Television programmes

I'm glad to see there are more people here who like the show. I wasn't sure if it was known outside the U.S.

As if my crush on Victoria Cohen wasn't bad enough on its own, whilst watching tonights ep of the delightfully snooty nosed Only Connect (if I get an answer right I do a lap of honour round the room), which she hosts, she said the following two things:

'I love a darts player. I remember reading about Jocky Wilson in the Sun as a child and it said "Jocky is a real man who enjoys drinking 8 pints a day". Thats where I learnt what a real man is, and its right."

and,

"What could be more beautiful than a pub name, like song drawing you onto the rocks."

So I finally got around to watching enough of the BBC version of The Office that I can compare it to the US version.

It may be cultural or it may be the blindness of first love, but I prefer the American version. The Office broke ground in being a comedy without a laugh track, without punch lines. A very subtle situational type of humor. The BBC version plays it so straight that the audience is never quite sure when or if it can laugh. The American version grants the audience permission to laugh while still preserving the low-key total situation humor. It's just more enjoyable to watch.

It's rare for me to prefer an American version over it's BBC counterpart, so you Brits can flame away, I'm sticking to my guns on this one.

I'll take you on there Halfwise.

You say 'the audience is never quite sure when or if it can laugh'- that is precisely the point of it.
The British are squemish in public when things are embarrassing, someone is making a fool of themsleves. We cringe, we dont know where to go.
The genuis of the original Office was to make it feel so real, so everday so likely a scenario to find yourself in- that its humour is found in how uncomfortable the scene becomes- not just for the participants but for the viewer.
There are scenes in the original Office- whilst the premise is funny -I can barely watch for cringing.

When the US took this away, made it more traditional in the sense of where the laughs were placed it took away a lot of what made the original so unique and new.

ps did you watch all the British episodes- its best appreciated as a complete thing- unlike the US version it was much fewer episodes and had a story with begining middle and end.

watched a half dozen episodes so far. I can see what you are saying: a precursor to Borat, which took the concept of cringing clear over the edge.

Hey, it's almost as if different people find different things to be funny and/or enjoyable!

I've only ever seen bits and pieces of either version but I've heard from a number of different people that the U.S. version of The Office holds up unusually well for an American TV remake.

I quite enjoy the US version, I just dont see it as being in the same style as the original and if I had to pick only one I would go for the original.
I also like the fact its much more self contained - it was a sort of tv event that began and came to a natural and very satisfying conclusion.
I am less keen on it going on and on as the US version did.

I can certainly sympathize with that.

Out of boredom I watched the latest episode of Never Mind the Buzzcocks (a music panel game show)- boy it sucks now. How the mighty have fallen.
Back when it started with Mark Lammar it was cuutting edge stuff, then when Simon Amstell took over he maintained the traditions of the show- dry cynical wit and saying things to celbs no one else could get a way with- the new stuff is just dull and boring in comparison.

Heres some classic Simon on Buzzcocks when it was still worth watching.

*snickers*

A classic episode- the 'Preston one'.





And the best it got after Simon left- guest hosted by Frankie Boyle.
(Warning contains Frankie Boyle!)

According to my spies, the first episode of "Once Upon a Time" in which our ship is going to appear will air this Sunday at 8pm on ABC.

http://vancityfilming.com/articles/once-upon-a-time-captain-hook-and-cora/

are you in it Dave? Captain Carrot.

David H wrote:According to my spies, the first episode of "Once Upon a Time" in which our ship is going to appear will air this Sunday at 8pm on ABC.

http://vancityfilming.com/articles/once-upon-a-time-captain-hook-and-cora/

I thought of the wrong kind of ship and I thought for a second, what kind of ships do we have? Did forumshire have a ship.. but then I rememberd.. ;D

How cool if we had our own ship! We could cruise round the world and pick up everyone and go on an adventure!

Then again Mrs Figg and I confined for a long period to one ship- I suspect it might sink after a fight or two.

I don't think you know what kind of ship I'm talking about. Amarië would know. Where is she, btw? it's her turn to write a fanfiction-section on the needlehole mysteries.

It wouldnt sink Petty because I would have made you walk the plank at carrot point, looooooooong before.

or maybe you would have rather jumped into shark infested waters than feel the lash of my tongue. tee hee! (see I am doing it again.. tee hee!)

A Tyrant never bails out Mrs Figg! NEVER!

do Tyrants ever get chased Benny Hill style round a deck?

Yes-but only if you dress as a Benny Hill girl! So get out the suspenders!

no scrunchy 80s perms though.

Aww! It completes the look! I'll let you off with that if its a carry-on style nurses outfit.

I threw my white stilettos out yonks ago, maybe I can borrow Lance's, him being from Sarfend and a fully paid up member of towie.

Now I have an image of Lance in white stilletos driving his motor.