House of Fools

Withnail

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
608


http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03qdvl0/House_of_Fools_Pilot_Episode_The_Conan_Affair/

I liked the way that i felt that this BBC show didn't 'brainwash' me in any way. I also found it absurd. And mostly funny. And when funny very so.

Non-licence payers can now watch it and enjoy it, or not, at their own lack of expense. Congratulations. :)
 
S

Sir BoD

Well-Known Forumite
I've really wanted to like it and to be honest, it's a nice way to spend half an hour but....

The idea amuses me, the script is funny, but there seems to be a sort of awkwardness about the delivery of it all that jars with me. I know V&B aren't actors, but it all feels a little bit forced and not quite natural and flowing. I'm hoping it's a grower and I can overlook the issues I have with it, but I just can't quite get into it - yet.
 
1JKz

1JKz

Well-Known Forumite
I'm up and down with it also, i love some parts and then think other bits aren't as, well, organised, but that's Vic and Bob for ya.

I'll watch all 6 episodes and i doubt it'll be commisioned for a 2nd series, so i'll make the most of it.
 
Withnail

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
1JKz said:
...that's Vic and Bob for ya.
Click to expand...

Well quite.

Do you think they should have called in Robert Lindsay to play 'Vic' and Zoe Wannamaker to play 'Bob'? Make it a bit more slick?

It mayn't be the best thing they've ever done but even below par they are above the 'regular' bar.
 
S

Sir BoD

Well-Known Forumite
Withnail said:
Well quite.

Do you think they should have called in Robert Lindsay to play 'Vic' and Zoe Wannamaker to play 'Bob'? Make it a bit more slick?
Click to expand...
Well no, because they're not funny? Vic and Bob are slick , even when they 'look' anarchic - that's my point. This show has been done in their typical mad cap 'off the wall' humour, which I like, but this, in my opinion, hasn't been done well. Comedy is an art form, and with that, one of the skills is to make it flow - this hasn't. Also, no matter how crazy a situation, a good comedy should absorb you into believing that situation to be real, no matter how surreal. This just looks like it's being acted out - very obviously at times.

Anyway, having said all of that, last nights' was an improvement - "You twat!":D
 
Withnail

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
I think there is an element of deliberate 'crapness', implicit in the terrible 'terry-and-june' theme tune.

It is not often that i genuinely lol at the telly box - i don't often through this - but i do sometimes.

Name me something better?
 
S

Sir BoD

Well-Known Forumite
Withnail said:
I think there is an element of deliberate 'crapness', implicit in the terrible 'terry-and-june' theme tune.

It is not often that i genuinely lol at the telly box - i don't often through this - but i do sometimes.

Name me something better?
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As with many things, comedy is very subjective, so that's a pointless exercise that proves nothing. However, if I were to say that I couldn't name anything better, it still wouldn't make this good by default - it would be just not as crap as all the others.

I hear where you're coming from, but I don't see the crapness as being in any way deliberately done for kitsch value. I get the feeling that V&B's hearts aren't really in it and they're just going through the motions to get the big fat pay cheque at the end. I'm not insinuating that they're mercenaries for the moolah, but when you're tied to t.v. deals, sometimes creativity loses its edge when you have to hit timescales set in your contracts.

I dunno, maybe I ought to start watching Terry and June and My Family.
 
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