Wernham Hogg Forum

nospam · Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:20 pm Extras Xmas Special

So this isn't particulary about the special, I'll tell you why... cos I haven't actually ever bothered to watch the program. I've seen tiny snippets, for example, David Bowie singing about Brent, I mean Gervais, I mean, Andy Tillman.. but generally, I just haven't shown an interest in anything Gervais-related since, well, The Office Xmas specials, I suppose...

Which is what leads me to this thread, really. After watching Comedy Connections last night about The Office, does anybody remember the sheer excitement we were all feeling before the first episode aired? How we'd waited oh so long for this and how amazing it was?...... And then after the second? With the three main things: Tim/Dawn, "Oi Chris, fuck off" and Brent getting a girlfriend all being things we were punching the air and cheering for... we even got a new member in the name of LucyDavisIsFine.. come on, we were all wanking over her for a few moments after the program as she seemed to be 'glowing'...

Well, where's that excitement gone from comedy now? For example, Saxondale.. I didn't even realise it was on. The Mighty Boosh is crap. What else? The IT Crowd?... Chris Morris, what the fuck were you thinking lending your presence to that piece of shit?... Gone are the days where comedy dominated my days... no, it just doesn't seem to be happening anymore to me... and it saddens me, that I can't sit with such anticipation and excitement over a television program like I did with The Office or '24' (lost it's charm completely in the last season)... where I would close my doors, tell nobody to disturb me for hours, have enough packets of Walkers crisps and cherryade to last me and just go for it!.....

Shame, isn't it? So, who's watching the Extras Christmas special tonight? I'm gonna watch it. Only because I'm indoors and my little brothers just broken the Sky Digital aerial... otherwise I'd probably just settle for more repeats of Only Fools and Horses again..

BILLY V2.0 · Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:47 pm

we were lucky to grow up during a golden age of comedy i think, although there's still good stuff around. curb your enthusiasm is possibly better than ever, and 'it's always sunny in philadelphia' is good too. english comedy is fairly shite at the moment but i think it's only a matter of time until catchphrases start to bore people, then we'll get another morris or iannucci, then they'll fade into obscurity and the cycle will repeat itself.

i feel the same way as you but i put that down to growing up more than anything. look at all the boosh fans. sure, they are cunts, but they enjoy the show and have a bloody good time quoting it just as we did with the office/partridge those years ago. i can't watch a programme anymore without comparing it to something i enjoyed more, and the standard of things like 15 storeys high/peep show have made it hard for anything to really grab me.

the extras special actually made me cry a bit and it wasn't that bad, but i'll forget about it tomorrow.

but what do i know. i like home improvement

BILLY V2.0 · Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:49 pm

double post. slow forum!

nospam · Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:58 pm

curb is great, i need to get fanatical over that, i've only got through half of series 1 (not by choice, by shit internet servers not giving me more!)............

it was OK tonight, laughed a few times, gervais was too gervais at times... almost felt like his own personal bow-out?... hmm...

Daniel · Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:37 am

BILLY V2.0 wrote: we were lucky to grow up during a golden age of comedy i think

you must be joking

RChappo · Fri Dec 28, 2007 8:19 am

I just saw the Extras special. It wasn't great but it kept me entertained for 80 minutes. Thought they could have dropped a few of the celebreties and expanded on just a couple of them, because their parts seemed a bit rushed. The best part in it was the Pilkington cameo.

I think the problem nowadays is that there is just too much comedy around and it dilutes the good stuff.

Can you imagine if Morcambe & Wise, The Two Ronnies or even Only Fools & Horses came out for the first time this year? I bet no-one would consider them to be classics because they're not satirical or "clever".

Pah. · Fri Dec 28, 2007 1:32 pm

of course you're going to remember the great stuff of the past, and reminisce about great comedy of the past, but you were younger, christmas was still magical, and there was still god awful shit on the tv, you just choose to not remember it. Theres still great stuff around, Suburban Shootout was so fantastic this year, I'm re-watching the first series as we speak!

RChappo · Fri Dec 28, 2007 4:03 pm

I Suburban Shootout the one with Emma Kennedy in it?

I like her!

Daniel · Fri Dec 28, 2007 4:25 pm

yeah obviously there's always been shit. Even some of the stuff which is now considered classic or great is shit (to the manor born etc) but it's still easy to look at how much great stuff we've had compared to previous eras.

The Office (which, even though it doesn't make me laugh much anymore, I have a sentimental attachment to it) Peep Show, wonder showzen (yes seriously) 15 Storeys, they're about the only things that come to mind when I think of really great stuff. But then I look at the 90s and there's loads of it. In fact all of the very best comedy was made in the 90s, TDT/Brasseye/Seinfeld/A&J etc. Bar The Day Today and Brasseye, I probably do prefer the aformentioned stuff from this era, if only because of my own attachment to it. but if i grew up in the 90s, i'd have an attachment to other stuff. better stuff.

i just don't think this decade really qualifies as a 'golden age' when even the best program (peep show) isn't quite as good as the best stuff from other eras. there's just so much shit, it really brings it down. i mean when i was like 16/17 or whatever i really thought comedy was the best thing, it was exciting but then it soon became apparent that there was nothing worth getting excited about. that's pretty annoying, i mean I don't understand why people who have been given a TV show would be as lazy with it as some people have been. fucking dean learner's chat show shit, what the hell was that? supposedly alternative comedians just can't be bothered.

i was watching bill bailey on that dawn french bbc four thing the other day and he said comedy was great because you can develop a special bond with it and feel protective over it. like if you see something late at night that nobody else probably saw that really made you laugh, it becomes a really personal thing. that's what made me fall in love with comedy, but the ensuing reality that we live in an age where the people making it just don't care that much is disappointing.

that isn't what i fell in love with, and it isn't a golden age.

rant over.

Daniel · Fri Dec 28, 2007 4:35 pm

by the way bill that wasn't meant to be like 'fuck you you're wrong' but i thought i may as well disagree properly.

BILLY V2.0 · Fri Dec 28, 2007 5:41 pm

i'm going to reply to this properly tomorrow with grammar and everything. watch this space.

nospam · Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:47 pm

i also think the digital age has destroyed it. i mean, we can watch any comedy from any time present or past in a matter of seconds, can't we? we're spoilt. SPOILT I TELLS YA

Elliott · Sat Dec 29, 2007 2:47 am

The last episode of the Office was shown on my birthday a few years ago, I was out, but watched it in a merry state as soon as I got in, when it was taped on a video player (remember those!).

I forgot the Extras special was on until I saw this thread.

As for the other things touched on:

this is not a golden age of comedy
i for one laughed mightily at the reference to the stonk
i was in no way excited before the office came on - i remember thinking it was ok right up to episode 4 (get the guitar) which is when i truly 'got' what was going on
steve brody is great and shame on you, especially ellen, for not mentioning him
i'm gonna go look up some A&J on youtube. jazz queens should do it

RChappo · Sat Dec 29, 2007 5:21 pm

nospam wrote: i also think the digital age has destroyed it. i mean, we can watch any comedy from any time present or past in a matter of seconds, can't we? we're spoilt. SPOILT I TELLS YA

I agree completely. It's the same with music too...you can get any song or album you want instantly with minimal effort and I think that makes you appreciate it less.

nospam · Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:07 pm

it's weird too. i have my laptop music. then i have my ipod music. it's completely different. i find that odd.