British Sitcoms

[DaRkEnEdStAr]

i keep confusing you and hyp
i think a mighty DOH! is in order

 

[Demon]

What Not to Wear

You get that over there?! I have to admit I love that programme. Those 2 are so damn mean, but often so right!

 

[PillowRock]

I didn't say I saw a recent episode

That's still *fairly * recent. It just ran a couple weeks ago. Actually, for someone catching their first episode in the middle of the third series that probably isn't a bad choice. Since Jane's (not Judy, don't worry about it

) boyfriend is just being introduced to everyone, they end up stating or strongly implying most (but not all) of the connections and historical relationships between the characters. It gives you a bit of a map to who's who.

The whole first series is out on DVD (all 6 eps on one disc). You might want to see if it available for rent, if you don't want splurge for the $20 to buy it (MSRP $25, i got it from an e-tailer for 17 or 18). The first episode ends at Steve and Susan's first date. The original premise of the show revolved around their new relationship and how it was affected by both of their sets of personal baggage as personified by each of their best friends (Jeff and Sally) and most recent ex's (Jane and Patrick).

 

[tygirwulf]

I've seen a couple of eps of What Not to Wear, and I find I like it, too. Plus, it is good advice. You can look at yourself and see the sort of things you should be wearing to look better. I think TLC over here has copied the idea and made their own What Not to Wear show, just like they copied Changing Rooms with Trading Spaces. I haven't seen it yet, though, and I get the feeling it would be inferior, just as our TS is to CR.

 

[Glacophane]

Black Adder II and III are the best. One of these days I have to get them on tape since I can't seem to find it on tv anymore; so my wife can watch it. She likes Rowan Atkinson. (He's great in the movie Rat Race as well).

"I have a cunning plan," Baldric to Blackadder.

 

[hypatia]

Lyta:

Ok, confusing since you replied to my post but called out Hypatia's name. *grumble* I would consider getting a new avatar if I didn't like what I have now.

*forces Hyp to get a new avatar so people stop confusing us*

Force Antony to let me use my cat picture avatar and you've got a deal.

By the way, gang, I have seen Mr. Bean episodes. It's one of those cases for me where half the time I'm grossed out, the other half of the time I'm laughing my head off.

I do think Rowan Atkinson is a brilliant comedian. But why does it always have to degenerate into gross humor?

 

[The Juche Warrior]

Black Adder II and III are the best. One of these days I have to get them on tape since I can't seem to find it on tv anymore; so my wife can watch it. She likes Rowan Atkinson. (He's great in the movie Rat Race as well).

It's out on DVD. I've got it on the shelf right in front of my.

 

[Lyta]

Well, I gave Coupling a season pass last night so it will be interesting to see how I like watching in the middle of the series. I think they had a marathon from the beginning not too long back but I missed it.

I don't really like to rent DVDs so if I do end up liking Coupling, I might consider it. Otherwise, I will wait until they re-run it from the beginning.

re Judy/Jane: Hey! At least I was close ... got the first letter and the name was short.

Who is Sally? Who is Jeff's gf? I am still a bit fuzzy how they all relate to each other.

Demon, yes we get What Not To Wear and it is great! I love Trinny and Susanna.

Like tygir said, they give good advise about stuff you don't really think about it. I just wish someone would give me $5k to spend on a new wardrobe! *drools*

Oh and I saw the copycat version of the show on TLC and it SUCKED. The ripped the opening credits but in a prissy American way (no naked boobies) and neither one of the people in the opening credits were "Trinny" or "Susanna". The two people were a guy and a girl who were just too overly trendy. At least T&S look good even if they are highly fashionable.

Also, to fill the hour (British version is only 30 mins), they went into makeup and hairstyle tips. I guess it wouldn't be so bad if the tips were good or interesting. Still, I will watch it a few more times to see if they work out the kinks.

At least Trading Spaces did their own take on the show (as far as I know) and is pretty good. Then again, I only started watching CR after I was a fan of TS. TS could have started out crappy.

 

[Lyta]

*uses the force (and her Vorlon enhanced powers of telepathy) to get Antony to give Hyp her cat avatar*

Did that work?

 

[hypatia]

OOO, Antony is in trouble now.

