Are you being served? Return to BBC

[Louisa]

Who else is watching tonight? It's apparently part of a number of sitcoms from yesteryear making a one off return for this BBC comedy season. It all seems a little copy cat to me, trying to replicate something which was far too good that went before it. Seems a shame we can't have new ideas rather than rehashing other people's successes.

I have turned off half way through. Apart from the odd Mrs slocombe pussy joke, and the masterful acting skills of Roy Baraclough and John Challis.

Disappointed.

Louisa.

[*Bob*]

I hope ITV follow suit and does a Benny Hill update as well.

The hilarious antics of a middle-aged man sexually assaulting teenage girls (accompanied by hysterical canned laughter) should bring back tremendous memories for anyone who misses that comedy gold from days gone by.

[Loz]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> The hilarious antics of a middle-aged man sexually assaulting teenage girls (accompanied by

> hysterical canned laughter) should bring back tremendous memories for anyone who misses that

> comedy gold from days gone by.

In the spirit of Ghostbusters, they can flip the genders. Sharon Osbourne would be perfect for the role.

[Ladygooner]

I thought the casting in the remakes of both Are you being served and Porridge was great. Lots of laugh out loud moments in Porridge - if you liked the original then you will like this update.

[malumbu]

It's not all bad. Honest. Dad's Army can still hold it's own. Although strictly that is a 1960s sitcome.

Slipping forward a decade I was out boozing for most of the 80s I missed loads of stuff. But on the odd catch-up Too the Manor Born, Hi de Hi, and Allo Allo are still amusing. As of course anything that Ronnie Barker was in (not sure about Del Boy - which does seem very dated).

I will defend the indefenisble - Love thy Neighbour - as it was supposed to expose racism. But done so clumsyly it is considered to have the opposite effect.

But 'are you being served' just makes me cringe. And Steptoe and Son clearly went on a number of seasons to long. Benny Hill is just embarrassing. Not sure what I think about Kenny Everett. But neither are sitcoms.

[*Bob*]

malumbu Wrote:

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(not sure about

> Del Boy - which does seem very dated).

It's a shame about OFAH - it's been going for so long - in ever-dimishing (decreasing - ha ha!) circles - that it's easy to forget how good the first outings were. They were really, really good - and one of the few old sitcoms that still hold up now.

I hope to god I never have to see the 'batman and robin' scene AGAIN shown as a 'funniest moment, like, evaaah' clip..

The average age of BBC1 viewers is now 60. BBC2 is older. Hence the feeble 'hey - remember when you were younger, guys?' re-makes.

[Louisa]

Well I was depressed watching back over things that were funny in the 60/70/80's being rehashed with a weakened cast and lack of relevance for a 21st century audience. Slap stick was and is great, there is always room for it in comedy, but why reproduce something that was done well and of its time simply because you have run out of ideas for the present audience.

I mean replacing the great Molly Sugden with the 'loose woman' who played Maureen in corrie, what's that all about?

Louisa.

[DulwichFox]

Enough characters on here to cover any 80's sitcom / soap.

Foxy.

[Charlie Smith]

I think it is great that the BBC is bring back old (Vintage) sitcoms. I would like to suggest one or two programmes that could be resurrected. What about Some Mothers Do Have 'Em with Benedict Cumberbatch in the Frank Spencer role? And what about bring back 'Sykes' and have Benedict Cumberbatch in the title role. He would be hilarious. And then there's Steptoe and Son with Harold and Albert being played by Benedict Cumberbatch. But how can we leave out 'Hancock's Half Hour'. I am sure Benedict Cumberbatch would make a wonderful Tony Hancock from East Sheen. And there of course is 'What Ever Happened To The Likely Lads' For the parts of Bob and Terry I would like to recommend....

Regards

Councillor Charlie Smith

Labour Member For The East Dulwich Ward

[Loz]

Charlie Smith Wrote:

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> I think it is great that the BBC is bring back old (Vintage) sitcoms. I would like to suggest one or

> two programmes that could be resurrected. What about Some Mothers Do Have 'Em with Benedict

> Cumberbatch in the Frank Spencer role? And what about bring back 'Sykes' and have Benedict

> Cumberbatch in the title role. He would be hilarious. And then there's Steptoe and Son with

> Harold and Albert being played by Benedict Cumberbatch. But how can we leave out 'Hancock's

> Half Hour'. I am sure Benedict Cumberbatch would make a wonderful Tony Hancock from East Sheen. And

> there of course is 'What Ever Happened To The Likely Lads' For the parts of Bob and Terry I

> would like to recommend....

It's the BBC, so there has to be roles for Graham Norton and Clare Balding. I think that is actually written in the latest charter.

[????]

Very good Charlie :)

[Otta]

Ghostbusters I could take, but this is all a step too far.

[red devil]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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> Enough characters on here to cover any 80's sitcom

> / soap.

>

> Foxy.

Foxy & Louisa = George & Mildred

Quids & Mick Mac = Delboy and Rodney

Otta = Citizen Smith

uncleglen = Alf Garnett...

