saxondale: alan partridge meets spinal tap, and we don't have a thread yet?

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steve coogan's new sitcom. about a former rock roadie turned, umm, pest exterminator, who has anger-management issues. begins tomorrow night, 10pm, BBC2. seems to have had no advance publicity whatsoever.

i refuse to get my hopes up. (i'll miss the first one anyway; still, i imagine it'll be repeated. repeatedly.) but there is, is there not, a tiny chance that this will rock?

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Sunday, 18 June 2006 20:45 (nineteen years ago)

...perhaps.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 18 June 2006 20:48 (nineteen years ago)

The guardian preview of this said its a grower. I am cautiously optimistic.

― Ed (dali), Sunday, 18 June 2006 20:50 (nineteen years ago)

If this isn't dreadful, I'll be surprised. Although I think I saw Richard Herring in the trailer, so that might be good.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Sunday, 18 June 2006 20:55 (nineteen years ago)

what's that woman in?

― jed_ (jed), Sunday, 18 June 2006 20:58 (nineteen years ago)

Fat Friends!

(though she's been in Little Britain and Nighty Night and stuff as well)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 21:03 (nineteen years ago)

Grrrr. Ailsa beat me to it.

The trailers for this have actually made me laugh.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Sunday, 18 June 2006 21:04 (nineteen years ago)

I have missed all trailers for this. I don't have a life outside of the World Cup. I shall attempt to remember for tomorrow though. Also, new series of Still Game!

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 18 June 2006 21:06 (nineteen years ago)

Previews here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/saxondale/

Dunno...

― caek (caek), Sunday, 18 June 2006 21:08 (nineteen years ago)

Gah - only available in the UK.

― Lara (Lara), Sunday, 18 June 2006 21:09 (nineteen years ago)

Apparently Julian Casablancas is in it:

ifile:///Users/squeeze/Desktop/raymond.jpg

― chap who would dare to be a nerd, not a geek (chap), Sunday, 18 June 2006 21:18 (nineteen years ago)

Gah. Anyway, go to that link and scroll down, he's there (or someone who looks like him, i suspect the latter).

― chap who would dare to be a nerd, not a geek (chap), Sunday, 18 June 2006 21:19 (nineteen years ago)

He references Heino in the trailer!

(Still, ailsa says Still Game, so t0tt3nts ahoy!)

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Sunday, 18 June 2006 21:24 (nineteen years ago)

I'm just pathetically grateful whenever a programme has a West Midlands accent not played for laughs.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Sunday, 18 June 2006 21:25 (nineteen years ago)

It's based in Stevenage, which happens to be where I am sitting now.

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 19 June 2006 07:27 (nineteen years ago)

I bet Saxondale would drink in the Red Lion in the Old Town.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 19 June 2006 07:38 (nineteen years ago)

yes.

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 19 June 2006 11:27 (nineteen years ago)

can he top 'dr terrible's house of horrible'?

― Seriously, Try Punching This Guy in the Face and See What Happens (Enrique), Monday, 19 June 2006 11:36 (nineteen years ago)

No fair!

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Monday, 19 June 2006 11:36 (nineteen years ago)

"Well that was... diabolical"

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 19 June 2006 11:40 (nineteen years ago)

There is plenty of advance publicity in Radio Times.

Nice to see a bit of Stevenage banter on the thread.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Monday, 19 June 2006 11:42 (nineteen years ago)

that thing he did with the sci fi actors on a cruise filled with their fans was pretty great, if i remember correctly...

― i am not a nugget (stevie), Monday, 19 June 2006 11:47 (nineteen years ago)

russell brand was in it.

― Seriously, Try Punching This Guy in the Face and See What Happens (Enrique), Monday, 19 June 2006 11:49 (nineteen years ago)

The one thing I enjoyed about House of Horrible was Dr Terrible himself. I am a sucker for people pulling silly faces, and Coogan did some great ones.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Monday, 19 June 2006 11:58 (nineteen years ago)

wait a minute... did someone just say there's a new series of Still Game?

