Little Britain

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Did anyone see this on telly last night? I thought parts of it were blatant League of Gentleman rip-offs, but I still laughed at times.

― C J (C J), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 09:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Been watching it on BBC3. Its genius. Best thing on TV for ages and I'm so much more impressed with Matt Lucas's talents after seeing the range of characters he plays in this.

― mms (mms), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 09:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree about the LoG ripoffs. I liked it, but I thought they fucked up some great stuff with crappy punchlines. (eg that schoolboys reading out loud sketch)

― Sam (chirombo), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 10:03 (twenty-one years ago)

isnt one of LoG a script consultant?

― zappi (joni), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 10:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Directed bt Steve Bendelack, LoG director.

― Pete (Pete), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 10:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Mark Gatiss works on LB

― Alan (Alan), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 10:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Bit hit-and-miss, I thought. The public schoolboys sketch was k-rub, as was Matt Lucas as a schoolgirl and the idea for the hypnotist sketch could've come out of Russ Abbot or someone.

But the only gay man in the village sketch was fantastic and the one with the old woman could be wonderful as it develops over the course of the series.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 10:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Tom Baker voiceovers though = classic.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 10:16 (twenty-one years ago)

The woman running the diet support group was a bit like the Job Seeker Woman sketch, but I larfed out loud when she pretended she couldn't understand the Asian lady saying 'fish and chips' and wrote the word 'curry' on the whiteboard instead.

― C J (C J), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 10:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Matt Lucas as a schoolgirl = Becky Lucas.

― Sam (chirombo), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 10:22 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 11:24 (twenty-one years ago)

Didn't laugh once. I'll give the second one a shot, after that I give up.

― Madchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:14 (twenty-one years ago)

I told cook it would be crap but did he listen? I don't know if he did.

― RJG (RJG), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I liked the opening line of the Sunday Herald's preview:

"If you loved The League Of Gentleman, you'll think this is OK"

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:21 (twenty-one years ago)

i like Matt Lucas but i'm not so keen on the other bloke. after watching some old Shooting Stars on UK Gold however i'm not sure Lucas can ever top some of his work as George Dawes.

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:26 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't stand league of Gentlemen, but like this, the only gay in the village is very very funny, as is the schoolgirl

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 13:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I found it somehow extraordinary.

Perhaps being in the company of England's greatest unsung comic made it seem funnier than it really was.

― the pinefox, Tuesday, 2 December 2003 16:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought this thread would be about Brittany.

http://www.discover-france.info/maps/Brittany.gif

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 17:20 (twenty-one years ago)

phew, no Dreadzone so far

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 17:31 (twenty-one years ago)

hahahaha!! wasn't it senser aswell?

― piscesboy, Tuesday, 2 December 2003 17:49 (twenty-one years ago)

But why, given that only 4 of the sketches could possibly have been recorded in front of a studio audience, did we have to endure yet another intrusive laughter track?

― chris j (chris j), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 20:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought it was good.

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 22:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Watch the whole series, there are some great moments (ex policeman driving instructor/Dafyd'd aids test). Little Britain and Rock Profile both CLASSIC. Gattis worked as a script editor and appears in a sketch or two, as does DavId Soul and Molly Sugden.

― kinski (kinski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 23:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Obviously my welsh isn't too good.

― kinski (kinski), Tuesday, 2 December 2003 23:42 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

The programme finished on BBC2 last night. I liked it quite a lot.

Perhaps eating sausages and peas made it seem tastier than it really was.

― the britfox, Tuesday, 20 January 2004 22:19 (twenty-one years ago)

this programme is not funny.

: (

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 10:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Meh. Oversold.

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 10:05 (twenty-one years ago)

I really liked Little Britain, but have you seen Nighty Night yet? It's really twisted but complete genius!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 10:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Is that on poncey posh people's TV?

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 10:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Yup! *grins*

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 10:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Nighty Night is fantastic. Unbelievably dark.

― Alfie (Alfie), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 10:26 (twenty-one years ago)

If that's the thing with Deayton and blokey from 'Little Britain,' 'Jam,' etc then the trailer looks wack. It looked too self-consciously dark pour moi.

I'm up for this Brydon DVD commentary thing, even though Adam and Joe (and McSweeney's) did it first.

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 10:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Is Nighty Night the thing with Angus Deayton and the woman who played Lynne in I'm Alan Partridge? That made me alternately cringe and want to punch my screen in rage. Yes, middle-aged middle class couples have huge sexual hang-ups to WE GET IT ALRIGHT?!

