Why is 'Green Wing' a *WHOLE HOUR* long?

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I mean, it'd be just as shit at half the length. Why is 'daaaaark' humour *still* apparently getting commissioned? 'Jam' on TV was widely seen as a dead end at the time (2000) and yet it's somehow a pervasive influence after all these years.

― Christ's Chin, Wednesday, 15 September 2004 09:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I like it.

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 09:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Is it really an hour? I switched off after ten minutes.

― Cathy (Cathy), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 09:55 (twenty-one years ago)

it's not being touted as 'daaaark' tho is it? the slo-motion technique is weird and seems pointless most of the time. most of the joke constructions seem weak/lazy/obvious too. and the characters are all too parody to attempt to like. i think this is the problem with C4 shows in general - lack of likeable characters or people to care about in these things. i saw NY:LON for the first time last night and the two leads just didn't seem to have enough about them for me to maintain interest. The Book Club was better for this perhaps but not by much.

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 09:55 (twenty-one years ago)

aw i missed NYLON last night. was it the first episode of green wing? the first one is sometimes longer non? (the first nip/tuck lasted for ages)

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 09:56 (twenty-one years ago)

except nip/tuck is awesome. i haven't seen green wing.

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 09:57 (twenty-one years ago)

I am having no luck with new TV. I'm too squeamish for Nip/ Tuck and NY-LON I find really annoying. Six Feet Under last night was pretty good, if frustrating. David's behaviour was odd. Why wasn't he trying harder to escape? Some people..

― alix (alix), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I lost interest in 6 feet under mid way throught the 2nd series, it just got a bit too odd for me. Nip/Tuck was cracking definitely. I figure I can see all Green Wong has to offer via the irritating adverts, so I don't really have to watch the prog.

― PinXor (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Why am I laughing so much at 'Green Wong'?

― alix (alix), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Comedies ALWAYS take a few episodes to get going - getting to know the characters is urgent and key. Give it a couple more weeks y'all.

Ken, no, it's an hour long every week.

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:12 (twenty-one years ago)

The Green Wing advert with the joke (?) about a woman walking in the airport without realising her baggage has extendable handles to make things easier is beginning to obsess me. Every time it comes on I stare in confusion at it. I watched it the other night, and it really was terrible. Part of the problem is they use all the good stuff on the adverts, and the show just can't live up to the expectation.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I am glad Alix mentioned 6FU, it seems to have slipped off people's radar. Last night's episode was absolutley HARROWING. I couldn't sleep for ages afterwards. I think David is too 'nice' to try to escape.

'Green Wing' has the most obnoxiously pretentious use of slo-mo.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:14 (twenty-one years ago)

It strikes me that 'darkside' humour is far less sophisticated than all the camera flim-flam would have you believe. The first ep came down to gags about DOING BIG POOS and men with SMALL WILLIES. And all the characters were ghastly. Cf 'Nighty Night'.

― Christ's Chin, Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Part of the problem is they use all the good stuff on the adverts, and the show just can't live up to the expectation.

if the ads are the 'good stuff', i can't even imagine how bad the actual show is...

― colette (a2lette), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I look forward to finding out what happened in 6FU last night. I opted for Champions League Highlights instead. Then CD:UK Hotshots, tho it was rub last night.

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Green Wing is good, people! Hit and miss at times, but it's funny.

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:21 (twenty-one years ago)

isn't Green Wing more fast-mo than slo-mo. it's an odd thing and i didn't think it'd maintain the quality over an hour but was funny enough.

dr mcCartney, the blonde floppy-haired one with the posh real name, where do i know him from?

― koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:22 (twenty-one years ago)

Probably from an episode of Black Cooks where he played that explorer dude.

S4rah 4lexand3r's mad staring eyes freak me out, so I probably won't be watching, ta all the same.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Hahahaaaaaargh is only there was a program called Black Cooks.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:23 (twenty-one years ago)

ah. Hippies - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187646/

― koogs (koogs), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:23 (twenty-one years ago)

"if the ads are the 'good stuff', i can't even imagine how bad the actual show is..."

Yeah, I was being ironic. Though, to be fair, the show is probably about as funny as the adverts.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:26 (twenty-one years ago)

. The first ep came down to gags about DOING BIG POOS and men with SMALL WILLIES.

i'm sad i missed it now

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:27 (twenty-one years ago)

yeh i recognised that guy from Hippies - he was actually the funniest character in Hippies, but that's a bit like saying Goebbels was the most vicious member of the Nazi party.

