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September 24, 2009 10:43 AM   Subscribe

 
I am so very old.

/crawls into a corner, curls up into a ball, withered husk disintegrates into dust.
posted by Artw at 10:45 AM on September 24, 2009 [3 favorites]


I just saw this for the first time last week on Hulu. What I love about pop culture is that it's endless...they should make chemically induced comas for comedy junkies where we pass out for 10 years and get to experience entire shows all at once like I am right now.

Wait there are 9 seasons of it too? Thank you Baphomet!
posted by Potomac Avenue at 10:53 AM on September 24, 2009


Sadly only 2. In UK TV 9 seasons is only what bad comedies get.
posted by Artw at 10:54 AM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


Jamaican Unemployment Office Worker: The Phantom Menace? I'll see what I can do.

Greatest Jar Jar Binks joke ever.
posted by Monsters at 10:55 AM on September 24, 2009 [5 favorites]


But hey, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, um... The Worlds End?
posted by Artw at 10:56 AM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


I've got some fucking Jaffa Cakes in my coat pocket.
posted by greycap at 10:57 AM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


I'm not supposed to eat Twiglets. They make me violent.
posted by Artw at 10:59 AM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


Hurm, this means I have 370 days to craft a kick-ass Black Books FPP.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:00 AM on September 24, 2009 [5 favorites]


... a kick-ass tenth anniversary Black Books FPP, rather.
Stupid oldness.

posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:03 AM on September 24, 2009


Hellooo Brian . . .
posted by Think_Long at 11:09 AM on September 24, 2009 [8 favorites]


Ahh... Vulva
posted by Artw at 11:11 AM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


/dives in slow motion across the blue firing imaginary .45s

"Oooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh shhhhhhhhhhhhhhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit"
posted by longbaugh at 11:16 AM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


Hurm, this means I have 370 days to craft a kick-ass Black Books FPP.

The difference between Spaced and Black Books is that Spaced is funny.
posted by dortmunder at 11:16 AM on September 24, 2009 [4 favorites]


Twig: Is Jabba the princess?
Everyone: YES.
posted by edbles at 11:16 AM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


Can't believe you left out the Hulu and 4oD links. You... Lando.
posted by permafrost at 11:16 AM on September 24, 2009


*makes pistols with both hands, starts slow mo dive whilst blasting away and making pew pew noises *
posted by pyrex at 11:16 AM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


The worst part about being a Spaced fan is watching the end of the documentary included in the complete series boxed set. If you are a Spaced fan, and haven't seen it, go find it. It will drive you mad with rage and heartbreak.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 11:19 AM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


The difference between Spaced and Black Books is that Spaced is funny.

OH NO YOU DIDN'T!
posted by WinnipegDragon at 11:19 AM on September 24, 2009 [6 favorites]


People people don't fight. Can we all get back to the Monty Python-esque spaced quote-off?
posted by edbles at 11:23 AM on September 24, 2009


Babylon 5 was a big pile of shit!
posted by Spatch at 11:23 AM on September 24, 2009


If Spaced were Blakes 7 then Peter Serafinowicz would be the Travis.
posted by Artw at 11:25 AM on September 24, 2009


OH NO YOU DIDN'T!

Yes I did, and I'd do it again too. Many, many times.
posted by dortmunder at 11:26 AM on September 24, 2009


Pain. Anger. Fear. And Aggression.
posted by Lacking Subtlety at 11:27 AM on September 24, 2009 [3 favorites]


Hurm, this means I have 370 days to craft a kick-ass Black Books FPP.

My FPP can post anything! My FPP can post... other FPPs!
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:28 AM on September 24, 2009


The difference between Spaced and Black Books is that Spaced is funny. has jokes that I can understand, though my SO is getting tired of me elbowing her in the ribs whenever there's a Babylon 5 reference.

Now that we've gotten past the obligatory 'Your thing sucks/No, your thing sucks' I think we can agree that both shows feature some very talented people.

Though Simon Pegg is a better comedy writer than Graham Linehan, or better performer than Dylan Moran? In a pig's eye.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:34 AM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


The difference between Spaced and Black Books is that Spaced is funny.

