My food was just done (it had arrived and I'd paid), and I needed some light comedy to watch while eating (it gives pleasure with the least chance of aggravation, something I feel aids the digestion and relaxation). I didn't have something ready, so in desperation I grabbed the first season of Black Books. I thought I was taking a chance, because I've already watched it at least twice before.
But no, it's still glorious. Episode One alone is worth the price. I was on the floor so many times. If you like off-beat comedy shows, don't miss it. (US link and UK link.)
Bernard: "I didn't realize you were gay."
Manny: "But I'm not."
Bernard: "But you're interested in lamps."
Manny: "But I like women. And lamps. ...I actually thought you were gay."
Bernard: "So did I, for a bit. But then I found out about the prohibitive standards of hygiene. And all that dancing!"
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Bernard: "I am gonna have to let you go."
Manny: "But I sold a lot of books and I got on well with the customers."
Bernard: "It's not that kind of operation."
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Another great show is Spaced. And hooray, you can finally buy it in the US! (Or here in UK/Europe.) What I said about Black Books also applies here. A classic. Must-see-TV, as they say.
9 comments:
You can't beat the scene with Manny playing the piano from inside with a set of spoons, while Bernard pretends to play, all in aide of impressing a girl.
Ian
It's full of great scenes.
Like Fran meets this ole flame who has a very deep voice who gets her juices flowing. She learns that he is doing the late night shipping forecast, so she is in her bed flicking herself off to his voice.
She does not quite finish, so she calls him on the phone to finish, while he is very puzzled at to what's going on.
Or Manny has been locked in the shop for a day and night, and survived on crumbs and the dead bees from the window sill, which he roasted over a candle flame!
When Bern comes home, Manny breaks down crying, confessing "I et your bees!"
Try rolling up your sleeves, or eating an orange...
Yep. Always helps when I'm feeling tense.
"By the same token, the more expensive the wine, the gooder it is."
I didn't care for Black Books but I'll have to give it another shot as I didn't care for the British Office either at first.
Neither do I, I have tried it twice. I find it more embarrassing than funny.
And something about Ricky Gervais rubs me the wrong way, he seems slimy. Could be just me, he's popular it seems.
Slimy, or smarmy, anyway there is something I don't know irritatingly false about him. I was forced into giving that show another chance by a friend of mine who loves it, and although I can't say I'm even close to loving it I did find some of the other characters funny on occasion. I still prefer the U.S. version by far, and it's rare that I like a remake.
Dylan Moran however I've found very funny in some of the other stuff he's been in, like Run Fatboy Run. I've also seen some of his standup, and he's one of those rare comedians who can tell truly filthy jokes that are actually funny instead of just seeming like their telling filthy jokes because they think that's all you have to do to be funny. Like Tarantino immitators who know the words but not the music if that's the expression...
Last night I watched the first episode of Black Books again, and I liked it a lot more than I had the first time I saw it a while back. I hate laugh tracks though.
I think it's yet to be seen if Dylan Moran can do other stuff than the drinking Irish bum, he does do that *really* well.
And Tamsin Greig is more attractive in this series than anything else I've seen her in (surely you've seen Green Wing?), and yet very funny.
I haven't seen that, but will have to put it on my list. I'm not sure it's so bad if he sticks to that one type of character, though, since as you say he does it really well. It is a bit annoying how great comedic actors always want to do drama. Not that they can't, it's the understandable desire to be seen as more than just a clown, but if you do it well...
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