The Very Late Review 9
Welcome once more to the Very Late Review, in which Watson blog readers are invited to review and rate films, TV shows, books, foods, experiences and people I have either missed out on, or am struggling to reach a coherent opinion on, or am just curious about. As ever, we are indebted to cinema manager, Canadian and friend-of-the-blog Megan McLeod for editing with her usual panache. At the end of this ‘episode’, you will see various candidates for the next set of reviews. Please leave a Comment evaluating as many of them as you can with a brief (or not so brief) assessment and score out of 10. Thank you.
Feeling very domestic (bread dough is rising, chicken stock is, er, stocking, etc.) and spinster-y (cat is purring nearby, Mr Darcy is on my TV) after a very long work week, but I told Mr Watson I’d have this done now-ish, so now-ish I shall do it. Participation was very good this time and Mark’s attempt at finding more universal things to review proved pretty successful, with only one item not receiving enough reviews to be properly covered. Huzzah!
BRIE
I must admit that I’m shocked by the number of non-cheese fans. I know Mark isn’t fond of the stuff, but it’s almost epidemic among the Watsonians as well (I might be exaggerating – but I feel like non-cheese love should be less common than it is generally). Ah well, more for me, then. On the other hand, most of the people who like cheese like Brie quite a lot, though a couple said Camembert is better of the ‘creamy’ cheeses. (I do like a bit of La Sauvagine, which I expect is not available in the UK – mm, maybe I will pick some up later.)
Also, and despite my own deep, loving feelings towards the stuff, Dave B will always have a place in my heart for referring to Brie as ‘posh Dairylea’. I salute you sir.
NOTABLE QUOTES
‘I can imagine that the stuff I’ve tried tends to be supermarket versions, so I may not have experienced the full potential of this creamy cheese, but it I’ve always found it a little bland.’ (Cathy); . ‘I think we can agree that soft cheese has got to be reason France was invented in the first place (maybe for wine too?)’ (max); ‘The only cheese I like is the stuff that doesn’t taste of cheese, e.g. roulé. But it could be worse; it could be a smellier cheese.’ (MusicalLottie); ‘I find it a bit bland to be honest. I like cheese to smell of grody old feet.’ (Sephy); ‘Stinks, my dad eats it, what’s the point?’ (Josie)
AVERAGE SCORE: 6/10
DIVING SCORE: 6.5/10
FULL MARKS: 2 out of 27 reviews
NUL POINTS: 2 out of 27
ONE DAY (novel)
I don’t know how to read. At least, that’s my excuse for not having heard of this one.
All but one of the reviewers absolutely adored it, praising its romance and clever nods to the 90s, but a few admitted it was fluff (in a good way). The other found it contrived. Seems to me that it’s a good book to take on a holiday. Also, it introduced Sephy to Billy Bragg’s ‘St. Swithin’s Day’, which is a good thing, right?
NOTABLE QUOTES
‘This is the book that I’ve recommended more than any other…I’m just worried about the film version – Anne Hathaway? She’s a beautiful girl, (if a bit… toothy for me) but the reason women love Emma as a character is that she seems just averagely attractive. It’s a shame Hollywood doesn’t think we’d root for a more down-to-earth looking heroine.’ (AlexY); ‘Awful: glib, stereotypical characters and unengaging style’ (Al Napp); ‘Despite a few predictable plot twists and character development, it’s a huge fluffy duvet of a book that you just want to wrap yourself in.’ (Beth)
AVERAGE SCORE: 7.5/10
DIVING SCORE: 9/10
FULL MARKS: 0 out of 8 reviews
NUL POINTS: 0 out of 8
ANOTHER YEAR (film)
A shame that we only got two reviews of this one. The cinema I (pretend to) run is playing it this week (and has proved hugely popular), but I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet. But I love Mike Leigh, so I expect that I will enjoy it. Several critics I know think Lesley Manville was robbed in not getting an Academy Award nomination.
ANYway, both reviews were very good. Average score of 8.5/10. Not going to bother with a diving score.