Sorry, I can't let that one go. When Pegg, Frost and Wright get together you can expect solid comedy, mostly, but then they pepper it - if not outright dilute it - with this faux drama that is mawkishly sentimental and outright uncomfortable. I'm thinking, in particular, of that tedious and neverending "Mum? Mum? Mum! That's my mum! You can't shoot my mum! Mum! No, Mum! Bawwww!" sequence from Shaun but I remember similar shit in Spaced and Hot Fuzz and I don't like it one bit. Black Books, while it can be hit or miss, is at least consistently a comedy with no pretense.
posted by turgid dahlia at 11:36 AM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


that tedious and neverending "Mum? Mum? Mum! That's my mum! You can't shoot my mum! Mum! No, Mum! Bawwww!" sequence from Shaun

My problem with that was more that it seemed like an effective dramatic scene that didn;t quite fit in tone-wise with the rest of the movie.
posted by Artw at 11:40 AM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


After a shakey start I started really liking the IT Crowd - I'll have to rewatch the early ones to see if I like those now (which is what happened to me with Black Books)... When are we getting more of that?
posted by Artw at 11:41 AM on September 24, 2009


WinnipegDragon: any chance of expanding on that? I have Series 1 & 2 already and will therefore probably not but the boxed set just to watch the documentary...
posted by pharm at 11:43 AM on September 24, 2009


The first episode of the second series of IT Crowd was amazing. It only takes saying "I'm disabled!" in a small, wounded voice to my wife to make her apoplectic with laughter.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:44 AM on September 24, 2009 [5 favorites]


The tube doesn't go to Sheffield, Mike!
posted by A dead Quaker at 11:47 AM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


Leg disabled! Har har har...
posted by Admiral Haddock at 11:48 AM on September 24, 2009


More Black Books? Everything I've read or heard from Moran and Linehan suggests that there will be no such thing. There was talk after season 3 of a live show but it's all petered out.
posted by turgid dahlia at 11:53 AM on September 24, 2009


Well, more IT Crowd was what I was wondering about.

BTW, I'm stuck over in the US at the moment so have a limited view of things, but has 2009 been a bit of a dead patch for British TV comedy or something?
posted by Artw at 11:56 AM on September 24, 2009


Black Books, while it can be hit or miss, is at least consistently a comedy with no pretense.

The only reason I even looked at Black Books was because of Lineham's involvement. I'd never heard of him until I ran across The IT Crowd, and I made the mistake of assuming his work must have always been funny. Man, was I wrong.
posted by dortmunder at 11:56 AM on September 24, 2009


/Throws imaginary hand grenade at pyrex whilst clutching at imaginary bullet wounds.
posted by longbaugh at 11:59 AM on September 24, 2009


Artw: Oh, well, IT Crowd is up to season 3 and frankly I think a 4th would be pushing it. As for British comedy, the season 6 of Peep Show started last weekend.

dortmunder: I guess the real appeal for me, at least, is that I can readily identify with Bernard Black (Dylan Moran) insofar as I drink, smoke, have a lot of books, and hate everybody.
posted by turgid dahlia at 12:00 PM on September 24, 2009


...and want a summer girl. "She'll have hair!"
posted by turgid dahlia at 12:01 PM on September 24, 2009 [3 favorites]


Can't believe you left out the Hulu and 4oD links. You... Lando.

Hulu is yanks only, you Joey.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:02 PM on September 24, 2009


Man, was I wrong.

Well, in one sense.
posted by Artw at 12:04 PM on September 24, 2009


In UK TV 9 seasons is only what bad comedies get

I could never understand this. I mean, I understand the concept of leaving on a good note, at the height of your popularity, as an end-game around shark-jumping. But for fuck's sakeFawlty Towers, The Young Ones, Spaced, The Office… I'd gladly give up the last ten seasons of the Simpsons for one extra "season" of Spaced.

* where season is defined in typical British rationing as 6 episodes
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 12:09 PM on September 24, 2009


I guess the real appeal for me, at least, is that I can readily identify with Bernard Black (Dylan Moran) insofar as I drink, smoke, have a lot of books, and hate everybody.

I'm a bibliophilic, hard drinking misanthrope as well, but the show's still not funny. Bernard Black wasn't funny. In theory, it should have worked. I found the reality to be much different. I had a very strong negative reaction to the character. Ok, I'm done derailing this thread now.

