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Post by sph on Feb 2, 2024 18:47:21 GMT
I mean, entertainment is entertainment I guess. Fawlty Towers is an odd one though, isn't it? Revered as one of the greatest ever sitcoms and yet they only made 12 episodes, which would in many other cases be considered a flop. Is it shown on TV often? Ouch… slight misunderstanding here of what constitutes a “flop”. They were being begged to write more series, but due to the fractious relationship between Connie Booth and John Cleese, they decided to stop with 12 perfect episodes. I am very excited about this production having loved “Only Fools and Horses” on stage, and will be there on opening night. Just amazed it’s taken this long for it to finally happen. No, not a misunderstanding at all on my part, perhaps a misunderstanding in how you read it? It wasn't a flop, I just commented on how in many other situations, a run of 12 episodes would be considered a flop. An American TV show with that length of run would be long forgotten by now, by comparison. Things may be done differently on different sides of the pond of course, but it's still funny how a sitcom, of all things, with only twelve episodes, can be remembered so fondly decades later.
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Post by vdcni on Feb 2, 2024 18:49:08 GMT
I'm not saying it was a flop - it obviously wasn't, I just think it's odd that, considering the examples also cited above, some of our best-loved shows had such short runs. I think they even make a joke about it on The Simpsons where a British sitcom, stated to be one of its longest-running shows, is being played on TV and the announcer says that they'll be showing "all 8 episodes" or something like that. It's not odd, it's just different to the way they do sitcoms in USA. Over there they have teams of writers for sitcoms (that was an issue in the Writers Guild of America strike recently - they wanted a minimum of six to twelve writers employed for each show and the settlement gave them that - shows with 13 or more episodes now have to have at least six writers). In UK virtually all sitcoms are entirely written by only one or two writers, I can't think of a single one that wasn't. My Family, but that was a specific attempt to do a US style sitcom.
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Post by danielwhit on Feb 2, 2024 19:10:53 GMT
In UK virtually all sitcoms are entirely written by only one or two writers, I can't think of a single one that wasn't. A couple that immediately come to mind for this are My Family and Two Pints, both long running BBC 2000s comedies. I agree it's rare though.
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Post by theatrefan62 on Feb 2, 2024 19:12:20 GMT
Ouch… slight misunderstanding here of what constitutes a “flop”. They were being begged to write more series, but due to the fractious relationship between Connie Booth and John Cleese, they decided to stop with 12 perfect episodes. I am very excited about this production having loved “Only Fools and Horses” on stage, and will be there on opening night. Just amazed it’s taken this long for it to finally happen. No, not a misunderstanding at all on my part, perhaps a misunderstanding in how you read it? It wasn't a flop, I just commented on how in many other situations, a run of 12 episodes would be considered a flop. An American TV show with that length of run would be long forgotten by now, by comparison. Things may be done differently on different sides of the pond of course, but it's still funny how a sitcom, of all things, with only twelve episodes, can be remembered so fondly decades later. It's just quality over quantity. Length of run has no bearing on quality or how fondly something is remembered and loved. I mean, two and a half men ran for years!
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 2, 2024 19:38:28 GMT
I’ve never heard Miranda quoted or referenced anywhere by anyone. To suggest that it is a classic is to me, bizarre. Of course there is a generational thing going on but really? Miranda? Dreadful and unfunny to the point of embarrassment. Sorry!
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 2, 2024 20:19:52 GMT
This sounds absolutely dreadful. Can only imagine the people it will attract.
You can also see Anna Jane Casey’s performance already.
Easy pass.
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Post by alece10 on Feb 2, 2024 20:26:01 GMT
This sounds absolutely dreadful. Can only imagine the people it will attract. You can also see Anna Jane Casey’s performance already. Easy pass. Rude! Especially as I intend to go.