NOTABLE QUOTES
‘The Mike Leigh “devising” method works a treat here (building the characters and the script through an extensive rehearsal period), with the end result exuding down-to-earth believeability. There’s not an awful lot to the plot, and there is no tightly-spun thread moving it on from one section to the next – but that’s just what life is like, eh?’ (Rick Procter); ‘I highly recommend that everyone sees this film, it’s a very well made film but I couldn’t say I enjoyed it, it’s not that kind of film. It certainly made my boyfriend and me think about what it was portraying for several days after we’d seen it. Some excellent performances from all the cast and I’m really pleased I saw it.’ (Laurs)
NIGELLA LAWSON
Mixed reviews here, as anticipated. Praised for being sexy, fond of food, and fun, derided for her artifice and recipes that aren’t verified well enough and (per Lindsay) for setting feminism back 40 years (I fail to agree – feminism is about choice, and she’s created an empire by doing what she loves, which seems pretty modern). Some liked her previously, but felt her latest series was not up to snuff. Oh, and she’s got a great rack.
Full disclosure: I included all three of Corry’s scores (’9/10 for recipes 7/10 for TV shows 10/10 for comforting bosom.’) in the totals, because they made me laugh and because Corry helps keep this blog running. Thank you, Corry!
NOTABLE QUOTES
‘Nigella is a grimy sexpot who squishes chocolate cherries with her gargantuan bosoms for the sake of her brand. That said, her marzipan fruitcake is just divine.’ (Ivan); ‘As I am neither an enthusiastic cook or a horny old man, I don’t really get her appeal.’ (Tom Beasley); ‘She’s beautiful and cool and cooks damn good food, and you totally get the impression that once she’s made it, she just fucks off and eats it for a while. I love her.’ (Linsey); ‘I know she’s got her critics and the whole midnight snacking from the fridge and unnecessary lingering looks at the camera while sucking food of her fingers is a bit naff and contrived. Having said that, I really like her.’ (Sam – couldn’t agree more)
AVERAGE SCORE: 6/10
DIVING SCORE: 6.5/10
FULL MARKS: 2 out of 25
NUL POINTS: 0 out of 25
PILATES
Pilates, for those who don’t know, is based in exercises (mostly core) developed for dancers in the 1930s, most of which involve contracting abs and pelvic floor (at least in my experience – maybe I had a pervy teacher, though).
Anyway, this was not a terribly popular choice. Described as hazardous, pointless, and not as good as yoga, or (by only a couple of people) good for your core/belly and relaxing. It’s sneaking into schools (or maybe did and has already gone?) because lisan66 did a P.E. module in it. Intriguing. Josh rated it 10/10 despite not having done it, but with good reason: ‘It is easy to take leaflets promoting Pilates and transform them into leaflets promoting Pirates.’
NOTABLE QUOTES
‘Great for mental health as well as physical health, isn’t too strenuous, and unlike yoga has no roots in beliefs that are completely at odds with my own.’ (MusicalLottie); ‘It is the smugness of those who have recently done pilates which wins it a score of 0/10′; af632; ‘Friends used to do Pilates on a Wednesday, and call it ‘cocking about on the floor”.’ (cymruangel); ‘A scam. It just does your back in.’ (Dave Bon);
AVERAGE SCORE: 4/10
DIVING SCORE: 4/10
FULL MARKS: 0 out of 10
NUL POINTS: 1 out of 10
DALMATIANS
Greedy and overbred, better in films than in actuality. Praised for their spottiness. A few of the higher reviews came from people who just love dogs generally.
Although beloved by many in 101 Dalmatians, at least one Watsonian found the thought of 101 of them quite terrifying. Also? They are both pretty and pretty dumb.
NOTABLE QUOTES
‘They seem so lovable and …lollopy (If that isn’t a word, it should be).’ (Beth (Bloomability) – agreed!); ‘Entertainingly coloured, but massive gluttons. My old stables had a few dalmatians, and frequently they would steal peoples lunches.’ (Misha); ‘Although very cute and nice looking dogs, they can be rather dangerous dogs and aren’t the kind of dog to choose if you have young kids (of course you may find some nice ones and other more nasty ones, they’re just more prone to being nasty). I knew this also before I was mauled by one when I was younger.’ (Cat – ironically awesome name)
AVERAGE SCORE: 6/10
DIVING SCORE: 6.5/10
FULL MARKS: 5 out of 28 reviews
NUL POINTS: 0 out of 28
HIP-HOP
Wow, this was a complex one. Arguments for/against the art and musicality of hip-hop as well as which artists are worth listening too and which ones are to be avoided, but several commenters (quite rightly) found the issues of misogyny, homophobia, and promotion of violence in the some hip-hop (as Josh points out, this is more specific to gangsta rap) genre quite troubling. Good for dancing, though.