That's Smashing!

― Jack Battery-Pack (Jack Battery-Pack), Monday, 19 June 2006 15:58 (nineteen years ago)

Yep, 9pm BBC2.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 19 June 2006 16:05 (nineteen years ago)

When I stayed in Stevenage I was propositioned by an elderly woman in the Red Lion.

― Matt (Matt), Monday, 19 June 2006 16:18 (nineteen years ago)

i coulda sworn i saw richard herring in the trailer but he's not in the radio times credits for this evening's ep.

― Seriously, Try Punching This Guy in the Face and See What Happens (Enrique), Monday, 19 June 2006 18:10 (nineteen years ago)

I rather enjoyed that. Much less in your face than partridge. Some real funny lines. Shame the fatsuit and beard aren't that good, because Coogan is otherwise pretty good. The scenes introducing his assistant to his house were hilarious and cringeworthy like the best bits of partridge. You can't help feeling sympathy for this objectionable misfit.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 19 June 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

Coogan was predictably good, yeah, but it was a pretty soporific half hour. Would've been better with some jokes. And a plot.

― chap who would dare to be a nerd, not a geek (chap), Monday, 19 June 2006 20:46 (nineteen years ago)

I'm willing to be proved wrong in weeks to come, mind.

― chap who would dare to be a nerd, not a geek (chap), Monday, 19 June 2006 20:47 (nineteen years ago)

I laughed when they mentioned Clinton Cards in the Westgate Centre but that was about it.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Monday, 19 June 2006 20:48 (nineteen years ago)

a fairly well observed portrait of a guy you wouldn't wan't to observe because he's a twat.

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 19 June 2006 20:49 (nineteen years ago)

i know you could say this about all of coogan's characters.

― jed_ (jed), Monday, 19 June 2006 20:50 (nineteen years ago)

I'm going to like this. I like the character (Coogan - Partridge = Saxondale), he reminds me of a couple of shambling 70s burn-outs who go to my local. Some nice little touches and details (Zulu poster, Flight 93 "Let's Roll!" bumper sticker on his "'Tang", etc).
Could probably be the best realised sitcom character since David Brent - but minus the constant comedy of embarrassment and character humiliation.

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 19 June 2006 20:51 (nineteen years ago)

That's why i'm going to give it a chance - the character's obviously quite nuanced and well thought through. It's just that there was nothing there that grabbed me, no 'hook', if you will.

― chap who would dare to be a nerd, not a geek (chap), Monday, 19 June 2006 20:54 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't think his fit seemed very angry.

― Alba (Alba), Monday, 19 June 2006 20:55 (nineteen years ago)

annoyingly, it doesn't seem to be repeated at any point, which is a) annoying and b) unexpected.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Monday, 19 June 2006 21:05 (nineteen years ago)

Something tells me the beeb doesn't have a great deal of faith in this (ie, new Coogan show, and I only hear about it on ILE two days before broadcast). They probably would have liked to test run it on BBC3, but you can't really do that to a man who's shared top billing with Jackie Chan.

― chap who would dare to be a nerd, not a geek (chap), Monday, 19 June 2006 21:12 (nineteen years ago)

yes, i think you're right. but it's incredibly un-BBC not to be repeating the fucking thing everywhere.

time to get torrenting, i guess.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Monday, 19 June 2006 21:15 (nineteen years ago)

i'm watching this now; not great is it?

'yadda yadda yadda.'

― Seriously, Try Punching This Guy in the Face and See What Happens (Enrique), Monday, 19 June 2006 21:19 (nineteen years ago)

"Anthropomorphism... that's how Walt Disney made his stash. And fair play to him"

I thought it had been trailed fairly well over the past week.

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 19 June 2006 21:22 (nineteen years ago)

is there a westgate centre in stevenage then?

