'll be okay, you know, Roy!" he says, with a cheerful look on his face which fails to cover his hauntingly sad eyes.

And then they hug each other and I burst into tears.  It's so beautiful.

Probably the best episode of PLU they made.

[slim]

Does anyone know if the PLU radio series is available anywhere? I'm pretty sure it's no longer commercially available. Fiddlesticks.

[Dark Sky]

UKNova, blah blah blah, etc, etc, etc...

I don't really cry at the end of the Actor episode.

Now the Vicar episode...that's really tear jerking.

[slim]

I had a look on there and couldn't find it. Perhaps I just need to wait for a bump/reseed is all. Ta for the info.

[Darrell]

Slim, PM me your address and I'll send you a CD.

[slim]

Do do dooo, Darrell is so great. Do do dooo, do be dooby doo.

[Dark Sky]

I haven't listened to all of the radio series; just the first few episodes...

...does Roy become less enthusiastic and self-aware of his own dodgy scripting as it goes on, or was the more deadpan Roy something which only came in for the TV series?

I guess I could listen to them to find out for myself, but by asking the question I'm Making Conversation.

[dickon_edwards]

Hullo. Well, seems like People Like Us Series 2 is off the DVD schedules again. I'm now trying to find the relevant files online. I'm finding that watching the first series DVD is rather frustrating when I know the next series is even better.

Any current advice on finding eps from S2 that doesn't involve UK Nova?

Yes, I KNOW this is a bit of a frowned-upon FAQ, and my sincere apologies to the moderators... I won't make a habit of it, promise. It's just that I can't use UKNova as they're not taking new accounts. I do have a Giganews account, but there's been no response (yet) to my requests on alt.binaries.multimedia.comedy.british and alt.binaries.multimedia.

I'd be gushingly grateful...