NOTABLE QUOTES
‘Don’t get it, don’t like it. And this fact makes me feel very old.’ (Cathy); ‘I recently discovered that some gems exist among the garbage. One recent example is Kanye West’s latest album “My beautiful dark twisted fantasy”. Brilliant record, even for a metal fan like myself.’ (max); ‘Generic, modern rap I can’t stand. Nerdcore, though, is brilliant, as is ‘old-school’ hip-hop.’ (Aislinn – agreed!); ‘I suggest a healthy dose of East Coast hip-hop, where it all started anyway. It’s music engineered to be as danceable as possible and is overall, a pretty happy thing. Listen to De La Soul, Grandmaster Flash, Cassanova Fly, DJ Cool Herc, all of that lot. DO NOT listen to The Sugar Hill Gang.’ (Josh); ‘Most of it’s awful, but some is fantastic, particularly Jurassic 5, De La Soul, Fort Minor and of course Baba Brinkman who is comedy but also hip-hop.’ (Dan); ‘Great music, but having to close your ears to rabid homophobia, sexism and racism is awkward.’ (Dave B)
Bon, again, thank you all for participating! I have to go bash some dough around and chuck in the oven (I am not Nigella – I am still in pyjamas at 2pm). Now, back to Mr Watson for the next round of selections.
So, here are the candidates for the 10th instalment, with an explanation of why I want them reviewed. Give me – and Megan -your reviews. As before, there are at least a couple which most people should have some sort of opinion on, but apologies if there’s nothing here you can join in with. If there are enough people in that situation, then next time maybe I’ll revert to nominating things like Barack Obama or going to the toilet.
Candidates:
THE BIG BANG THEORY (TV series; haven’t seen it much; everyone in British TV industry name-drops it)
THE TRIP (TV series; missed the whole thing)
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS (films; don’t think I’ll ever watch them)
MARMITE (yeasty spread; meant to be the ultimate love-it-or-hate it thing; keen to see if this is true)
DUBLIN (city; amazingly I haven’t been yet)
MEDITATION (activity; people often recommend it for tense people like me)
MICHAEL McINTYRE (a well-known comedian; just intrigued by people’s views)
Posted by Dave B on February 10, 2011
MARMITE is a magnificent two-fingered salute to the poseurs who dismiss British food as ‘brown’. “Behold!”, it seems to say, “I am so brown I’m almost black. Half the nation cannot aide me but still I’m a cultural icon”. I find such self-assurance very attractive. 10/10
MICHAEL MCINTYRE: He’s got pedigree, has paid his dues, is funny and I warm to the fact he has insecurities despite general public acclaim. However, he lost me when he became an “arena” artist. 6/10
Posted by charlotte on February 5, 2011
The big bang theory
I really like it, especially because it reminds me of my further maths class. However, the excessive laughter track can be annoying at times 8/10
Marmite
Used to love it, but once I stopped eating it daily, meh. Also, if you eat too much it starts to stain your teeth. 4/10
Meet the parents/meet the fockers
Found them quite funny when I first saw them at the age of about 12. Now, not so much. Certainly wouldn’t pay to buy them on dvd. 3/10
Michael McIntyre
Only seen him live once, at the channel 4 comedy gala. His set was one I’d seen before on tv (as with most of his routines) but I guess that’s what comes of the amount of exposure he gets. Mind you he seems nice enough, though a friend who works for royal variety said he was as big a diva as lady Gaga. 6/10, mostly for insulting Alex Reid at the comedy gala though.
Posted by Sam on February 4, 2011
oops – that last sentence should have been what Peter’s uncle said to spiderman (not Uncle Peter).
Posted by Sam on February 4, 2011
THE TRIP
One of the most enjoyable programme’s I’ve seen in ages. Funny, silly, excruciating, wistful, poignant and impressions of a man stuck in a box – what more could you want from a TV show? 9/10
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS
Thought Meet the Parents was OK, thought Meet the Fockers was poor. Based on that trajectory I have no intention of seeing Little Fockers. Remember the days when Robert De Niro was a heavyweight actor? 3/10 purely for Owen Wilson who I love in anything, what with his wonky nose and laid back charm (as long as you can forget the whole ‘attempted suicide because Goldie Hawn’s daughter dumped him’ thing).