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Talking about adverts (and veering off-topic), the Channel 4 advert for Betrayed by New Labour, or whatever it is called, with Greg Dyke, is a thing of wonder. I'm quite looking forward to that programme. Does anyone know when it is on?

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:36 (twenty-one years ago)

surely the advert told you?

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, maybe. But my memory isn't worth much.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:42 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm thinking the 18th maybe

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Sunday 19th September. 8:00PM

― Craig Gilchrist, Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Not even the horn-goddess S4rah 4lexand3r has tempted me to watch this muck. Yes, horn-goddess with mad staring eyes! Mmmmm!

― Dr.C, Wednesday, 15 September 2004 10:58 (twenty-one years ago)

it has her from the 'Bev! Kev!' adverts and Peep Show in it tho, and Tamsin Greig (playing Tamsin Greig), and Mark Heap (playing Mark Heap)

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 11:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Cool, thanks Craig.

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 11:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe I'll watch it this week - is S4rah in it much?

― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 11:14 (twenty-one years ago)

What's so 'dark' about Green Wing? It's just your average middling comedy, but with annoying speedup/slowdown bits all the bloody time.

― caitlin (caitlin), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 11:22 (twenty-one years ago)

it's teh rub trip-hop that's making everyone think it's dark i think...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 11:32 (twenty-one years ago)

*that's* what's 'dark', or 'jam'-like. also the lack of likeable characters, which is what's 'nighty night'-like. the sotcaa people usually argue that 'dad's army' is what's *really* dark -- and certainly 'dark' comedy often is banal in its observations. darkness is about presentation, rather than content.

xpost, and carsmile otm

― Christ's Chin, Wednesday, 15 September 2004 11:33 (twenty-one years ago)

This is an interesting thread - I haven't seen any telly in the last two weeks that wasn't the closing credits of CSI - but I understood from the ENORMOUS billboards ads for Green Wing that are EVERYWHERE in London that it was a bit broader and zanier than it appears to be. It looked like Carry On Kingdom Hospital.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 13:30 (twenty-one years ago)

it's only marginally better than Surgical Spirit

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 13:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I watched the first 15 minutes of the first episode and gave up. It falls into the same old C4 sitcom trap of mistaking sarcasm for humour and film speed tricks for visual innovation.

― Donnie Smith The Quiz Kid, Wednesday, 15 September 2004 13:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Basically it is trying to be a British version of Scrubs but at twice the length and about a hundredth of the humour.

― Donnie Smith The Quiz Kid, Wednesday, 15 September 2004 13:41 (twenty-one years ago)

otm except at least it avoids the tacky sentimental nonsense of Scrubs which really keeps that otherwise hilarious show down

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 13:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Except it's not. It doesn't try to do Scrubs in any way, really - if it wasn't set in a hospital there'd be zero similarity. It doesn't do the sugary bits, for a start, the pacing is different, there's no narrator, the humour is very British - it's a very lazy comparison.

I'd agree that the success of Scrubs was probably an incentive to get it made, though.

(x-post)

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 13:44 (twenty-one years ago)

yeh but i get the impression they saw Scrubs and thought 'ok it's time for another British comedy set in a hospital!'

they could've done it like Peep Show - maybe a different first-person perspective every week (actually that's a great idea too good to be wasted here)

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 13:49 (twenty-one years ago)

too late suck-ah.

scrubs really is just (as i have possibly said round here before) the wonder years set in a hospital...

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 14:19 (twenty-one years ago)

i never saw The Wonder Years. Who was the Doctor Kelso character?

― the neurotic awakening of s (blueski), Wednesday, 15 September 2004 14:20 (twenty-one years ago)

you're all nuts, Green Wing is neither dark nor fantastic, but it's still above average, especially for it's time slot. It's no worse than Smack The Pony, at least...

― stephen. s (yaye), Thursday, 16 September 2004 00:57 (twenty-one years ago)

It falls into the same old C4 sitcom trap of mistaking sarcasm for humour

OTM! (though it applies to most of modern life and not just CH4)

― jed_ (jed), Thursday, 16 September 2004 01:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I sat with my flatmate last night as he laghed away at the Green Wing advert, which has been running for about 2 weeks and he's laughed at it before. The ad's aren't funny the first time round, let alone 3 weeks of the same advert joke.

― Craig Gilchrist, Thursday, 16 September 2004 06:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I really like Green Wing (and it has already polarised enough people for my "quite like" to turn into really like). This may well be partially due to the mode of spectatorship, on video after getting in from the pub, but it is both funny enough and has already built enough characters and subplots for them to happily do character comedy too.

