Gavin & Stacey, 10 years on

[Challo]

Fantastic episode and a nice way to carry on from the previous series.

Hopefully there will be another series, but with JC big in the US I doubt it will happen.

[coppice]

Brilliant direction and acting , a joy to watch . No , it doesn't have a plot worthy of the name , nor fights , car chases nor explosions - but that's sort of the point isn't it ? G and S , in common with clever stuff like Frasier, is all about characterisation .

Maybe our friend who consigned G and S to the utter ste category would share his own favourites ? He's perfectly entitled to his view but I suspect our tastes don't quite coincide ...

[Gameface]

It was a shadow of its former self.

I'd be amazed if the big fans of the original series thought that the Xmas special was of the same standard.

[Robertj21a]

Gameface said:

It was a shadow of its former self.

I'd be amazed if the big fans of the original series thought that the Xmas special was of the same standard.

Perhaps not - but then I also can't think of any similar programme on the TV that has improved in the past 10 years. Most so called comedy is utterly dire these days.

[DoubleD]

Robertj21a said:

Most so called comedy is utterly dire these days.

Or its not to your taste? Different generations always have comedy that the older generation think is rubbish, thats just the way it goes.

[LuS1fer]

DoubleD said:

Robertj21a said:

Most so called comedy is utterly dire these days.

Or its not to your taste? Different generations always have comedy that the older generation think is rubbish, thats just the way it goes.

Comedy was just as dire in the old days. On The Buses, Love Thy Neighbour, Gimme Gimme Gimme, the list is endless. Even drivel like Are You Being Served and Hi de Hi got by on cringeworthy innuendo and canned laughter.

Occasionally, genius is struck, like Only Fools and Dad's Army and Father Ted with an unfeasibly high bar. Gavin and Stacey and The Royle Family and The Fast Show occupied some of the higher levels but it's all a matter of taste. Some long runners seem dire to me, like Miranda, Not Going Out and My Family.

Then you have great comedy sketch shows like Smack The Pony, Big Train etc. So I don't think any particular era can claim a comedy prize, per se. You either laugh or you don't.

Edited by LuS1fer on Saturday 28th December 10:08

[Robertj21a]

DoubleD said:

Robertj21a said:

Most so called comedy is utterly dire these days.

Or its not to your taste? Different generations always have comedy that the older generation think is rubbish, thats just the way it goes.

Possibly, but how many people can name anything similar from more recent times which is remotely good ?

[DoubleD]

Robertj21a said:

DoubleD said:

Robertj21a said:

Most so called comedy is utterly dire these days.

Or its not to your taste? Different generations always have comedy that the older generation think is rubbish, thats just the way it goes.

Possibly, but how many people can name anything similar from more recent times which is remotely good ?

Probably none of us because we are all old farts who think everything should be like the 2 Ronnies.

[chrispmartha]

Robertj21a said:

DoubleD said:

Robertj21a said:

Most so called comedy is utterly dire these days.

Or its not to your taste? Different generations always have comedy that the older generation think is rubbish, thats just the way it goes.

Possibly, but how many people can name anything similar from more recent times which is remotely good ?

There’s tonnes of very good comedy from the last 10 years much of it better than Gavin & Stacy but it’s all subjective, and to be honest you just sound like an ‘everything was better in my day’ miserable sod so I doubt it’s worth my time listing them, but anyway these have aired in the last 10 years...

The Thick of It
Peep Show
Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle
Toast of London
Inside Number 9
Mum
Fleabag
Cuckoo
Man Down
House of Fools
Taskmaster
Flowers
Camping
Sally 4 Ever
Mid morning matters
This time with Alan Partridge
Scissored Isle
Car Share
Two doors down
The detectorists

I could on, give some a go you might be surprised

[borcy]

chrispmartha said:

Robertj21a said:

DoubleD said:

Robertj21a said:

Most so called comedy is utterly dire these days.

Or its not to your taste? Different generations always have comedy that the older generation think is rubbish, thats just the way it goes.

Possibly, but how many people can name anything similar from more recent times which is remotely good ?

There’s tonnes of very good comedy from the last 10 years much of it better than Gavin & Stacy but it’s all subjective, and to be honest you just sound like an ‘everything was better in my day’ miserable sod so I doubt it’s worth my time listing them, but anyway these have aired in the last 10 years...