MARMITE
. 5/10 (because I want to like it and it’s not its fault I don’t)
I include this in my list with raw celery, olives and mackerel as one of those things that I love the idea of but just can’t bear the taste of
DUBLIN
Been a few times over the years. Every time I’ve visited the fair city my impression of it has gotten worse, which is a real shame. First went about 10 or so years ago and had a really fantastic time and couldn’t rate it highly enough. Most random memory is my friend and I both having to sneak out of the organised tour of some historic house to go find some toilets to throw up in because we were so hungover from the night before. Not perhaps the nicest image, but something that still makes me giggle. Subsequent visits have seen the city get dirtier, everything get more expensive, and so many homeless people begging on the street. Sad.
5/10 – for the memories, the accent and the Guinness.
MEDITATION
Hmmm (or should that be ohmmmmmm), seems just like a fancy word and complicated process for taking some quiet time out. But different strokes for different folks. Perhaps people wouldn’t be so earnest about it if it was rebranded as chillaxing.
3/10
MICHAEL McINTYRE
He really inspires strong opinions doesn’t he? In my view he’s neither as good or as bad as people make out. There is a place for his Saturday evening light entertainment, middle of the road, offending no-one comedy. I think of him as a bit like the comedian version of Snow Patrol. Like Uncle Peter said to Spiderman “with great popularity, comes blander output” or something like that.
4/10
Posted by Phill on February 4, 2011
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS
“Meet the Fockers” is … well, it’s a bit crap. I kind of enjoyed it (it was a vaguely pleasant way of spending an hour or two) but I wouldn’t re-watch it though, and I’m not going to see “Little Fockers”. 3/10
MARMITE
I hate it! That said – my wife has a theory that Marmite is not actually a Marmite thing: we have some friends who don’t mind it, and some friends who have a mild dislike of it – so it is perhaps not the opinion-splitter that they claim it is. I’ll give it 2/10.
MEDITATION
Now this is something I can recommend. There have been a couple of TV series on by Christopher Jamieson, one called “Finding Sanctuary” and – more recently (in November last year) – “The Big Silence”. Really interesting stuff, and I do think most people should try and find a little bit more space in their lives.
I wouldn’t say meditation had to be a concentrated thing, but personally I find just some quiet time where I have a little bit of space to go out for a walk (or whatever) and just sort through what I’m thinking is invaluable.
Score: 9/10
MICHAEL McINTYRE
I liked him to start with, but then he got annoying. I watched his Wembley show on TV a little while ago, and … I don’t know, after a while I could just sort of predict his jokes. All of them seem to follow the same formula: take a normal situation, apply a little bit of absurdity, usually with humorous actions, rinse, repeat. actually that sounds like what a lot of comedians do, but somehow the way he does it is just very … samey.
Occasionally he comes out with something really funny, but I wouldn’t pay to see him.
Score: 5/10
Posted by Weaselspoon on February 4, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY
I haven’t seen much of this. When it first came out I gathered it was going to be a show for the geeky (probably at the detriment of the hot girl) but every time I’ve seen any of it I’ve been angry at the cheap geek stereotypes.
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS
I haven’t seen them, but I would direct anyone interested to this blog post:
http://webofevil.livejournal.com/237610.html
MARMITE
I’m in the love it camp. Brilliant on toast or crumpets, and useful for making a sauce taste meatier. 9/10
MICHAEL McINTYRE
I’m in the odd position of saying I think he’s funny and he makes me laugh, but I don’t think he’s very good. A bit like Bob Monkhouse, a gagsmith rather than a comedian. 6/10
Posted by Sophie on February 3, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY: I love this show. It’s geeky. I suppose it might be fake geeky. Real geeky is more like (xkcd.com). But it’s funny and I find myself laughing at the jokes. I really love all the comic book references.
10/10
MARMITE: Never tried it, so neither love or hate. I’ll be indecisive.
5/10
MICHAEL McINTYRE: I think he was very funny at first. I’ve seen too many recycled jokes and now I find him less funny. And he’s a judge on Britain’s Got Talent now so I’ve lost some respect for him.