The reason it is twice as long, I have worked out, is that it has twice as many characters as the standard sitcom, which cleverly means that it does not have to rely too much on the same old character interactions.

― Pete (Pete), Thursday, 16 September 2004 07:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Nah, if you're looking for a UK 'Scrubs' analogue it was 'TLC' with Reece Shearsmith and one of Armstrong & Miller. It had a pretty high profile cast (including Richard Griffiths and Tim B-T) but was pretty awful.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 16 September 2004 09:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm just about with Pete on this - I like it. Deciding that it's trying to do some particular thing not terribly like what it's actually doing, then blaming it for doing poorly what it's not trying to do, seems neither fair nor useful. (Actually that statement is nearly incomprehensible.) It's a weirdish Brit ensemble piece, more comparable with Spaced or the League Of Gentlemen than Jam or Scrubs or anything like that. I like its diversity of characters and gags.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Thursday, 16 September 2004 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 44 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

It is too long though.

― fandango (fandango), Monday, 24 April 2006 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

eight months pass...

thinking about it, WHITE WING morelike amirite.

srsly, whitest hospital in the UK.

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Monday, 15 January 2007 11:45 (eighteen years ago)

It needs to keep it real like Holby City

― Matt (Matt), Monday, 15 January 2007 11:58 (eighteen years ago)

i have never seen 'holby city'.

have softened to 'green wing' though.

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Monday, 15 January 2007 12:00 (eighteen years ago)

Holby City is as real as it gets. Even more so than Doctors.

I quite like Green Wing.

― Matt (Matt), Monday, 15 January 2007 12:01 (eighteen years ago)

Green Wing is quite good. Not my favourite show by far, but I like it!

― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Monday, 15 January 2007 12:03 (eighteen years ago)

I don't dislike it, but it's not as funny as many people would say so. I want to live in a world where this was as bad as tv got.

― Johnney B English (stigoftdump), Monday, 15 January 2007 13:30 (eighteen years ago)

there's too many "meh" moments in.

― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Monday, 15 January 2007 13:32 (eighteen years ago)

I want to live in a world where this was as bad as tv got.

This is so fucking OTM. There are hundreds of worthier targets than this show to pillory, and in fact I'd say it's one of the better recent comedies. So long as Catherine Tate is allowed to succeed, you can't go slating shows like Green Wing to quite this extent.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Monday, 15 January 2007 13:57 (eighteen years ago)

both equally shit :)

― vita susicivus (blueski), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:16 (eighteen years ago)

To put things into context: Harry Hill aside, all British TV Comedy right now is total shit.

― Ruairi Wirewool (Ruairi Wirewool), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:25 (eighteen years ago)

what were the chances of that happening?

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:34 (eighteen years ago)

If you can put CT and Green Wing on a par, you truly show a lack of discernment IMO.

Frankly, now that GW has been and gone, I'm inclined to agree with Ruairi, minus the bit about Harry Hill.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:34 (eighteen years ago)

If you can put CT and Green Wing on a par, you truly show a lack of discernment IMO.

no it's just a 'higher' (or rather 'stricter') level of discernment.

― vita susicivus (blueski), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:37 (eighteen years ago)

'the thick of it' will be back, later in the year, and so will 'peep show'.

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:37 (eighteen years ago)

but in a another more accurate sense...

― mark s (mark s), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:38 (eighteen years ago)

but then i do like Harry Hill so it's apples and roundabouts.

― vita susicivus (blueski), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:38 (eighteen years ago)

rubbish

― RJG (RJG), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:39 (eighteen years ago)

so you keep saying

― vita susicivus (blueski), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:41 (eighteen years ago)

RJG's TV Burp

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:43 (eighteen years ago)

Hmm. I was only talking about currently-running comedy shows. If Peep Show returns for a fourth bite at the cherry (and TTOI for a second), I will only be too delighted. Of course, the one I'm really looking out for is Nathan Barley II.

― You've Got Scourage On Your Breath (Haberdager), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:44 (eighteen years ago)

i think it would be a big ask for there to be a 'great' uk comedy series to be running all 52 weeks of the year. i have low standards perhaps; but i don't ask for a 'great' film each month either.

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:49 (eighteen years ago)

of course i too want 'nathan barley' back.

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:49 (eighteen years ago)

They could drop scissors on a dog's head this time.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:51 (eighteen years ago)

uh, rose-tinted view there i reckon - but at least it was generating interesting discussion.

one episode of Screen Wipe a month would be good. ditto TV Burp.

