Stressed Eric (1996 Mark Heap Cartoon) - Does it hold up?

[Retinend]

and yeah also not sure where 1996 came from. this aired April-June 1998 and August-October 2000, the first cut animatic is dated April 1997

Arseburgers!

This genuinely stressed me out.

[Ambient Sheep]

I tried to watch a few during that initial 1998 Mon 10pm run, but found it just too stressful to endure!  I could see it was well made, and there was some great stuff in it, but all in all it was just too close to home for me.

It didn't help that 1998 was the busiest, most nightmarish year I ever had at work.

Wasn't even aware of the second series in 2000.

Which is all a great shame, given the wealth of talented people involved.

[thenoise]

I don't remember it being 'adult' enough to warrant a late night (albeit Monday) slot. But putting it next to prime era Simpsons is going to make it look lame in comparison.

Have a feeling it was repeated a fair bit as I'm sure I wouldn't have watched it at either of those times. It was fine, pretty good. Better than Popetown. And I am not an Animal.

[Thursday]

Very vague memories, but I remember finding it all a bit depressing. Man has misfortune piled upon him and nothing nice ever happens.  Hmm okay. Also knowing it was going to end the same way every week . All just a bit too cycnical.

[Mobbd]

It's a very good quality show. How successful it is with comedy I'm not so sure, but it's well written and the animation is really nice compared to a lot of today's cheapo tripe.

[idunnosomename]

I watched Sex last night and there was quite a bit in that obvs that keeps it post watershed. Nothing obscene but some funny gags that made me laugh (the shagging in the sleeping bag and on the gorilla) but overall it isnt that cleverly written.

When its built on the concept that it has to end on a catastophic climax that causes him to be strangled by his own stress, it ought to be a bit more interesting than "he doesnt give his crappy speech at all".

It's why Pony works, because it looks like he's actually going to succeed for once rather than be humilated, but then it goes so grotesquely wrong beyond anything he could imagine, it's funny. But I'm pretty sure they never pulled anything like that off again.

Another critique on animation, when P.P. is yelling at Eric his face should be filling the screen, you know, like a cartoon. But its just lip sync and going between key poses, dull, he's not intimidating beyond the voice. Show looks nice but the lack of off-model inventive animation is what makes it a bit boring and more depressing

[Captain Z]

I watched Sex last night and there was quite a bit in that obvs that keeps it post watershed.

Was it his neighbors doing the "thank you for my orgasm... and thank you for my orgasm" exchange? That's literally the only bit of it I can remember. I don't think I bothered watching any more after that, came across as very try-hard. Will be interested to give it another go now that my attitude has mellowed.

[idunnosomename]

Yeah. The opening of the episode is very much a parade of lads-mag-esque "everyone's shagging/bonking except sad sack Eric" bits which was typical of a lot of Brit sitcoms of the time. At least it feels an authentic time capsule in a lot of ways, considering it was animated by an American studio

[Mobbd]

Was it his neighbors doing the "thank you for my orgasm... and thank you for my orgasm" exchange?

Barely a joke really is it? Just good manners.

[neveragain]

It's why Pony works, because it looks like he's actually going to succeed for once rather than be humilated, but then it goes so grotesquely wrong beyond anything he could imagine, it's funny. But I'm pretty sure they never pulled anything like that off again.

What happens at the end of Pony? I remember something horribly grotesque but can't be sure if it actually occurred.

[idunnosomename]

What happens at the end of Pony? I remember something horribly grotesque but can't be sure if it actually occurred.

Spoiler alert

Eric has bought his six-year-old daughter Claire a manky donkey to fulfil her dream of owning a pony and entering the school gymkhana. The subplot with her brother Brian playing with a chemistry set ends up with him realising it's made a super-strength potion. Brian rushes to the gymkhana, pours the test tube down the donkey's throat while his dad has his hand stuck up its arse. the donkey transforms into super-buff horse, stuns everyone, particularly the Perfect family, until it leaps up over the last hurdle, swells to an enormous size and bursts, covering everyone in blood and bits of horse.

the quick shot of the extent of the viscera, ribcage etc really adds to the effect of fucking hell did that really happen

Spoiler alert

[close]

[close]

[Sebastian Cobb]

It's basically 'Murun Buchstansangur goes radge' isn't it?