Phil

[Phil]

Actually there’s quite a lot of female stereotyping in the IT Crowd, but I think it’s always done with an understanding that it’s humor ABOUT that kind of stereotyping. (“I’ve only ever met one woman and she’s just walked out of the room screaming ‘The shoooes-ahh!'”)

It’s comedy ABOUT stereotypes rather than Linehan just trying to write for a woman and falling into that trap.

>Fran, one of the most well-drawn and un-stereotypical female comedy characters of recent times.

Definitely unstereotypical. I might take a bit of issue with “well-drawn” though. (Not that that’s a criticism…I don’t see it as negative in any way…but it’s a certain type of writing that creates a show like Black Books…and well-drawn isn’t really the term I’d use to describe the characters.)

[Phil]

I just watched episode 3 (because it was the first one with subtitles). I love it, love it, love it, love it, love it.

[Phil]

I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it.

[Phil]

Speaking of stupidity, what was the Red Out?

[Phil]

My saga continuums.
MY SAGA CONTINUUMS.

I fucking love you sometimes.

[Phil]

There’s a review of it here somewhere…

http://www.ganymede-titan.info/parallel/craigstandup.php

Hmm. I thought it was longer. Anyway, there is one, and while it’s probably 100% accurate, I still kind of want to see the videos in question.

[Phil]

>Was the myspace thing there next weekend?

Erm, sorry. I accidentally traveled through time. Or forgot what the hell I was trying to say…

[Phil]

Was the myspace thing there next weekend? If it was I might have missed it.

[Phil]

Ian is a creature who evolved from the ship’s cat.

[Phil]

>Craig?s Live On Earth

Rarities section plz.

[Phil]

Ooh, I didn’t realize that. I loved Waker as well. A lot of the criticism was accurate (too much sailing, too easy, etc.) but none of it detracted from my enjoyment of the game. I still return to it simply BECAUSE it’s not too challenging to play through and enjoy the whole way.

I thought it was an excellent chapter in a phenomenal series of games. What a treat to find him in Brawl.

Now if only you could Brawl as a Goron…

[Phil]

T – Stax Records
http://www.modernguitars.com/imagefiles/pr/stax.jpg

Now Karl, find the V.

[Phil]

I loved, loved, loved the original Smash Bros. Easily in my top 10 games of all time. Melee was also very good, and certainly had some excellent additions (more characters is never a bad thing), but in Melee sometimes the screen got much too busy.

The first game had a better balance of fighting / level layout / background hazards than the second one did. In Melee there were too many levels in which just staying alive took precedence over battling your friend.

Great game, but on the whole I prefer the original.

That said, Brawl looks excellent, and I’m really hoping the balance is better handled there.

Oh: do we have a final confirmation of all playable characters yet? I think a few from the past games are missing, which is kind of sad. I’ll especially miss Jigglypuff. That’s the character my friends used to make me play after I beat them too many times in a row.

Ah, mem’ries…

[Phil]

I’ll be in the wrong country but good luck with it!

[Phil]

>Put all the adverts you want on? BEFORE that time.

Can’t vouch for you guys, obviously, but here in the states that’s exactly what happens…only you get adverts before AND after the start time. No matter when you walk into the theater here you are faced with commercials for films, toys, video games, restaurants, television programs, misc. services, pretty much everything. Then the start time hits, the lights dim, and all that happens is you begin phase II of the trailers. It’s preposterous.

I don’t doubt that you sit 20 – 30 after “start time” before the film actually begins, but what this does is really punish the people who get there early…they get probably twice the amount!

[Phil]

>We didn?t like:
>- Oh noes, cliffhanger!

I have never, ever enjoyed experiencing a cliffhanger. Sorry. I got frustrated at the end of series VI of Dwarf (the lack of a proper ending is the ONLY thing holding Out of Time back from being One Of The Best Episodes Of Anything Ever), I got frustrated at the end of Venture Bros. season two (the first season cliffhanger felt both natural and necessary, but the second season cliffhanger really seemed like they just felt obligated to have another), I got frustrated that I had to wait until the next year to find out Who Shot Mr. Burns…even as a kid when Duck Tales would run multi-part stories I’d get irritated.

I don’t know. I don’t mind breaking episodes into parts, per se, and I certainly don’t mind someone producing an extra-long episode to facilitate a story that might take longer to tell…but it’s just so easy to do a cliffhanger wrongly, and have it exist solely as a cheap way to get the audience enthusiastic about next week’s/year’s/series’s episode.

If it’s artistically justified, go for it. But I can count on one hand the cliffhangers that have been, in my experience.

Also, I’ve never seen Doctor Who, ever, so these are general comments only.

[Phil]

I think Ian’s getting his red pencil tattooed.

[Phil]

>the plural of anus

Jonathan Capps.

[Phil]

>But either way, I agree that once you GET an audience reaction like that, the explanatory line suddenly feels awkward, even if I didn?t quite get the joke without the explanation.

Right. Dave’s point is entirely correct, but, for the reason John states, I understand why they wrote the second line. If they knew they could bank on a big laugh after the first, they would have ended it there. But there’s really no way to know when it’s on paper.