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 10:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Nighty Night is pretty great, but I'm not sure how many more sitcoms I can stand revolving around the social non-skills of a central grotesque. Pam and I still there sighing and shaking our heads as the credits roll, as we used to with Human Remains.

The trick in Nighty Night is that Julia Davis has surrounded her character with people who pretty much have to cut her some slack because of their beliefs and the lie she's spinning them. Signs last night that the Felicity Montagu character could see through her though.

Little Britain will have some kind of immortality for Andy and Lou, such a rich thing out of such a sparse, one-joke sketch.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 10:29 (twenty-one years ago)

sit there, not still there

I have to go to work, for Chrissakes.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 10:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Also I thought Nighty Night lurched to the wrong side The Office where pretty much everything was an uncomfortable moment with no relief. I mean, watching awkward silences is funny and all but when there is intentionally no real chemistry between the characters it becomes painful.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 10:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Human Remains I also found unfunny-darkcore. I appreciate what Chris Morris did back in the day, but it's not an influence I'd want too much of. Even Office series 2 was a bit much for me, though.

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 10:35 (twenty-one years ago)

With David Brent in 'The Office', you knew he was a twat, insensitive and egotistical, but there was a sense that he meant well, he had a heart of gold. The denouement of the Christmas special was the fact that he'd matured and, to a certain extent, seen the error of his ways.

The thing that I like about 'Nighty Night' is that Jill is a *completely* unsympathetic character. She's a psychopath, pure evil. There can't be that tidy ending, that self-satisfying 'Diff'rent Strokes' moral payoff. The humour in cringe-comedy is in the fact that you know what is going to happen, you're in on the gag and you cringe as the predictable unfolds. What I find refreshing about 'Nighty Night is that you *don't* know what's going to happen because Jill is so amoral that you don't know to what level she's going to sink.

― Alfie (Alfie), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 11:31 (twenty-one years ago)

The thing that I like about 'Nighty Night' is that Jill is a *completely* unsympathetic character. She's a psychopath, pure evil.

But Brent is genius cos he's believeable. This sounds implausible, a comic's work-out.

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 11:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Is plausibility essential?

― Alfie (Alfie), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 11:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, I was a little disappointed by the Office 2. It seemed like pretty much the same joke all the way through - office workers going about their daily business, but ooh, here comes david brent and he's going to do something embarrasing. Somehow the range was wider in series 1 I feel.

Little Britain is very funny but I feel guilty watching it simply because of the LoG similarity. However, it manages to play Family Guy to League of Gents' Simpsons so I guess there's nothing wrong with that.

I love the guy in the wheelchair sketches, especially the one where he goes swimming. The long-suffering friend's spiel in that one had me pissing myself.

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 12:12 (twenty-one years ago)

I was a bit iffy about the wheelchair guy -- are they taking the piss out of mental illness or something? I'm very sensitive about this, but I do seem to find that the mentally unwell are too often fair game in comedy shows.

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 12:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I like the one where they buy ice cream at the seaside.
All about the 'whippy' & it being 'very dry' without. Also for the lines
'but you said ice cream was the perfect accompaniment to a hot summer's day'
'yeah i know'

x-post

They're not taking the piss, basically he shouldn't be in the chair & gets his mate to wheel him around taking the piss out of his mate!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 12:18 (twenty-one years ago)

The wheelchair gag wasn't really funny at all, I found myself mentally switching off whenever it came on after a while. The Fat Fighters sketches and the bits with Dafydd in it were the best in the series by far, I thought.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 12:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe, but if so it's harmless fun. I think they're just making out that the guy's really really lazy and not at all unwell.

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 12:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't like the 'kelsey grammar' bits. The bits with the girl in 'shutup!' are the best & then the wheelchair bits.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 12:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, the Only Gay Bloke and the yeah-but-no-but-yeah bits are bestest.

― Enrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 12:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Most disturbing: Jason and his mate's grandmother.

― Alfie (Alfie), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh god yeah, i nearly heaved the first time i saw it!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 12:45 (twenty-one years ago)

the PFWs keep going on about this. it sounds stupid.

― DV (dirtyvicar), Wednesday, 21 January 2004 13:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 42 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Oh well. At least Cookie's Cassette is ok. I think I will come and visit you just to watch it.

― Alix with an I ? (alix), Thursday, 7 April 2005 14:23 (twenty years ago)

: )

I will leave the doors open.