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Post by happysooz2 on Feb 2, 2024 20:31:30 GMT
I mean, entertainment is entertainment I guess. Fawlty Towers is an odd one though, isn't it? Revered as one of the greatest ever sitcoms and yet they only made 12 episodes, which would in many other cases be considered a flop. Is it shown on TV often? Quantity is not a measure of quality.
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Post by Jan on Feb 2, 2024 20:32:14 GMT
Ouch… slight misunderstanding here of what constitutes a “flop”. They were being begged to write more series, but due to the fractious relationship between Connie Booth and John Cleese, they decided to stop with 12 perfect episodes. I am very excited about this production having loved “Only Fools and Horses” on stage, and will be there on opening night. Just amazed it’s taken this long for it to finally happen. No, not a misunderstanding at all on my part, perhaps a misunderstanding in how you read it? It wasn't a flop, I just commented on how in many other situations, a run of 12 episodes would be considered a flop. An American TV show with that length of run would be long forgotten by now, by comparison. Things may be done differently on different sides of the pond of course, but it's still funny how a sitcom, of all things, with only twelve episodes, can be remembered so fondly decades later. But it’s not funny at all unless you are actually from USA ? (I’m guessing you are because “across the pond” is almost exclusively an American expression). Boys From The Black Stuff on TV in the 1980s shortly to be revived at NT was 5 episodes - why would comedy be different to drama ? Why would length of run rather than quality make something fondly remembered ? Chekhov only wrote 4 plays, why are they fondly remembered when Strindberg wrote 100 ?
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Post by theatrefan62 on Feb 2, 2024 21:06:43 GMT
I’ve never heard Miranda quoted or referenced anywhere by anyone. To suggest that it is a classic is to me, bizarre. Of course there is a generational thing going on but really? Miranda? Dreadful and unfunny to the point of embarrassment. Sorry! Im genuinely surprised by that. Ive heard and seen the series often quoted. The final episodes to end the series was a major event with big viewing figures. I don't find Faulty Towers funny, never heard it quoted by anyone, but I know it's importance in modern culture. You don't have to like something for it to be culturally significant.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 2, 2024 21:12:55 GMT
I’ve never heard Miranda quoted or referenced anywhere by anyone. To suggest that it is a classic is to me, bizarre. Of course there is a generational thing going on but really? Miranda? Dreadful and unfunny to the point of embarrassment. Sorry! Im genuinely surprised by that. Ive heard and seen the series often quoted. The final episodes to end the series was a major event with big viewing figures. I don't find Faulty Towers funny, never heard it quoted by anyone, but I know it's importance in modern culture. You don't have to like something for it to be culturally significant. What is a famous Miranda quote?
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Post by alece10 on Feb 2, 2024 21:41:32 GMT
"Bear with" and "it's what I call" spring to mind.
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Post by kit66 on Feb 2, 2024 21:49:49 GMT
"Such fun!"
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Post by longinthetooth on Feb 2, 2024 22:01:13 GMT
Can't say I'm particularly excited, but my OH, who hasn't set foot in a theatre since circa 2018, is already expressing interest!
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Post by dontdreamit on Feb 2, 2024 22:05:16 GMT
I’ve never heard Miranda quoted or referenced anywhere by anyone. To suggest that it is a classic is to me, bizarre. Of course there is a generational thing going on but really? Miranda? Dreadful and unfunny to the point of embarrassment. Sorry! We love Miranda in our house and mutual friends often drop a quote or too.
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Post by dontdreamit on Feb 2, 2024 22:06:25 GMT
Im genuinely surprised by that. Ive heard and seen the series often quoted. The final episodes to end the series was a major event with big viewing figures. I don't find Faulty Towers funny, never heard it quoted by anyone, but I know it's importance in modern culture. You don't have to like something for it to be culturally significant. What is a famous Miranda quote? “Tuewsday”
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Post by Steve on Feb 2, 2024 23:00:49 GMT
Im genuinely surprised by that. Ive heard and seen the series often quoted. The final episodes to end the series was a major event with big viewing figures. I don't find Faulty Towers funny, never heard it quoted by anyone, but I know it's importance in modern culture. You don't have to like something for it to be culturally significant. What is a famous Miranda quote? "What have you done today to make you feel proud?"