6/10
Posted by Cathy on February 3, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY Like others, I didn’t think I’d like it when it first came out. It seemed a bit cliched and not my sort of thing. But saw a few episodes, then a few more, then started remembering it was on at a certain time, and now it’s on my Sky+. My partner and I used to tease each other, saying ‘it’s your favourite programme’ because it was like a guilty pleasure. But I’m over that now, and happy to say I really like it, and look forward to watching it every week. 8/10
THE TRIP I’m still working my way through this series, I’ve seen 3 or 4 episodes. I feel like I should really like it – the understated, subtle and life-like humour is just my sort of thing. And I will persevere with it. But it’s just missed the mark slightly for me. I think there’s too many impressions, and one episode seems very much like the next. But I like the idea of it… 6/10
MARMITE I don’t like it. Though, this is based on the decision I made when I was very young, so maybe if I tried it now, I would change my mind. I don’t buy it or use it in my cooking, but this idea intrigues me and makes perfect sense. I’ve got a feeling my mum used to cook roast potatoes with it, and they were nice. So I’ll give it 3/10 for potential other uses.
MICHAEL McINTYRE I’ve not seen enough of him to have a properly formed opinion. But what I have seen, he seems harmless enough, and probably not worthy of the criticism he sometimes gets. Small doses is probably key, as I can imagine the over exaggerated gestures would get on my nerves before too long.
Posted by Natalie-Helen on February 3, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY:
I enjoy watching this and the theme tune is undeniably catchy (something which appears to be important in measureing eventual success, look at the Fresh Prince, they play that tune in clubs…). I do sing along when it come on. The characters a quite likeable and it can be very funny (and quoteable). Not sure if it will be hailed in 10 years time as the nations favourite sitcom but its good to see nerds on TV. 7/10
MARMITE: I love Marmite. It is amazing, it tastes so savoury it’s like the exact opposite of golden syrup. I’ll admit it is a pretty weird concept for people (my French friend described it as “that shit you English eat”, we add insult to injury by taking it to France with us). I like it so much the the Marmite flavoured breadsticks I bought had to be dipped into Marmite to make them Marmity enough. And you can do so much with it! It works as a veggie stock, and made into hot drinks and sandwiches, with cheese, on crispbreads. I could go on. I’m not going to berate people for not liking it becuase at the end of the day I know it’s a pretty aquired taste, like salted anchovies, and life is too short. But I know that the old school packaging is comforting and the yumminess within satisfying. 10/10
I don’t really have concise opinions on any of the others.
^_^
Posted by Aislinn on February 2, 2011
The Trip: 10/10
This was brilliant. By far my favourite comedy show this year, without a shadow of a doubt. (Of course, Kicks Off comes an incredibly close second.) I set the line ‘To bed, gentlemen! We leave at 8.30 for 9′ as my phone’s welcome message earlier this year, and it has made dropping my phone and having to reset the battery a rather enjoyable scenario.
Michael McIntyre: 6/10
I dunno. Part of me thinks ‘He must be pretty funny, he’s got a huge following and is massively successful. His Comedy Roadshow was very popular and, well, congratulations to him.’ The other part of me puts on a silly baby voice and says ‘Ooooh, I’m Michael McIntyre, bouncy bouncy, look at me walk, look at my hair all floppy, don’t I look Chinese a little bit? ha ha ha I DON’T THINK SO.’
Posted by Laura-B on February 2, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY – I only started watching it this series. I don’t watch much tv as a rule, but I quite like this. It’s easier to watch but much less shit than How I Met Your Mother, E4′s similar offering. I like Sheldon, he reminds me of some of the kids I teach.
7/10
THE TRIP (- Ace! I loved this. I thought it was subtle and funny and moving. I liked that they were confident enough to take it slowly and not explain everything repeatedly to the audience. It wasn’t dumbed down, but was still very simple. The mammoth impression sessions did get slightly tedious, but other than that it was up there with some of the best tv this last year.
9/10
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS – Haven’t seen, don’t want to see.
MARMITE – I don’t think you do love it or hate it. I don’t mind it in small measures, although the first taste always confuses me a bit. In order to prove my ambivalence to it, I’m giving it…
5/10
MICHAEL McINTYRE – I don’t want to get offensive about Michael McIntyre, because as we’ve seen, other comedians are capable of reading this blog. However, I’m not a huge fan. For one thing, where did he come from? I thought I’d kept a vague eye on the comedy circuit, and then some guy I’d never heard of was selling out the Pleasance Grand… he just seemed to be massive from nowhere.