[Phil]

Can’t he just use a little paper cutout of Heath?

[Phil]

Here’s the one Cappsy performed originally:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lwab6tHJP1Q

Now he’s turned into a woman.

[Phil]

I kind of like that the footage isn’t looped, and it’s not completely out of line. The time wand works in all kinds of ways, so I just think of it as resetting Hollister’s thought pattern each time. It doesn’t reset everything about him, it just rewinds his thoughts to the point just before he says “See you in ten minutes.”

That said, I DO wish the lost Canary squadron was somehow treated in the edit to stop them moving around and stop-starting at different rates. I think that scene is approximately one-eighth as funny as “See you in ten minutes” (which I don’t, by any means, hate as much as most people do) because the performance by the frozen Canary is so lousy. At least some good believable editing would have made it tolerable.

[Phil]

Why would anyone have created this thread? What’s its purpose? To rid the universe of chicken vindaloo?

[Phil]

B-)

[Phil]

This thread has less meat in it than a Chicken (Mc)Nugget.

[Phil]

I mean, if the guy has a gripe with Andrew…that’s its own thing. Maybe he thinks Andrew is a big boobie. (I feel the exact same way about Ian.) But there is nothing at all about the Red Dwarf DVDs that should strike anybody as bland, tedious, or imply that any of the minds behind them are incompetent.

What a completely unfounded swipe to take. I reckon the Dwarf DVDs don’t appeal to everyone, but I’d imagine that even non-fans of the show must be hugely jealous of the material we’ve been getting, and the high-quality of the releases, and wish that their own favorite shows would get the same treatment.

Actually, if that’s the Darrell that used to post here (Darrell Jones?) then he IS a fan of the show and should be positively through the roof with the quality of the DVDs, regardless of what he does or doesn’t think of Andrew.

[Phil]

Yeah, it used to be a picture from M.I. High. I’ve never seen the show before. Danny’s hairstyle was certainly a surprise to me.

[Phil]

Fix him with the time wand!

[Phil]

And the firehouse donations one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGyj0fjPveA

This one came out phenomenal. My favorite so far, and probably the last one for a while. Enjoy it…this one’s an excellent monologue and I’ve been fortunate enough to have it performed by two good actors over the past year.

[Phil]

Robert’s delivery throughout that whole scene is excellent…you really can’t fault him for it. In fact, it’s only the repetition of asking Kryten to check that the chair is bolted down that brings me out of the fun. I really, really enjoy that scene…and with just two or three line trims I think it’d be just fine.

[Phil]

Here’s the second segment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG3247AEdEo

I actually shot another one today (firehouse donations) but that’s going to be a nightmare to edit. Monday, if a friend of mine cooperates, I’ll be shooting the one Cappsy read originally.

This is all basically a trial run for the real pilot I should be putting together later this year with a friend of mine. So…keep your fingers crossed. I’m still majorly, majorly beating myself up over not getting a Guitarman pilot together for Adult Swim, back when they actually INVITED ME TO SUBMIT ONE.

But this…could be my next chance…

[Phil]

I lost mine in a crash as well, but James Lawless (who performed the firehouse donations monologue, if you remember) was good enough to get them to me. Do you want them?

I’m actually re-casting yours, Capps, since it was a really good monologue and I doubt you’re willing to fly to the United States in order to reprise your role.

[Phil]

I honestly realized only now that G+T makes a cameo in that video. In a way I feel the need to apologize.

[Phil]

>Oh, there?s nothing wrong with the iguana line or the Farmer Lister stuff.

Except that they’re absolutely horrible, I completely agree.

[Phil]

“What’s an iguana?” just beats out “Mornin’ farmer Lister!” for me.

VII and VIII have unfunny lines, yes, but iguana/farmer Lister positively make me shudder. A confident delivery of an unfunny line helps me gloss over it and wait for the next good one. But a line like these two really trips up my enjoyment of the show. The End, if you couldn’t guess by now, is definitely not one of my favorite episodes.

>Jo says something and her mic isn?t turned up, so you hardly hear the line! Right at the start of the episode! There?s not really any excuse for that?

Working my way through Python again, I’m reminded of just how often the gang fluff a line and keep on going. Which, honestly, I quite like. You can hear them screw up, and then backpeddle just a word or two, and pick it right up again. They must not have been keen on doing re-takes for anything less than a complete failure to make it through the scene. (Which must be at least partly why the audience reaction is always so enthusiastic…the flubs that are left in the show is evidence that the audience isn’t having to sit through endless retakes for the gang to get it “perfect.”)

But anyway, to the point, I was watching an episode last night, and it was the skit in which Eric Idle wants to get out of the army because he might get hurt. He flubs one of his first lines…the sketch doesn’t have any momentum yet and there haven’t been any real jokes up to that point…and they still kept on with it. I can understand not wanting to re-start a sketch that’s already minutes underway, but for one of the very first lines? Surely that’s got to be worth a re-take…

[Phil]

WHATSANIGUANA

[Phil]

>?politically incorrect? dialogue, such as ?nip down to the Paki shop? and the like.