― Seriously, Try Punching This Guy in the Face and See What Happens (Enrique), Monday, 19 June 2006 21:24 (nineteen years ago)

liked it.

the first fifteen mins was alot better than the second though. the interview scene and scenes in his house in particular.

― Ronan (Ronan), Monday, 19 June 2006 21:24 (nineteen years ago)

i didn't laugh out loud but definitely chuckled a few times and think it could become a winner.

― stirmonster (stirmonster), Monday, 19 June 2006 21:37 (nineteen years ago)

I really liked this, esp. the bit where he showed his assistant around his house.

― melton mowbray's APOCALYPTO! (adr), Monday, 19 June 2006 23:31 (nineteen years ago)

I thought it was good. A few laughs and a cute Taxi Driver manque feel to it. For a first ep it was pretty promising.

― Shadow of the Waxwing (noodle vague), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 00:12 (nineteen years ago)

>I laughed when they mentioned Clinton Cards in the Westgate Centre but that was about it.

takes all sorts, i guess... 8)

lots of bad jokes and innuendo in that episode. is he giving pathetic characters bad jokes so we laugh at their sadness in lieu of writing good jokes?

reminded me of the failed rock star in League Of Gentlemen.

― koogy wonderland (koogs), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 07:29 (nineteen years ago)

I gave up pretty early, around the time when he started namechecking Eno.

If you're going to do something about an old roadie, at least try to be realistic.

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 07:38 (nineteen years ago)

"Now I don't want you to worry about rent.... So'll take £50 straight off your salary at source" was one of the better lines.

Made me giggle a bit rather than laugh out loud, but it has potential. Will stick with it and see how we get on.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Tuesday, 20 June 2006 07:38 (nineteen years ago)

Skipping 127 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

You tube, Michael.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 25 July 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

the other thing i like about this is how saxondale has retained an affectation of over-the-top "gentlemanliness" (i.e. "a doff of the proverbial") that in his youth must have carried a sort of magic and irony but now - almost totally unaltered - fits him like a glove

this reminds me of the twin/brothers characters from Coogan's Run and their 'stout yeoman of the bar' thing altho that was more studenty (i.e. young Saxondale, sort of). it's a recurring thing in Coogan work. you get the impression he just loves language (even tho the characters using it in this way usually come across as irritating or pretentious for doing so).

― Konal Doddz (blueski), Tuesday, 25 July 2006 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

three months pass...

Saxondale's little friend, the one we all liked so much, is now in Lead Balloon, the Jack Dee thing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/leadballoon/

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 25 October 2006 10:52 (nineteen years ago)

Lead Balloon's quite good in its gentle, derivative way. I've completely forgotten Saxondale.

― chap who would dare to welcome our new stingray masters (chap), Wednesday, 25 October 2006 10:57 (nineteen years ago)

his name appears to be Rasmus Hardiker.

― Koogy Yonderboy (koogs), Wednesday, 25 October 2006 11:37 (nineteen years ago)

Saxondale just started airing on BBC America.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Wednesday, 25 October 2006 13:58 (nineteen years ago)

i wonder, if specner chow will see it.

― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 25 October 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

I'll tell you what I liked, I liked Man To Man with Dean Lerner. I also liked Fear of Fanny (starring a cavalcade of ILX's most/least favourite comedy actors) and that Lee Mack sitcom isn't terrible either.

None of these shows really deserve a thread of their own, however.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 25 October 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

i want to see it!

― RoxyMuzak© (roxymuzak), Wednesday, 25 October 2006 18:49 (nineteen years ago)

i mentioned dean learner on the 'let's talk about this week's new uk comedy show' (or whatever it's called) thread, MJ. i will revive it after seeing eo2

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:12 (nineteen years ago)

Lead Balloon "goes terrestial" tonight. I kind of like it, but I haven't seen much, just the odd couple of minutes in my lunch break.