My favorite episode of Spaced is the one where they rescue Daisy's dog from the vivisectionist. Either that or the performance art one. It's hard to choose.
posted by dortmunder at 12:09 PM on September 24, 2009


I could never understand this

Think this is mainly down to the Brit tradition of comedies usually being written by one person or partnership rather than the 'writing room' of the US
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:16 PM on September 24, 2009


If Spaced were Blakes 7 then Peter Serafinowicz would be the Travis.

Which one? And who would be the other one?
posted by biffa at 12:33 PM on September 24, 2009


I'm thinking, in particular, of that tedious and neverending "Mum? Mum? Mum! That's my mum! You can't shoot my mum! Mum! No, Mum! Bawwww!" sequence from Shaun but I remember similar shit in Spaced and Hot Fuzz and I don't like it one bit.

Hang on - don't lump them all together. They only started doing that bullshit with Shaun of the Dead. I seem to be the only person who's spotted that however brilliant Spaced was, the movies are terrible. Absolutely, painfully, terrible.

(the underlying problem is that Nick Frost is NOT FUNNY, however much everyone liked him in the clubbing episode)
posted by cillit bang at 12:36 PM on September 24, 2009


I think the linked articles overstate how "revolutionary" Spaced was. I mean, comedy has burned through about every possible form since the late 1960s. What really made Spaced different from ordinary TV wasn't the way it was filmed, or its pop cultural references, or the off-angle humor. What set Spaced apart was the fact that it was good. Anything that's good seems revolutionary, because so much popular art is so bad. When something good like Spaced comes along, we are all so grateful, so pathetically grateful, that we snivel and weep. Wish they'd do a new series.
posted by Faze at 12:43 PM on September 24, 2009


any chance of expanding on that? I have Series 1 & 2 already and will therefore probably not but the boxed set just to watch the documentary...
posted by pharm at 1:43 PM on September 24 [+] [!]


Okay, here is the ending from the documentary in the boxed set.

**ROT-13 SPOILERS**

Va gur svany frdhrapr bs gur qbphzragnel, Fvzba naq Wrffvpn jnyx ol gur ubhfr gurl svyzrq Fcnprq ng naq zhfr nobhg n erhavba sbe gur frevrf. Orsber gur pnzren snqrf njnl, gurl pbzr bhg bs gur sebag qbbe, va punenpgre, jvgu GURVE ONOL.

**END OF ROT-13 SPOILERS**

And may all of you Black Book haters come home to find all of your bees eaten!
posted by WinnipegDragon at 12:48 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


I love the fact that UK comedies as a rule only last for a very limited run. The Office is a perfect example - 12 episodes with a couple of specials, fitted very nicely with the reality theme. We saw only a slice of these people's lives, and it ended, as it would have done had it been a "real" docu-soap. On the whole, in the UK at least, to keep a comedy going successfully over several series you need to completely change the premise, such as Blackadder. Although even that was only 4 series-worth.

Having spent some time in the US over the summer I caught a couple of episodes of the US version which by now is on season 6 with over 20 episodes per season. Not funny in the slightest. The David Brent character, actually seems to be reasonably well liked and competent. One episode (dunno which season) had him try to shoot an ad for the branch. The way he fired the "Creatives", saying he could do better, was similar to the way the UK Brent would have acted. But the kicker was, his version which was not used but we saw at the end, was actually good - well made, funny and effective as an advert. Would never have happened in the UK version, his version would have been cringeworthily bad. Cos that's funny. Like his music video.

That said, this does not come as a surprise to me and I'm sure I really do have better things to worry about, like why I have never actually seen Spaced. And where am I going to get all the episodes from so I can fix this..
posted by jontyjago at 1:00 PM on September 24, 2009


Anyone for Father Ted?
posted by WinnipegDragon at 1:00 PM on September 24, 2009


Having spent some time in the US over the summer I caught a couple of episodes of the US version which by now is on season 6 with over 20 episodes per season. Not funny in the slightest

before we relive this ancient debate, let's just end it by saying: THEY'RE TWO DIFFERENT SHOWS. don't bother with the comparison.
posted by Think_Long at 1:03 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


Spaced, Black Books, and Father Ted are pretty much our BBC comedy box-sets in the house. Absolutely the thing to watch on a crap day. (Right now I'm pretty much doing an impression of Fran when she has that vague office job.)
posted by cobaltnine at 1:13 PM on September 24, 2009


Anyone for Father Ted?