[Jeremy]

Louisa Wrote:

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> Seems a shame we can't have new ideas rather

> than rehashing other people's successes.

Not sure about BBC comedies (I rarely watch sitcoms anyway) but in general, TV is surely much better now than ever before...

[Jah Lush]

Utter fecking dogshit for morons. It was a pathetic excuse for comedy 40 years ago. All these remakes are for feeble minded old dingbats.

[malumbu]

Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads with Ant and Dec

Oh wait a sec, it'd been done. And not bad too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2S5XPeWjNk

[numbers]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> Louisa Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Seems a shame we can't have new ideas rather

> > than rehashing other people's successes.

>

> Not sure about BBC comedies (I rarely watch

> sitcoms anyway) but in general, TV is surely much

> better now than ever before...

Jeremy I usually find myself agreeing with you on everything but seriously, what TV is better now?

(Apart from First Dates)

I think I agree with Louisa on this one.

[Seabag]

We drove cars like Austin Maxi's when this sort of TV was originally made

And ate Vesta curry

And had power cuts

I frikkin hate remakes

[????]

numbers Wrote:

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> Jeremy Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Louisa Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Seems a shame we can't have new ideas rather

> > > than rehashing other people's successes.

> >

> > Not sure about BBC comedies (I rarely watch

> > sitcoms anyway) but in general, TV is surely

> much

> > better now than ever before...

>

> Jeremy I usually find myself agreeing with you on

> everything but seriously, what TV is better now?

>

> (Apart from First Dates)

>

> I think I agree with Louisa on this one.

Rose Tinted rubbish, most 70s tv was crap, there was little choice and you had to watch it 'live' - laughable to think it was better!

If we are going back to the 70s then MOST is far better nowadays

A few classic sitcoms & worthy lefty Play for Today may have been better but more recently we've had The Office, Ad Fab, etec etc just as good (and more modern equivalents) as examples.

Google a page for Saturday night Radio Times for say 1975 and prepare to be appalled.

That's without all the modern 'box set' type shows.

Modern TV in choice & variety kicks ass on the 70s - but if you disagree you can always watch one of the Myriad 'Golden Oldie' type channels anyway

[numbers]

???? wrote

> Modern TV in choice & variety kicks ass on the 70s

> - but if you disagree you can always watch one of

> the Myriad 'Golden Oldie' type channels anyway

I didn't know this was just about 70s TV. Anyway I do disagree and yes I do watch the oldie channels for forty year old programme reruns thanks.

Perhaps I ought to get sky, Netflix, whatever else myriad of choice (of crap) is out there so I can watch box sets like everyone else. I wasn't even allowed to watch Grange Hill so I don't think I'm that nostalgic for all the old programmes.

[Jeremy]

numbers Wrote:

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> what TV is better now?

I'm thinking of the (mainly imported) on-demand stuff on Netflix/Amazon - if you consider that to be "TV". All the obvious stuff... House of Cards, Breaking Bad, Stranger Things, etc etc. Far better than anything I remember from when I was growing up.

If we're talking specifically about free-to-air broadcast TV, then I almost never watch it these days.

[red devil]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> I'm thinking of the (mainly imported) on-demand

> stuff on Netflix/Amazon - if you consider that to

> be "TV". All the obvious stuff... House of Cards,

> Breaking Bad, Stranger Things, etc etc. Far better

> than anything I remember from when I was growing

> up.

Isn't that more to do with your tastes changing as you grow older?

As Quids pointed out earlier, there was some really good drama in the 70's (and I might add beyond too), it's just that at the time you were probably more interested in Grange Hill and Swap Shop*...

*or whatever the equivalent was when you were growing up :)

[Jeremy]

I'm too young to remember the 70s... I'm a child of the 80s really. Don't remember much in the 80s or 90s which could stand up the best stuff around today. Apart from sitcoms maybe (which seemed to have their heyday in the 90s with stuff like Seinfeld and Frasier). But dramas... not really. Maybe Twin Peaks..

[*Bob*]

I miss 'event' TV a bit - a throwback to yesteryear. If you weren't there watching, you missed it.

Lots of anticipation, a proper social / family event. That's mostly gone now - apart from sport I suppose.

[????]

That is True *bob*, but some were just among your niche/age group but

In 70s

It's a Knock Out

TOTP

Christmas Morecambe and wise

Eurovsion Song Contest

You had to watch to be in on conversations in the playground

Later on

The Young Ones

Twin Peaks

Pride & Prejudice (with Firth & Eccles)

+ even Howards End (ironically, natch)

as examples for my age group

But, although everyone's far too cool to admit it now, the first 1 or 2 series of Big Brother Plus the pre x-factor (with Gates and Young) , were compulsory watches - i watched the final of the latter in a pub in Hackney surrounded by pre-hipster 'hipsters'

When I mix with my mum's circle nowadays the conversation is split 50/50 about immigrants and Strictly too. I have to pretend I've watched Strictly unless I want to be ignored. So still happening somewhere...just not in my world.