― vita susicivus (blueski), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:52 (eighteen years ago)

ha ha Dom OTM

― vita susicivus (blueski), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:52 (eighteen years ago)

as with 'green wing', take away the hype and the expectation it'll live up to 'the day today' and 'nathan barley' was 23 minutes well-spent. i lolled anyway.

― the original hauntology blogging crew (Enrique), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:56 (eighteen years ago)

i didn't laugh more than i did laugh etc.

― vita susicivus (blueski), Monday, 15 January 2007 14:57 (eighteen years ago)

'Peep Show' seems to be the only programme in recent memory that people can say that they loved without having to justify it by saying 'As long as you don't compare it with...', 'As long as you don't expect it to be...' as a prefix. And that's a pretty bad state of affairs.

― Ruairi Wirewool (Ruairi Wirewool), Monday, 15 January 2007 15:04 (eighteen years ago)

i liked respectable

― mark s (mark s), Monday, 15 January 2007 15:11 (eighteen years ago)

Was that the one with James Lance as a drug dealer?

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 15 January 2007 15:13 (eighteen years ago)

Didn't see it. That was the 'Cuddly Whores' show on Channel 5, wasn't it?

― Ruairi Wirewool (Ruairi Wirewool), Monday, 15 January 2007 15:14 (eighteen years ago)

yes

― mark s (mark s), Monday, 15 January 2007 15:14 (eighteen years ago)

i'd like to see James Lance varying his accent.

― vita susicivus (blueski), Monday, 15 January 2007 15:15 (eighteen years ago)

I'd like to see James Lance (insert insult here)

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Monday, 15 January 2007 15:15 (eighteen years ago)

I'd like to see James, Lance!

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 15 January 2007 15:19 (eighteen years ago)

three years pass...

Loving this all over again. Appaz Victoria Pile is doing one called Campus now (pilot went out in C4's Comedy Showcase last year).

― Interests: eating my cookie (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 2 December 2010 10:58 (fourteen years ago)

Christ's Chin otm

― absinthe of malithe (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 2 December 2010 11:03 (fourteen years ago)

i think i was christs chin

― rip whiney g weingarten 03/11 never forget (history mayne), Thursday, 2 December 2010 11:04 (fourteen years ago)

I wondered

― absinthe of malithe (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 2 December 2010 11:10 (fourteen years ago)

It was the "fuck off 'dark' comedy" that gave it away

― absinthe of malithe (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 2 December 2010 11:11 (fourteen years ago)

been on this board abt a quarter of my life

― rip whiney g weingarten 03/11 never forget (history mayne), Thursday, 2 December 2010 11:13 (fourteen years ago)

rong rong rong rong rong

― Interests: eating my cookie (Autumn Almanac), Thursday, 2 December 2010 11:16 (fourteen years ago)

think i softened on it at one point

― rip whiney g weingarten 03/11 never forget (history mayne), Thursday, 2 December 2010 11:18 (fourteen years ago)

it's, if you will, 'no scrubs', though

― rip whiney g weingarten 03/11 never forget (history mayne), Thursday, 2 December 2010 11:18 (fourteen years ago)

think I meant "dark 'comedy'"

― absinthe of malithe (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 2 December 2010 11:19 (fourteen years ago)

aw cmon this had its moments

but I was younger once, and hath not the time now

― gospermaban sim gishel (acoleuthic), Thursday, 2 December 2010 11:21 (fourteen years ago)

http://ohmydarling.org/drcox/coxjd.gif green wings isn't even that dark, is it, just kind of up itself?

oh i can't remember

― rip whiney g weingarten 03/11 never forget (history mayne), Thursday, 2 December 2010 11:24 (fourteen years ago)

to clarify, my main objection to the dark comedy thing is that the dark is used to give sub-standard comedy a pass with people who like that sort of shit. fine, chacun a son goat and all that. my main objection to lol nerd comedy is that the lol nerd shit is used to give sub-standard comedy a pass with people who like that sort of shit. I guess people have different taste to me, dayyum. my main objection to black books is that it's not fucking funny.

― absinthe of malithe (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 2 December 2010 11:47 (fourteen years ago)

four months pass...

CAMPUS (CH4 TUE 10PM)

what do you think of it?

i think imogen moffat just stole my heart from caroline and mac.

― jumpskins, Friday, 8 April 2011 18:09 (fourteen years ago)

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