He basically strikes me as the epitome of a tv comedian. The tv audience wants instants laughs; the jokes shouldn’t need build up, or back story, or any form of patience. You need to be able to switch on mid way through a set and pick it up instantly. McIntyre does this very well. His jokes are quick, simple and don’t demand any thought. He feeds you the joke and why it is funny. As a result, he has mass appeal. My problem is that I am a big fan of delayed graitification when it comes to comedy. I’m quite happy to wait if the punch line is worth it. I was thinking this the other day: David O’Doherty was on, and the friends who I was watching with were totally unimpressed. I love DOD, but he is much more suited to a comedy venue, rather than tv. And is the better comedian for it, in my eyes.
4/10
Posted by max on February 2, 2011
I can only really comment on the big bang theory: 8/10.
Amazing show. It helps that I’m doing a PhD so, I do encounter these kind of specimens in my life
All my friends watch it too, and I have myself been called both Leonard and Sheldon in more than one occasion (and had a blonde girl that was hanging around with me been called Penny behind her back too. Cruel nerds, my friends).
Anyway. It doesn’t get full marks just because -as some already mentioned- the last season hasn’t been as utterly brilliant as the previous ones.
Posted by Hannahq on February 2, 2011
Marmite is the best food in the world. Fact. On cold dark mornings I wake up and I’m cheered by the fact that I can go and eat some marmite on toast. Its also good with scrambled eggs. It’s good with anything, actually. Also, the adverts inform me that Paddington Bear is on my side, so clearly I’m right. 10/10, easily.
Micheal McIntyre – Really funny in small doses. It saddens me a bit when people hate him, because actually he’s just really successful and I’m sure he’s worked pretty hard at it. Also, you shouldn’t hate people unless they’re actually bad bad people. That said, small doses is pretty key here. 7/10
Meditation – I can’t seem to stop myself from thinking about things, but it is pretty relaxing, although not so relaxing that I do it instead of a really relaxing thing like a bath. 5/10
Posted by Glamlovinkitty on February 2, 2011
Re Andrew’s comment about Michael McIntyre – that freeze frame thing wasn’t really so original, Eddie Izzard did it in about 1997 (‘la cucaracha’). Suppose MM thinks nobody watching him will remember that far back!
Posted by Jen on February 1, 2011
hiya…ok here goes…
THE BIG BANG THEORY – hear it more than i see it as my sister is constantly watching it…it hasn’t drawn me away from my marking though so 2/10
THE TRIP – watched most of the series….one word…random…like Brydon and Coogan but still not sure…it was however great to watch before bed as it slow pace soothed me to sleep. 5/10
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS – not seen this installment …yet….
MARMITE …wrong all wrong…0/10
DUBLIN …really enjoyed my visit …particular highlights included…the obvious Guiness Factory (im now officially able to pull pints of Guiness – i got a certificate and everything…hehe) and Jameson Distillery…only negative is the fact everything just seemed very expensive…8/10
MEDITATION …im quite a stress head but can’t switch off enough for this…each to their own…5/10
MICHAEL McINTYRE …i love all types of comedy…it’s seen as my ‘thing’…i go and watch as many comedians as i can, of all variations… i love McIntyre…just find him very likeable …one of my faves…not sure bout the move to Britains Got Talent…but we’ve all got bills so go for it…9/10
Posted by MusicalLottie on February 1, 2011
The Big Bang Theory:
I’d give it 9/10 but I have to knock off a point for a lot more of it being (unnecessarily) about sex, so 8/10.
I really enjoy this! I started to see some episodes of it as I was getting into sci-fi, so I understood the physics jokes a lot more than if I’d not been getting into sci-fi. I think Sheldon’s relationship with Amy is just hilarious, but at the same time I’m really chuffed that there are, not one, but two genuinely asexual characters on the show. You could get into a whole debate about whether they’re portrayed as ‘normal’ but I really don’t care; it’s a step towards more visibility and awareness
The Trip:
I missed it too.