The Thick of It
Peep Show
Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle
Toast of London
Inside Number 9
Mum
Fleabag
Cuckoo
Man Down
House of Fools
Taskmaster
Flowers
Camping
Sally 4 Ever
Mid morning matters
This time with Alan Partridge
Scissored Isle
Car Share
Two doors down
The detectorists

I could on, give some a go you might be surprised

I can say I've heard of two or three from that list. Are they on mainstream channels ?

[ajprice]

borcy said:

I can say I've heard of two or three from that list. Are they on mainstream channels ?

Which two or three? Just curious.

[borcy]

ajprice said:

borcy said:

I can say I've heard of two or three from that list. Are they on mainstream channels ?

Which two or three? Just curious.

The thick of it, peepshow and taskmaster.

[chrispmartha]

borcy said:

The thick of it, peepshow and taskmaster.

There’s only a few on there that haven't been on mainstream channels

[Robertj21a]

chrispmartha said:

borcy said:

The thick of it, peepshow and taskmaster.

There’s only a few on there that haven't been on mainstream channels

Really? - they can't have had many episodes shown !

[chrispmartha]

Robertj21a said:

chrispmartha said:

borcy said:

The thick of it, peepshow and taskmaster.

There’s only a few on there that haven't been on mainstream channels

Really? - they can't have had many episodes shown !

Well, you’re wrong, maybe try some of them you might be surprised if you just open up your mind a little.

What comedy do you like out of interest?

Edited by chrispmartha on Saturday 28th December 11:35

[borcy]

chrispmartha said:

There’s only a few on there that haven't been on mainstream channels

I guess they all passed me by.

[MC Bodge]

chrispmartha said:

There’s tonnes of very good comedy from the last 10 years much of it better than Gavin & Stacy but it’s all subjective, and to be honest you just sound like an ‘everything was better in my day’ miserable sod so I doubt it’s worth my time listing them, but anyway these have aired in the last 10 years...

The Thick of It
Peep Show
Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle
Toast of London
Inside Number 9
Mum
Fleabag
Cuckoo
Man Down
House of Fools
Taskmaster
Flowers
Camping
Sally 4 Ever
Mid morning matters
This time with Alan Partridge
Scissored Isle
Car Share
Two doors down
The detectorists

I could on, give some a go you might be surprised

I would say that Gavin and Stacey sits alongside some of those above.

I like Stewart Lee, but he is very different to a mainstream sitcom Xmas special.

[chrispmartha]

MC Bodge said:

chrispmartha said:

There’s tonnes of very good comedy from the last 10 years much of it better than Gavin & Stacy but it’s all subjective, and to be honest you just sound like an ‘everything was better in my day’ miserable sod so I doubt it’s worth my time listing them, but anyway these have aired in the last 10 years...

The Thick of It
Peep Show
Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle
Toast of London
Inside Number 9
Mum
Fleabag
Cuckoo
Man Down
House of Fools
Taskmaster
Flowers
Camping
Sally 4 Ever
Mid morning matters
This time with Alan Partridge
Scissored Isle
Car Share
Two doors down
The detectorists

I could on, give some a go you might be surprised

I would say that Gavin and Stacey sits alongside some of those above.

I like Stewart Lee, but he is very different to a mainstream sitcom Xmas special.

Well yes he is different but I was comparing them against the original G&S series many of the above were far better in my opinion, the point being that there is good comedy out there.

[chrispmartha]

borcy said:

chrispmartha said:

There’s only a few on there that haven't been on mainstream channels

I guess they all passed me by.

Well the beauty of modern broadcasting is you can watch them all right now as they are available on catch up/ streaming services.

[MC Bodge]

FiF said:

There seems a fair bit of a tinge of snobbery around some of the condemnation. It's not cutting edge comedy, not cutting edge anything really, and I certainly don't view it in the same light as other members of the family, but will resolutely not criticise anyone for watching it or liking the same. Gauche, banal, touches of that everyday weirdness that occur in extended family and friends lives, yes that's also what makes it too.

It makes me wonder if perhaps some folks feel awkward and resort to denigration to deal with the issue that certain sections fit a little too close for comfort, e.g. the enthusiastic discussion about the "best motorway services area." Face facts, there have been quite a number of threads on here on that very same subject.

Many of my tastes and interests may be considered a little high brow by Joe Public, but I like Gavin & Stacey. I'm not sure how people could actively dislike it or not find it amusing at all.

There is a lot of terrible comedy out there. I would include the likes of Mrs Brown's Boys and Miranda in that category.

It is quite personal. Many did, but I never liked League of Gentlemen. I did wonder if there was an element of Emperor's New Clothes about that one