Well, correct me if I’m wrong, but this is in a classification other than “profanity.” It’s still censorship all the same, so it might not be as though the distinction really matters, but I can definitely envision a time–and not with much difficulty–that “fuck” will be commonplace in a television program and “nigger” will not.

I’m definitely of two minds about that particular brand of censorship, as I gather you are as well. Personally I wouldn’t want to see a new show come around and use that type of intolerant language in anything other than an ironic or historical way. But at the same time, I wouldn’t like programs in which it DOES exist to be edited. It just seems to sort of pretend the problem was never there…which is absurd, and not helpful in the slightest.

In fact, I think it’d be much healthier to leave that sort of thing intact, so that when compared against today’s programming one will see that definite progress has been made.

Also, as you say, certain classic films and television shows feature language like that…more an artifact of the time than anything else, and for that reason it has value historically. It doesn’t do anyone any good at all to re-edit the past. I’m unaware of any sort of equal-rights movement that ever requested we pretend we never mistreated them at all. More often they adopt the persecution into their own cultural history–as it is without any question their right to do–and hold that up as evidence of their own strength as a people and a promise that triumph over extreme prejudice is not impossible.

Sorry. Kind of went on a bit there, but it’s an interesting topic.

[Phil]

>I can?t remember what I was watching but they bleeped a couple of swear word so precisely that it left you in no doubt what they were to begin with. F(bleep)ker, c(bleep)nt, etc

Preposterous, yes. But take solace in the fact that this is just the next step in getting these words to the point that they won’t be censored at all. Eventually the bleeps will get so short they won’t even exist.

We’ve seen similar things before…it used to be that a married couple couldn’t even sleep in the same bed. Then they could sleep in the same bed, if it was made obvious that they were fully clothed and didn’t get up to any funny business. Then they were allowed to kiss and turn off the light. Fast-forward a few years and you can get away with simulated sex without anyone batting an eye.

I’m hoping profanity goes the same way. First you couldn’t dream of saying a word like that. Then you could, as long as it was entirely censored. Now they’re happy with just vowel sounds. Eventually it won’t even be an issue at all. “Clean” channels will no doubt exist, as will clean programming across the board. But it’ll happen. And probably not all that far down the line either.

[Phil]

Ah…there you again, believing that “correct” has nothing to do with location…

[Phil]

She actually wasn’t a bad looking girl, but I’m naturally suspicious of anyone who feels the need to hit on me.

I mean…pretty girls usually know they’re pretty. She could probably have sealed the deal based on that alone. Why the need to tell me that she’s in trouble for drugs, her kids got taken away, and her utilities have been switched off?

Call me old-fashioned, but show me a bit of cleavage and shut up.

[Phil]

I’m actually sad they won’t be airing the remaining four episodes, as I was quite looking forward to a breakdown / comparison of each one.

Marleen gave me a taste, and now I can’t get enough.

[Phil]

>Chris Morris, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jessica Hynes, Douglas Hurd, Kevin Eldon, Bill Bailey

Get rid of Hurd!

>Chris Morris, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jessica Hynes, Kevin Eldon, Bill Bailey

Thanks!

[Phil]

>didn?t even know there was a German version, what?s it called?

Die Big Hitler Train

[Phil]

I remembered another one. From Back to Reality.

I heard Billy “Granny Killer” Doyle as Billy “Granikula” Doyle. I had absolutely no idea what that was supposed to mean for many, many viewings. I think I just assumed it was some British reference I’d never understand.

It’s strange, too, because I wouldn’t think of Chris as being very unclear in his speech patterns (at least not when compared to Craig, or Robert’s Kryten voice) but both of my major mishearings were due to Mr. Barrie.

[Phil]

Kind of interesting the way all of the episodes end with the credits rolling, so you can see who worked on the show and in what capacity.

Sort of pulls me out of the reality when that happens.

[Phil]

Only four replies? I was hoping for Ian. Oh well. I guess I’ll be Karl’s mother.

Now come over here and give your mother a blowjob.

[Phil]

The End, where Lister “conveniently” gets sent to stasis before everyone on the ship is killed.

Every time I watch that I grab my head and scream, “Yow! I’ve just been a-walloped by the Plot Hammer!”

[Phil]

In all fairness, and only speaking for American television, I can answer you Nick by saying, “Yes, absolutely, without any reservation at all, television is significantly worse than it was 10 years ago.”

[Phil]

I’ve been that way for years here in the states. On Sunday nights if I’m not otherwise occupied I’ll turn on the television and watch the Simpsons / Family Guy / American Dad block. But I couldn’t care less if I happen to miss it.

There hasn’t been a “must see” show for me in a while. (Well, except for The Venture Bros, but that’s got such an erratic production schedule…) I may be moving soon, and when I do, I’m considering not even paying for cable. There’s not enough worth watching to justify it, and I have enough good stuff on DVD to keep me occupied.

[Phil]

>your trying to join in on the fun

Well, at least he admits it’s fun.

[Author]

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