Meet the Fockers/Little Fockers:
Haven’t seen them, but what I’ve heard and read about them lead me to feel strongly about them. 0/10
Marmite:
I hate the taste, but evidently other people like – even love – it, so 4/10
Dublin:
I went a couple of years ago for a very long day with a group of friends and had a thoroughly lovely time! We did quite a few of the touristy things, and I loved the train station, the trams, the architecture … I’d love to go back. Oh, and the pedestrian crossings are very very cool, and brilliantly accessible. The only downside was that it was a bit too expensive for me, but on balance 9.5/10
Meditation:
If you mean the ‘empty one’s mind’ sort of meditation, it’s pointless so 0/10. If you mean sitting quietly and contemplating, then it’s necessary in order not to go insane and I try to do so at least once a day, so 10/10.
Michael McIntyre:
I start my review with the disclaimer that most of my comedy exposure has been via the television. With that in mind, I really like Michael McIntyre. He was the first comedian I regularly enjoyed, although as others have said his Comedy Roadshow has unfortunately inflicted some horrors upon us. So a point off for that, and half a point off for sometimes swearing. 8.5/10
Posted by Psy on February 1, 2011
The Trip: The best new comedy of 2010 by a country mile. By turns hilarious, thought-provoking, cringeworthy and touching. Never much of a fan of Brydon’s before, but he & Coogan deserve awards for this series. A lot of what I would term “gentle humour” included, but overall a genuine, honest-to-goodness classic. 10/10.
The Fockers… Seen the 1st two of the series. 1st was vaguely amusing. 2nd wore the joke way too thin, hence the avoidance of the recent effort. Ben Stiller has done some great comedy (Dodgeball, Zoolander), but this is ‘snigger behind your hand’, mildly amusing but unfulfilling pap for the brainless masses. A bit like Glee, then. 3/10.
Marmite: Hate it. 0/10.
Dublin: Only been once when my band played a short Irish tour. Found the people to be very enthusiastic and friendly, the city lovely and the Guinness much better than in the UK. Really must go back some time. 8/10.
Michael McIntyre: Funny guy generally, but somewhat overexposed. Like John Bishop and Russell Howard too, his meteoric rise and ubiquity are somewhat detracting from his degree of amusement these days. There’s only so much floppy hair and skipping that one person can take before it becomes humdrum. But still, at least he hasn’t reached the annoyance levels of Britain’s Unfunniest Man (Lee Evans) yet. 7/10.
Posted by Andrew on February 1, 2011
Blimey, several topics upon which I can comment, for once.
The Big Bang Theory started at a pretty high level, and several series in (three, four?) still manages to reach that level surprisingly often. Part of my enjoyment may be because I share some of Sheldon’s disdain for the idiocy of people. Part of my enjoyment is definitely Kaley Cuoco. It feels like it’s on the verge of running out of steam, but it’s done very well to stay this good this long. 7/10
The Trip is one of those odd programmes which I really enjoyed, but which I can completely understand people hating. It was tremendously self-indulgent, but that was the point, so it’s a redundant criticism. By the last couple of episodes they should really have pared down the number of impersonations, but the real pleasure for me were occasional meandering exchanges – such as their discussion of the Adrian Gurvitz song ‘Classic’ – that were priceless. Once in a while you could catch them genuinely entertaining each other as well, which felt like odd little moments of voyeurism into the real Coogan and Brydon relationship. 7/10
Marmite. With apologies to the ad agency which rather brilliantly devised the ultimate negative advertising campaign, I’m afraid I neither love it nor hate it. I don’t eat it, but I could do if pushed, and there are lots of foods I can’t say that about. 4/10
Meet The Parents was pretty poor – I find it very frustrating that nobody has noticed that Robert De Niro can’t do comedy, at all. Nothing in it persuaded me that the sequels would be worth investigating. 4/10
Michael McIntyre. Well, he’s not as funny as people think he is, but he’s funnier than most of the haters claim. Once in a while he’ll come up with an observation (such as the one about freeze framing videos in the 80s and getting a picture which vibrated so much that you had no idea what you were looking at) which seems genuinely original to me. 6/10
Nothing I hate this time, sadly. It’s always so much more fun being vitriolic. Maybe next time you could include Jeremy Clarkson. Or people who refer to their husband/wife/partner as their “other half”.