Watched "One Hour Photo" last night. Should have been a one hour film.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:17 (nineteen years ago)

that's true. i think the first hour is good. lots of films used to be closer to an hour-70min, in the good old days.

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:19 (nineteen years ago)

I've just started watching 9 1/2 Weeks (Director's Cut). I'll let you know what I think of it on January 1st.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:29 (nineteen years ago)

i'm watching the extended '120 days of sodom'...

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 26 October 2006 08:37 (nineteen years ago)

nine months pass...

Series 2 has started. Not much different, really. He's grown his own hair instead of wearing a wig.

― bham, Friday, 24 August 2007 08:07 (eighteen years ago)

dolphin impression made me laugh.

― koogs, Friday, 24 August 2007 09:20 (eighteen years ago)

oh, man. i'll have to torrent it because it didn't seem to do too well on bbc america. (bbc america's "comedy saturdays" now consist of some shite remake of dr. jekyll/mr. hyde and graham norton. COMEDY!)

― GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ, Friday, 24 August 2007 09:25 (eighteen years ago)

err... the first season didn't do too well, that is. so i'm guessing they won't show the second.

― GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ, Friday, 24 August 2007 09:25 (eighteen years ago)

ah, bollocks. meant to have a look at this new series. didn't. hey ho.

― grimly fiendish, Friday, 24 August 2007 22:25 (eighteen years ago)

if only the BBC would come up with some kind of clever internet-based way to watch shows again.

one that FUCKING WORKED ON MY MAC, that is.

― grimly fiendish, Friday, 24 August 2007 22:25 (eighteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

anyone bothering?

― That one guy that hit it and quit it, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 15:54 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, last weeks was pretty good. First time I'd seen it really.

Recommended.

― Mark G, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 15:55 (eighteen years ago)

i'm just doing thursday's TV pages and thinking, ah, saxondale ... yeh, shit, not watched any of this series at all yet. buggering fuck.

― grimly fiendish, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 16:28 (eighteen years ago)

Mark G OTM, last week's was a definite improvement on the first series.

― Neil S, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 17:02 (eighteen years ago)

wasn't the odd druggy squatter in last series too?

― koogs, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 17:51 (eighteen years ago)

Episode #1.4 (10 July 2006) - Tommy Saxondale/Gay Mancunian Heroin Addict, Executive Producer, Writer

I KNEW I hadn't dreamt it!

― Not the real Village People, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 18:41 (eighteen years ago)

last week's was a definite improvement on the first series.

-- Neil S, Tuesday, 11 September 2007 17:02 (3 days ago) Bookmark Link

Whereas Last night's was so-so with a couple of good bits.

― Mark G, Friday, 14 September 2007 11:42 (eighteen years ago)

Missed it, instead I was forced to watch John Hurt getting in a huff because he wasn't related to the Marquis of Sligo.

― Neil S, Friday, 14 September 2007 11:53 (eighteen years ago)

that being the 'devastating revelation' they highlit all yesterday then?

― Mark G, Friday, 14 September 2007 11:56 (eighteen years ago)

Pretty much. He looked pretty grumpy about it. Only actors could have the colossal self-regard to believe that their family tree is inherently of interest to the viewing public.

― Neil S, Friday, 14 September 2007 12:07 (eighteen years ago)

It all looked so false as well. Like, take 2, look of grumpy disbelief.

Saxondale was dull last night I thought. I think I'm starting to missed canned laughter.

― Ned Trifle II, Friday, 14 September 2007 12:10 (eighteen years ago)

I don't see why anyone should care, either. There seemed to be a large element of snobbery to his reaction.

― Neil S, Friday, 14 September 2007 12:22 (eighteen years ago)

(> that being the 'devastating revelation' they highlit all yesterday then?

wasn't the devastating revelation, the one where he looked grumpy in the trailers, the fact that they were first cousins?)

saxondale, i realised last night, is very formulaic, similar structure every week. but still funny. neighbour in glastonbury t-shirt.

mitchell and webb, on immediately afterwards, had me lolling much more though. the swimming pool, the vicar, the nativity, numberwangk...