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Post by alicechallice on Feb 2, 2024 23:11:45 GMT
I’ve never heard Miranda quoted or referenced anywhere by anyone. To suggest that it is a classic is to me, bizarre. Of course there is a generational thing going on but really? Miranda? Dreadful and unfunny to the point of embarrassment. Sorry! I'm constantly saying 'bear with'.
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Post by Jon on Feb 2, 2024 23:34:54 GMT
I've gone off John Cleese in recent years, brilliant writer but he comes across as a sad old man who does any old crap for money. Compare that to Michael Palin who comes across a lot better.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 3, 2024 8:33:17 GMT
This sounds absolutely dreadful. Can only imagine the people it will attract. You can also see Anna Jane Casey’s performance already. Easy pass. Rude! Especially as I intend to go. Of course I don’t mean you!
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Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 3, 2024 8:35:18 GMT
I’ve never heard Miranda quoted or referenced anywhere by anyone. To suggest that it is a classic is to me, bizarre. Of course there is a generational thing going on but really? Miranda? Dreadful and unfunny to the point of embarrassment. Sorry! I'm constantly saying 'bear with'. Same. I always found Miranda comforting to watch exactly because it was so unfunny and terrible. It looked like they were all having fun performing it, in spite of how sh*te it was. I draw the line at Mrs Browns Boys though.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2024 12:41:14 GMT
Wouldn't go anywhere near any project Cleese is involved im with a bargepole.
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Post by alicechallice on Feb 3, 2024 15:41:59 GMT
Last night I was trying to remember another catchphrase that me & my mate used regularly and it's just come back to me...
Being snarky about your pal by asking a question and finishing it with "are we?", like Miranda & Stevie always did.
"Wearing that shirt like you're going out in 1993, are we?"
"Staying in with Ben & Jerry tonight to deal with the pain of another year alone, are we?"
That sort of friendly banter, you know.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 3, 2024 15:53:45 GMT
To be fair people have been saying those things for donkeys years. Miranda just nicked them and milked them!
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Post by lynette on Feb 3, 2024 17:55:57 GMT
Wouldn't go anywhere near any project Cleese is involved im with a bargepole. Does he have anything to do with the play? I thought part of his financial prob was that he lost the rights to FT years a go. I know he is developing an updated series with his daughter but this would be new material?
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Post by n1david on Feb 3, 2024 18:15:15 GMT
Wouldn't go anywhere near any project Cleese is involved im with a bargepole. Does he have anything to do with the play? I thought part of his financial prob was that he lost the rights to FT years a go. I know he is developing an updated series with his daughter but this would be new material? Yes, he's done the adaptation to merge the stories into one and written a new ending.
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Post by david on Feb 3, 2024 18:56:58 GMT
I am certainly looking forward to this and will be booking ASAP. I think the TV show is great fun and still holds up after so long. Hopefully we will see the car get a damn good thrashing on stage.
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Post by keyspi on Feb 3, 2024 20:47:15 GMT
Well if Miranda is on the list of classics, might as well chuck Not Going Out on there as well!
🤭
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Post by crabtree on Feb 4, 2024 14:34:30 GMT
Can you imagine if dinnerladies had been written by a writer's room - shortlived in terms of episodes perhaps but each one utterly brilliant. Miss Wood's brilliant phrasing would clearly have been lost I suspect.
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Post by anxiousoctopus on Feb 4, 2024 15:48:15 GMT
As this show is being directed by the director, assistant director and resident director (as well as the same set and costume designer) as the Only Fools and Horses Musical I’m really interested in seeing what they do with it.
Only Fools was very well done so I do trust the creative team, it’s only the writing that might let it down.
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