Chris Bloggie News Posted by Ian Symes on 30th March 2009, 13:01 Following the success of Craig Charles’s too-deadpan-for-some-but-bloody-funny-for-the-rest-of-us bloggery last week, Dave’s ever-expanding Dwarf section has gained a new blog entry – this one written by Chris Barrie. There are many interesting things here, most notably news of more guest cast members… But first, Chris discusses his excitement as we wait patiently for Back To Earth to air (which is in LESS THAN TWO WEEKS NOW). Now, obviously it’s in Chris’s (and Dave’s) interest to big up the shows as much as possible, but the slightly understated nature of Chris’s praise is somehow very reassuring – it seems like we’re getting his genuine opinions rather than a regurgitated press release. Chris also mentions his disappointment at the lack of studio audience, which for a comedy performer with his background and caliber, is not a surprise. But as Chris says, the audience was a sacrifice the production style demanded – there’s no doubt that a laughter track would have been completely out of place in Back To Earth, judging from what we’ve seen already. Whether this is a good or bad thing for the show is a matter for debate – most of the G&T bunch are behind the idea, but there are some reservations. More on this later today – in the In Depth section of the site, no less. But anyway, enough of this chitter chatter. Chris has named three new guest stars! Obviously, we have no idea what kind of characters they’ll be playing yet, but we know their names, and we’re armed with Google, Wikipedia and IMDB… Richard O’Callaghan (top left in the picture above) is a 69-year-old character actor, who seems to be best known for being in a couple of Carry On movies. I’m not a huge expert on those, but I know a couple of people who are – I’m sure John and/or Tanya will turn up in the comments soon with their opinions on the man. Jeremy Swift (top right) has got one of those faces that everyone recognises, but nobody knows where from. His biggest role was as Barry – a nerdy, crossword-bothering singleton – in BBC Three’s quite good sitcom The Smoking Room, but he’s had guest roles in just about every long-running British series under the sun. Richard Woo (bottom left) – who appears to be also known as Richard Ng – is another 69-year-old gentleman, who hails from Hong Kong. He appeared in seemingly hundreds of films in Hong Kong during the 70s, 80s and 90s, mostly in what Wikipedia assures me were comedic roles. Since moving to London in 1997 (the year Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule – probably no coincidence), he’s been semi-retired, but still turning up in adverts, roles that require generic Chinese people and, interestingly, the second Tomb Raider film. Finally, Chris leaves us with the tantalising notion that most of the people involved on Back To Earth went away with the desire to do more of it – be it a special, a series, or a movie. Any one of these three, pls.
If Jeremy Swift isn’t something to do with the day’s filming at They Walk Among Us, I’ll eat my hat. The guy clearly looks like he was destined to play a comic shop proprietor.
If Jeremy Swift isn?t something to do with the day?s filming at They Walk Among Us, I?ll eat my hat. The guy clearly looks like he was destined to play a comic shop proprietor. I was just thinking that he’s quite a similar actor to Mark Benton – is he playing the Dwarf equivalent of Benton’s role in Who, do we think?
I’m also a bit sad about the lack of studio audience/laughter. The lack of audience was one of the big probs with VII, for me. Pretty pictures weren’t really enough on their own.
If there are more seriousish things happening in BtE (as it appears there are), I for one am glad that there won’t be a laugh track. Plus canned laugher is never the same.
> Richard Woo Probably due to the Blade Runner imagery and synopsis leak, but I took one look at that guy and was immediately put in mind of the chap who “Just does eyes” who is killed by Roy Batty, or failing that Tyrell himself.
Richard O’Callaghan would seem to be the guy after them in the Blade Runner sequence, then. > the slightly understated nature of Chris?s praise is somehow very reassuring – it seems like we?re getting his genuine opinions rather than a regurgitated press release. This. Very much so. Two more weeks – so there’s a blog entry from Bobby and Danny to come then?
>Do I need to watch Blade Runner to ?get? these episodes or what? I doubt it. It’s a great film though (well, I like it, although it’s not everyone’s cup of tea). I’d recommend it just for it’s own sake.
You haven’t seen Bladerunner?!? Smack that man with a trout! No, you don’t, but you’d probably understand the references a lot better. I’ve been thinking of watching it again since we got the trailers. My copy is getting dusty.
>Do I need to watch Blade Runner to ?get? these episodes or what? No, but you need to watch it in order to “get” readmission to polite society.
I may get the 5 disc set of Blade Runner soon, I have never seen it but it seems like essectial Sci-Fi.
I checked, it is ?14 right now, I am looking to increase my DVD collection with boxsets rather than single DVDs (outside certain stull like Doctor Who and Red Dwarf).
Fuck, I paid about fifty for the briefcase. Worth it for the few minutes I spent playing with the spinner alone.
> I may get the 5 disc set of Blade Runner soon, I have never seen it but it seems like essectial Sci-Fi. Ooh only one of the greatest films ever made! HOWEVER IMO the Final Cut is where this has finally once and for all been realised. Even though I only rented it (so far) this, along with Close Encounters, and, OK, Nightmare Before Christmas, and several others… is my favourite Blu-ray to date. Just stunningly beautiful, and with the little changes made for the Final Cut it was like a completely new experience. It now stands out as the true masterpiece it is. > The lack of audience was one of the big probs with VII, for me. I think if you look at VII it DEFINITELY should have been made without any laughter track in mind at all. The whole series is a bit of a mess as the result of going ‘filmic’ whilst simultaneously trying to cram gags in left right and centre in order to keep the laughter going. A laugh track is like a millstone, as the League of Gentlemen found out when they kept having to include ‘cheap’ lines at the end of well thought-out scenes just to get the laughter going onto the next one. BtE should be able to flow a lot better without the need for forced gags. I hope Doug has gone for a similar tone to the books here.
>I have never seen it but it seems like essectial Sci-Fi. It is as essential as seeing Alien, nearly as essential as oxygen.
> Whether this is a good or bad thing for the show is a matter for debate – most of the G&T bunch are behind the idea, but there are some reservations. More on this later today – in the In Depth section of the site, no less. *lol’s self to sleep*
Blame Ian for posting unrealistic expectations that HE WASN’T THE ONE WHO HAD TO MEET. Blimey, the grammar of that was all over the place.
You don’t need to see Alien to enjoy Polymorph, so I doubt you’ll need to see Blade Runner to enjoy BtE. Besides, BladeRunner is BORING.
> Besides, BladeRunner is BORING. Go stand in a corner and try to bring up the decency to at least seem a little bit ashamed.
Ha ha! Sorry. ;) I must have a blind spot for names that start with P. (And just a couple posts up too, shame on me.) Feel free to join him in blue Marleen’s naughty corner if you like though. I can imagine worse places to be. ;)
Richard O?Callaghan (top left in the picture above) is a 69-year-old character actor, who seems to be best known for being in a couple of Carry On movies. I?m not a huge expert on those, but I know a couple of people who are – I?m sure John and/or Tanya will turn up in the comments soon with their opinions on the man. He is ACE in Carry On Loving and Carry On At Your Convenience. Really really funny. I’ve not seen him in anything else, mind, but I’m really happy he’s in Back to Earth…
There’s a Gadgets Quiz at Dave, and I’m ashamed to admit that I got the last two wrong. (I can’t place the circumstances of the last question, unless it’s Confidence and Paranoia – in which case, I can’t remember it happening). And beware – question 4’s a *really* tough one…