― koogs, Friday, 14 September 2007 12:36 (eighteen years ago)

...it was all about the Green Clarinet for me.

― NickB, Friday, 14 September 2007 12:43 (eighteen years ago)

Numberwang: the poor man's quizzlestick.

― Neil S, Friday, 14 September 2007 12:51 (eighteen years ago)

five months pass...

Coogan revives Alan Partridge for tour:

http://www.chortle.co.uk/shows/tour/s/15969/steve_coogan_is_alan_partridge_and_other_less_successful_characters

― StanM, Thursday, 13 March 2008 09:50 (seventeen years ago)

This is the most baffling thread in all of ilx to me. I love this show. I think the character is so well-drawn and completely compelling; I think it's poignant and relatable; I think the jokes are hilarious.

― Savannah Smiles, Thursday, 13 March 2008 11:39 (seventeen years ago)

nine months pass...

Still want to see this!

― rox qua rox (roxymuzak), Saturday, 20 December 2008 02:05 (seventeen years ago)

but having got the DVDs for christmas man is there a difference in tone between the series. tommy's much less exaggerated in his mannerisms, the wonderfully horible blonde woman is scaled back a bit... it's weird. i'm only on the first episode of the second series, though, still funny.

― what we do is secrete (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Monday, 29 December 2008 09:42 (seventeen years ago)

can he top 'dr terrible's house of horrible'?

― Seriously, Try Punching This Guy in the Face and See What Happens (Enrique), Monday, June 19, 2006 12:36 PM (2 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

zing!

― Brohan Hari, Monday, 29 December 2008 12:41 (seventeen years ago)

two weeks pass...

both seasons are out on dvd in the us soon. you know why? because my wife got the UK dvds for me for christmas. i think they were actually cheaper though (the us one is supposed to be $40), even with shipping. why are the spaced dvds so expensive, also?

how you doin?

― HELPING CHILDREN THROUGH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Friday, 16 January 2009 12:48 (seventeen years ago)

i'm doing ok

― cutty, Friday, 16 January 2009 12:49 (seventeen years ago)

good to hear

― HELPING CHILDREN THROUGH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Friday, 16 January 2009 13:44 (seventeen years ago)

three months pass...

watching the second disc of the first season now. i like this show. i'd have a beer or smoke a joint with tommy.

― ian, Monday, 11 May 2009 23:21 (sixteen years ago)

one year passes...

finally got around to seeing this, the first series anyway. not especially 'hilarious' but the episodes improve as the series goes on and every episode is enjoyable, even if 95% of the music references seem horridly forced in

― BIG HOOTY aka the Sapperticker (electricsound), Thursday, 30 December 2010 08:50 (fifteen years ago)

I've just started watching 9 1/2 Weeks (Director's Cut). I'll let you know what I think of it on January 1st.
― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 26 October 2006

― the pinefox, Thursday, 30 December 2010 11:27 (fifteen years ago)

two months pass...

i wonder, if specner chow will see it.

I finally watched this and really enjoyed it. Definitely a grower (had to start it a few times to get into it). The only weird thing was that I didn't think he really showed very much anger!

― Spencer Chow, Tuesday, 8 March 2011 22:32 (fifteen years ago)

one month passes...

Just started watching this. Half way through season one - each episode getting better. I think Tommy's facial tics and banter are hilarious. Also baffled that this didn't get more love.

― paulhw, Tuesday, 26 April 2011 14:08 (fourteen years ago)

wtf this thread is 5 years old, and i've never heard of this before

― if you wanna gamble, take that shit to vegas (Ste), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 14:13 (fourteen years ago)

I thought this thread revive was about this http://www.totalfilm.com/news/steve-coogan-confirms-alan-partridge-movie-shoots-next-year

― Cluster the boots (Billy Dods), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 14:18 (fourteen years ago)

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