I dunno, I thought it was pretty promising. Given that it's a BBC1 show, they seem to have quite a lot of lee-way in doing "grown-up" stuff - not just rude bits, but the dream-sequences at the beginning which might easily have been cut for being too confusing for "the plebs".
Don't forget, the first episode of a show is always going to struggle under the weight of exposition.
Ok, Alan Davies seems to annoy some people, but this suits his range as an actor. I thought his "blow-job" face was good.
Good bits: The waiter thinking he was the other fella's "bitch", "I may be married but at least I have a cock", the dogs (which was funny because it makes ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE) and Josie Lawrence's sinister character in general.
Bad bits: Obvious pretensions to being a Woody Allen film (some dialogue, the titles and episode title), excessively stagey line readings (esp. the wife).
Worth watching again, I reckon.

Well, I probably should give it another go, largely because I fell asleep in the middle of it.

INcidentally, written by Geoff Deane, who used to be the lead singer of Modern Romance ("Everybody Salsa" era), then co-wrote "I Love Keith Allen" (BSB!, 1990), episodes of "Birds Of A Feather" and "Chef", and, least of all, created "Babes In The Wood".

That's right. Created. Meaning he thought up the idea. Jesus.

I felt sorry for the actor who played Alan gay mate (Victor McGuire). "Got a great part for you: you're the best griend of an adulterer" "What,again?". Talk about typecast

"Created. Meaning he thought up the idea."

Does The Bill still have 'Devised by Geoff McQueen' at the start? Why did it ever?

Anyway: AMST. The nightmare-within-a-nightmare sequence at the start is a rip-off from Bunuel's 'The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeousie'.

I almost made a comment that at least it was better than "Babes in The Wood". Good thing I didn't. Although what was the concept that the bloke thought up exactly? "Let's pick some actresses on the basis of looks rather than talent, and give them an unfunny script and have them talk in stupid voices".

O come on Babes In The Wood was funny. I believe some of the girls showed their knickers (always a winner that with the Loaded audience.)

>O come on Babes In The Wood was funny. I believe some of the girls showed their knickers (always a winner that with the Loaded audience.)

But it wasn't, oh no.*














*in the unlikely event you weren't joking...

Hmmm, watched it again last night. Not really confirming my theory of the first episode being inherently weaker.
The decision to use the "up-to-the-minute" American Beauty parody was a mistake, I think. It just reminded me that I was watching a sitcom that was recorded a few months ago. All the cutaways/references just seem to be there to cover up the lack of a particular style. That kind of thing was done better in Spaced.
Alan Davies prim face as he mimed to All Saints amused me, though. As indeed did "Still got your cock of yours, then?"

I haven't seen American Beauty. But what was the point of the All Saints bit? Was that the AB reference?

I find the whole thing really irritating, actually. Clever-clever nonsense, trying-to-be-smart dialogue (like reading a column in a shit lifestyle mag), and worst of all, comedy stereotypes/unreality (the philistine music agent, Josie L's character, the whole set-up).

The American Beauty reference was Josie Lawrence's fantasy with all the rose petals. It wasn't funny even if you'd seen the film.

This is what's going to happen now to the British sitcom: look at the film references in The Simpsons etc, and shoehorn them into your sitcom, no matter how irrelevant, clueless and unfunny your lift might be. Don't worry if it isn't amusing in any way - film references are there to show how clever people are, not how witty or funny.

The Simpsons is funny - that's the difference.

Film references can work sometimes. For example, the bit in 'Holding The Baby' where the pram rolls down the steps at the library - a brilliant reference to Eisenstein's classic 'Battleship Potemkin'.

>Film references can work sometimes. For example, the bit in 'Holding The Baby' where the pram rolls down the steps at the library - a brilliant reference to Eisenstein's classic 'Battleship Potemkin'.

Have to take your word for that one. Never saw a single episode. (Nick Hancock and Sally Phillips, was it, about three years ago?)

Father Ted does some quite nice little references (Speed, most obviously, also Deliverance, Great Escape, loads of others), but I suppose I got irritated by LIAMST just thinking that an American Beauty reference would make everyone roll in the aisles - you have to think of something funny first rather than something that's simply opportunistic. Otherwise you might as well piss off and work in advertising. Or kill yourself.

I can honestly say that the Never Ever All Saints bit at the end of the show was one of the most excruitiatingly,toe-cringingingly,burying my head in the sofa,embarrassing pieces of television I have ever witnessed.I actually felt nauseaous because my stomach churned that much.My teeth were gritting so hard,me gums bled. Alan....ALAN! How do you sleep at night,knowing how much you have spectaculary humiliated yourself with that utterly pretensious,vain,corny,sub Ally McBeal,pleb pleasing spunk bubble of a sequence in a tv "comedy drama" .
I hope they paid you well mate,because Id have plastic surgery and move to Tibet for the rest of my curly haired life.

Shit - wish i'd watched it.

Saw episode 3. It's not getting any better, is it?

I did actually see bits of this episode - Is ti supposed to be a comedy-drama then? Because most TV guides just call is a romantic comedy. Perhaps this was a late change - "This isn't very funny is it? Let's call it a comedy drama."

That bit at the end when Al and his bit on the side flew into the air? - fuck off! IIs the fact this programme uses cliches supposed to be ironically funny? Or am i just missing the joke?

"Is there anything better on the tele at the moment?" - Radio Times Choice section.

Which reminds me - look at the radio Times choice of Ally Macbeal Tonight - since when has an average episode of a show become a choice just because the show is usually good. What's that song about Journalists go like again?

>What's that song about Journalists go like again?

"Cunts, cunts, cunts, cunts"

(repeat)

>Well, I probably should give it another go, largely because I fell asleep in the middle of it.
>

Do you have some sort of lethargic problem?

What an absolute load of cack.I mean can anyone look at that curly haired,building society advertising sell out without wanting to punch him again and again?

He's not that bad!

>Do you have some sort of lethargic problem?




























































































...zzzz......zzzzz....sorry, did you say something, I think I dozed off....