Ted's dead, baby, Ted's dead...
posted by Artw at 1:25 PM on September 24, 2009


Anger... Pain... Fear... Aggression...

Watercolors?

It's a bit more complex than that.


Hmm, I've got tomorrow off... Maybe I'll just sit and watch them all back to back again.
posted by quin at 1:36 PM on September 24, 2009


Daisy: Right, I'm going to the shops. D'you want anything?
Tim: Porn.
Daisy: Tim, I'm not going to buy you porn. You can get it from railway sidings like everybody else.
Tim: I can't, I'm an adult. I'm supposed to leave it there.


The Internets have changed everything!
posted by Artw at 1:44 PM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


For reference, I really like both versions of The Office.
posted by turgid dahlia at 1:58 PM on September 24, 2009


And may all of you Black Book haters come home to find all of your bees eaten!

Hello? This is Lonely Soldier. My location is...bookshop!
posted by turgid dahlia at 1:59 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


Daisy : Do you rent downstairs?
Brian: Do you mean am I gay?
Daisy : WHAT?
Brian: Do you mean am I gay?
Daisy : No, I meant "Do you rent the downstairs flat?"
Brian: Oh. Yep, sort of.
...
Tim: Are you gay?
Brian: Hmm?
Tim: Are you gay?
Brian: No...
posted by greytape at 3:18 PM on September 24, 2009


I'll have to go back and watch the British Office again. I watched a few episodes years ago before the US version and I found it kind of uncomfortable and mean-spirited and not very funny.
posted by octothorpe at 4:10 PM on September 24, 2009


The UK Office is very much like every place I've ever worked, so I find it funnier than the US Office, even though my workplace is in the US.

We've all watched the extremely variable in quality Asylum, right?
posted by winna at 4:41 PM on September 24, 2009


uncomfortable and mean-spirited and not very funny.

That's why it works! (If you replace "not very funny" with "not trying to force in jokes") - US Office probably is more fun as casual viewing though.
posted by Artw at 4:49 PM on September 24, 2009


That's why it works! (If you replace "not very funny" with "not trying to force in jokes") - US Office probably is more fun as casual viewing though.

Exactly. I think that if you aren't a bit uncomfortable watching the UK version, you haven't really 'got it' yet.
posted by WinnipegDragon at 5:33 PM on September 24, 2009


Anyone for Father Ted?
Down with that sort of thing.
posted by GeckoDundee at 9:31 PM on September 24, 2009 [2 favorites]


Careful now.
posted by greycap at 9:53 PM on September 24, 2009


Edgar Wright's blog has a new post up which includes video of a reunion they had in 2007.
posted by harriet vane at 9:53 PM on September 24, 2009 [1 favorite]


It's not as easy as it looks is it?
posted by patricio at 1:52 AM on September 25, 2009


Only for the hardcore UK raver!
posted by asok at 2:33 AM on September 25, 2009 [2 favorites]


@dortmunder:
The only reason I even looked at Black Books was because of Lineham's involvement. I'd never heard of him until I ran across The IT Crowd, and I made the mistake of assuming his work must have always been funny. Man, was I wrong.

Let's see..
Father Ted: funny
Big Train: funny
Black Books: funny

Yeah, terrible track record that bloke has.
posted by salmacis at 2:39 AM on September 25, 2009 [1 favorite]


Linehan & Mathews meet Alan Partridge.
posted by asok at 3:04 AM on September 25, 2009


You know, I tried watching this a bit ago and could not get into it at all - and I loved it first time round. Weird.
posted by mippy at 9:29 AM on September 25, 2009


I love Spaced... we rented em all last year in a binge. Fave character was that bicycle messenger guy. "The pegs, they ain't wot they used to be." Also one of the only shows ever to get drugs right
posted by jcruelty at 11:20 PM on September 25, 2009


"Well, more IT Crowd was what I was wondering about."

I think the 4th season is being written. At least, on twitter Graham Linehan was talking about writing things about someone called Moss... (and asking for a alert for when his caps lock was on so it wouldn't keep being "mOSS WALKS INTO THE ROOM").
posted by Auz at 1:56 PM on September 26, 2009


Oi oi, you lucky people! Tyres rules.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 2:38 PM on September 26, 2009


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