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 7 April 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

Excellent. I'll pop round later (in the year).

― Alix with an I ? (alix), Thursday, 7 April 2005 14:31 (twenty years ago)

I will leave the doors open.

The VCR, she not like that.

(From my experience. They might make them different in Scotland)

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 7 April 2005 15:04 (twenty years ago)

he meant the doors to Glasgow

― $V£N! (blueski), Thursday, 7 April 2005 15:07 (twenty years ago)

Is Chewing The Fat funny?

I think it probably isn't.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 7 April 2005 15:09 (twenty years ago)

it is but only in a few parts.

on the whole, it is still far funnier than all of these "new" "comedy" "programmes".

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 7 April 2005 15:12 (twenty years ago)

they are clearly programmes

― $V£N! (blueski), Thursday, 7 April 2005 15:15 (twenty years ago)

says you

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 7 April 2005 15:17 (twenty years ago)

this show seems like 5 jokes repeated indefinitely? and RJG doesn't think it's rubbish?

― cutty (mcutt), Thursday, 7 April 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)

which one? chewin' the fat?

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 7 April 2005 15:26 (twenty years ago)

i thought you were saying little britain is funny. oops.

― cutty (mcutt), Thursday, 7 April 2005 15:30 (twenty years ago)

They should do a cassette of the few parts.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 7 April 2005 15:44 (twenty years ago)

little britain is not funny.

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 7 April 2005 15:47 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

Only seen it twice -- doing the same sketches in the same sequence is rather amazing -- and despite the unevenness I find the two main guys impeccably funny performers. The apologizing pol is quite nice.

Apparently the hefty guy is gonna play young Alfred Hitchcock in a film.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 20 April 2006 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

two months pass...

actually v impressed by this

altho not as much as i would've been had it been Lucas.

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 19:18 (eighteen years ago)

two years pass...

little britain usa isn't not unfunny

― eman, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 04:48 (sixteen years ago)

the laugh track really drives it home

― eman, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 04:51 (sixteen years ago)

you guys, this show suuuuuuuuuucks

― Dan I., Wednesday, 1 October 2008 12:13 (sixteen years ago)

we knoooooooooooooow

― J4gger Dynamic Pentangle (Just got offed), Wednesday, 1 October 2008 12:54 (sixteen years ago)

"Monkey Chop" was great though.

― It's 10.00 and I'm Huw Edwards. I don't write this stuff. (Marcello Carlin), Wednesday, 1 October 2008 15:11 (sixteen years ago)

Dan I?

― Mark G, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 15:16 (sixteen years ago)

so is this shit really old and just repackaged for american cable? its like british "humour" for jeff foxworthy fans which i can see comedy central going for but not hbo

― am0n, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 15:29 (sixteen years ago)

and there's some robin leach-esque voiceover throughout doing lame "the british drive like this, but the americans drive like thiiiiis" commentary

― eman, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 15:36 (sixteen years ago)

In 30 years times I hope they don't make programmes about David Walliams.

― Autobot Lover (jel --), Wednesday, 1 October 2008 15:37 (sixteen years ago)

i would love to see some new US sketch-based comedy tho (alt/surreal tip, not animated, not particularly political or based on impersonations and obv not catchphrase/repetition-orientated)

― They're a '90s odd couple. And an odds-on choice for laughs. (blueski), Wednesday, 1 October 2008 15:40 (sixteen years ago)

Walliams will probably follow Pegg, Coogan, Brand and co. into Hollywood, even if LB is being poorly received

― They're a '90s odd couple. And an odds-on choice for laughs. (blueski), Wednesday, 1 October 2008 15:41 (sixteen years ago)

US critics pan Little Britain USA
Their risque humour may have endeared them to millions of fans in Britain but Matt Lucas and David Walliams have failed to capture the imagination of critics in America.

By Nicole Martin, Digital and Media Correspondent
Last Updated: 3:03AM BST 27 Sep 2008

They have panned the comedy duo's new television series - Little Britain USA - describing their sketches as "crude" and "low brow".

Brian Lowry, from Variety magazine, said the new series "revels in mock condescension towards American stereotypes".

"The wit level of these over-the-top interludes seldom rises above what's scrawled on a middle-school bathroom wall," he said.

"Walliams and Lucas certainly owe a debt to Benny Hill and Monty Python, but their impulses invariably drift below the (freely exposed) belt, going for the easiest possible gag."