Damned purist.

I promised to make him a rich man if he would just give me my kitty avatar. No luck.

He's determined.

 

[Lyta]

Those damn morals!

Wait, this is Antony we are talking about here.

 

[hypatia]

It was Lyta who said that, Ant.

*Hyp, the traitor, points at Lyta*

 

[Kribu]

There is an easy way to get your cat avatar... become an admin.

BlackAdder on DVD... ooh, now that's something I do want. It's just not top priority, even though I have it on numerous wish lists, just to keep reminding me that I want it.

One day I probably shall, it's just too good. Plus I'm sure that there are a couple of eps here and there that I've missed.

Another thing I will eventually get on DVD is Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. *sighs* So much to get, so little money.

 

[hypatia]

I absolutely loved Yes, Minister and Yes, PM.

I wished it went on longer.

How come so many great British shows last only a couple of seasons or so while USA crap-ola is renewed for 7 years or more?

 

[Kribu]

They know to stop while they're still doing great?

Although... I may be wrong of course but weren't Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister based on books of the same name? (Or were the books based on the show?) If so, then it would make sense to end the show where the book ended, too.

 

[PillowRock]

Who is Sally? Who is Jeff's gf? I am still a bit fuzzy how they all relate to each other

Sally is the woman with the reddish hair that was going on and on about how she and Patrick were not a couple.

Jeff's girlfriend's name is Julia. She works at the same company as both Jeff and Susan, but is higher up the ladder. She doesn't want anyone else (besides Susan) at the office to know that they are together. She was introduced to the show during the second series and is more of a recurring character than a regular.


How they relate to each other:

At the beginning of the first episode:

Steve and Jeff are long time best friends.

Sally is both Susan's best friend and her beautician.

Jeff and Susan work together, and had gone on exactly one date once, long ago.

Susan and Patrick are seeing each other, "a bit of fun, a bit of sex" but "not a relationship, as such".

Steve and Jane have been going out for something like 4 years. Steve has been trying to break up with Jane for a while but she keeps derailing his attempts to dump her by suggesting that they have sex.

Sally doesn't really like Patrick.

Jane pretty much ignores the existance of Jeff.

Susan had apparently briefly met Steve when Jeff brought him along to an office Christmas party (although Steve doesn't remember at first).

The other possible combinations had not met.

That first ep ends on Steve and Susan's first date.


Since then, in an interesting bit of social dynamics, Patrick has become a regular part of Steve and Jeff's hanging out with the guys; and Jane has become a regular part of Susan and Sally's hanging out with the girls (although that seems to be more Sally's dong than Susan's). Patrick and Sally have actually become friends ("female friend" being a completely new and strange concept to Patrick), though they did try to sleep together once (they, or should I say "he", failed). In the second series they did the "Steve accidently sees Susan's best friend (Sally) naked" episode, but they handled it a bit differently than I have seen other shows do it (a bit like the way Farscape twists standard SF plots).

 

[DaRkEnEdStAr]

speaking of Yes Minister , There is another british show that was Excellent ...... The Good Life
with richard briers and penolope Keith brill

 

[Demon]

I love Trinny and Susanna. Like tygir said, they give good advise about stuff you don't really think about it.

They had one celebrity episode where they victimised a TV presenter called Jeremy Clarkson, who described them as 'gentle bullies'

The highlight was when he found a back exit from the store where they were making him try on clothes, and he tried to run away

But they do give good advice, and they don't just choose trendy clothes. I like the fact that they don't just pick pretty young girls with superb figures, but give good advice to all ages and weights, and even sometimes to men who are willing to be picked on

 

[A_M_Swallow]

Although... I may be wrong of course but weren't Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister based on books of the same name? (Or were the books based on the show?) If so, then it would make sense to end the show where the book ended, too.

The books were based on the TV show.

 

[A_M_Swallow]

How come so many great British shows last only a couple of seasons or so while USA crap-ola is renewed for 7 years or more?

The great shows are normally written by a maximum of 2 people, when they run out of ideas they stop. US shows have a team who can throw in a script any time they like. At 2 scripts each per year you can film a lot of bad ideas. Also the BBC does not care about ratings, it is a PBS.