A critic from the Los Angeles Times wrote: "Whatever pointed observation about American or British society Lucas and Walliams have in mind, whatever message about our hypocritical social mores and behaviours they're trying to send, gets lost in the adolescent guffawing about fat people and primary sex characteristics."

The American version of the award-winning show includes new characters as well as old favourites Andy, the wheelchair bound character who feigns disability, and his unfortunate carer Lou.

The first episode sees the comedians simulate a homosexual sex act during a sketch in which they don body suits as two in-the-closet muscle men.

― eman, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 15:43 (sixteen years ago)

i would love to see some new US sketch-based comedy tho (alt/surreal tip, not animated, not particularly political or based on impersonations and obv not catchphrase/repetition-orientated)

― They're a '90s odd couple. And an odds-on choice for laughs. (blueski), Wednesday, October 1, 2008 11:40 AM

tim and eric?

― eman, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 15:46 (sixteen years ago)

haha I was about to say, this show is the most repulsive thing I've seen since that tom goes to the mayor/awesome show bullshit

― some dude, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 16:06 (sixteen years ago)

what's Tim & Eric?

― They're a '90s odd couple. And an odds-on choice for laughs. (blueski), Wednesday, 1 October 2008 16:07 (sixteen years ago)

I used to always have a kneejerk "ugh get it away" response just ffwding through the previews for this show on BBC America dvds. The one guy is kind of cute tho

― A B C, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 16:18 (sixteen years ago)

no don't say that, everybody who thinks he is cute just makes him stronger.

― Autobot Lover (jel --), Wednesday, 1 October 2008 16:20 (sixteen years ago)

what's Tim & Eric?

― They're a '90s odd couple. And an odds-on choice for laughs. (blueski), Wednesday, October 1, 2008 12:07 PM

Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job - Christ Almighty this show is funny.

― eman, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 17:56 (sixteen years ago)

i don't like it, except for john c. reilly, but it fits blueski's description in a way

― eman, Wednesday, 1 October 2008 17:59 (sixteen years ago)

i'll check it out, thanks

― They're a '90s odd couple. And an odds-on choice for laughs. (blueski), Wednesday, 1 October 2008 18:03 (sixteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

I finally sat down for a full episode of this and with respect to watchability it was like 0.65x intensity 2 Girls 1 Cup

― A B C, Sunday, 19 October 2008 00:03 (sixteen years ago)

I can't understand why it has to be repeated on a Saturday.

― Autobot Lover (jel --), Sunday, 19 October 2008 09:33 (sixteen years ago)

There's nothing else until the autumn schedule kicks in. Which is also the explanation for that Dale Winton "Hole In The Wall" thing.

― snoball, Sunday, 19 October 2008 10:55 (sixteen years ago)

And why Strictly Come Dancing gets spun out over two days.

Little Britain really is horrible. Sorry, America.

― ailsa, Sunday, 19 October 2008 11:18 (sixteen years ago)

A new low in TV...

― snoball, Sunday, 19 October 2008 11:36 (sixteen years ago)

THE WHALING WALL

― yungblut, Sunday, 19 October 2008 12:56 (sixteen years ago)

Little Britain might be funny if they did a sketch parodying "Hole In The Wall". But they won't, because a) it would be taking the piss out of celebs rather than the general public, b) there are no obvious knob gags.

― snoball, Sunday, 19 October 2008 13:00 (sixteen years ago)

low?

― Shacknasty (Frogman Henry), Sunday, 19 October 2008 13:02 (sixteen years ago)

It is a low. A two minute sub-"Ant & Dec" segment from a Japanese game show, stretched out to half an hour.

― snoball, Sunday, 19 October 2008 13:04 (sixteen years ago)

FAIL!

― Jarlrmai, Sunday, 19 October 2008 13:07 (sixteen years ago)

Added low points: it involves Vanessa Feltz in a bacofoil suit. Also Anton Du Beke.

― ailsa, Sunday, 19 October 2008 13:09 (sixteen years ago)

Harry Hill did this on his show last night: "Yeah, you got a wall without any holes in it?"

― snoball, Sunday, 19 October 2008 13:27 (sixteen years ago)

Hole in the Wall is AWESOME!!!!

― Autobot Lover (jel --), Sunday, 19 October 2008 15:37 (sixteen years ago)

I will not hear a word said against it.

― Autobot Lover (jel --), Sunday, 19 October 2008 15:38 (sixteen years ago)

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