Posted by Rachael on February 1, 2011
Big Bang theory: Funny sitcom, especially if you know people who are really like that. I like it because I can sit down and watch odd ones here and there without having to follow it too much. 7/10
The Trip: I enjoyed it very much. Simple set-up but very amusing and at times, sort-of touching. 8/10
Michael McIntyre: Seems like a very likeable man and he is very funny too so I can’t really fault him (yet). 9/10
Posted by Tracey on February 1, 2011
Sorry, I’m just not with it, I realize now that I should have awarded these topics marks out of ten. Regarding the ones I’ve seen, here goes:
Meet the Fockers 3/10
Marmite 7/10
Dublin – I’ve not been so I’ll leave that.
Meditation – 1/10 I need to be knocked out much quicker.
Micheal McIntyre 2/10 – Lazy and too full of smug self satisfaction, also as far as I’m concerned, a bore.
Tracey x
Posted by Tracey on February 1, 2011
Hi Mark. Firstly Camembert is great baked with crusty bread and salad – a whole one can leave you feeling a bit sick though! Regarding the new topics up for discussion, I’ve never seen The Big Bang Theory or The Trip so can’t comment. I have watched Meet the Fockers, it’s mildly amusing but I won’t be buying it or in a rush to watch it again.Marmite is gorgeous. Dublin? I’ve not been but my husband has and doesn’t think it’s a place to get excited about – but that’s just his opinion! Meditation? I’ve never tried it – preferring sleeping pills and a good long chemically induced sleep.Michael McIntyre – he does come out with the odd comment that makes me laugh like his routine regardinmg the word “the” going on strike as soon as you leave the South – not my opinion, just quoting the joke.In the main though I find him rather safe, smug and boring. When he went into a long episode about having pins and needles on a bus, I picked up a book. Take care, Tracey x
Posted by Beth on February 1, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY – Absolutely hated it the first time I saw it. Stupid ex-boyfriend was a physicist and made me watch it, so I accidentally became fond of it. Hate it again now, because all the science references bring up hideous memories of said ex. But that’s not really the programme’s fault to be honest. 6/10
THE TRIP – I felt I should love it – I find it really difficult to dislike any British Comedy (unless it’s Lee Evans, who can fuck right off)but I didn’t ‘get’ this straight away. Definitely a grower and not something to watch to cheer you up. 6.5/10
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS – I find it ludicrous that Ben Stiller has effectively played the exact same character in every single film he has ever been in. The only saving grace in any of these films is De Niro, but 3 films in, that is wearing a little thin. 2/10
MARMITE – Disagree about the whole love/hate thing, I’m not remotely fussed by it, but enjoy it when I have it. That is, it’s not on my shopping list, but will happily have some on toast if someone offers me it. 5/10
DUBLIN – Blood brilliant city, most parts are beautiful and that not so beautiful parts have some interesting but less than salubrious places to explore. Everyone is pretty much super friendly, you don’t mind paying that little bit extra for a pint and live music in pubs in awesome. I would give Dublin 10/10, but whilst visiting the zoo I saw a mother duck drown her duckling, which traumatised me for quite some time. I was 21. Overall 9/10.
MICHAEL McINTYRE – I really don’t find that formulaic observational comedy very funny, although I will concede that he does it very well. However, my mum absolutely hates him. She is so physically repulsed by him that she feels she has to leave the room. I pretend that he is the funniest person to have ever lived in an always successful attempt to wind her up. Hah. 4/10.
Posted by cymruangel on February 1, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY: Very funny. I have lived with mathematicians, phycists and chemists (although no comic book fans) and can verify that the whole theoretical discussions thing does happen. 9/10
THE TRIP: Looked like bollocks. Far too much of the Tristram Shandy (life imitating art imitating life imitating nonsense) about it, so I decided to avoid it. 0/10
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS: Have only seen the former. Quite amusing, as long as you’re a fan of toilet jokes. 5/10
MARMITE: Never tried it.
DUBLIN: apparently lovely. I won a trip there and gave it to my parents as an anniversary present one year. Their airport lost my parents’ luggage. Arbitrary 8/10 anyway.
MEDITATION: I’ve never done this properly in the “Om” legs crossed style. But I have done some sitting and thinking in a room with quiet music. It can be a very good way of reviewing the day’s events, and setting time aside to do it is half the point as it gives you the opportunity to relax. 8/10
MICHAEL McINTYRE: “Totally gazebo-ed”, McIntyre’s phrase for what posh people say when they’re drunk, has become something of a catchphrase in our house. But I’m really not sure about the skipping… 7/10
Posted by Glamlovinkitty on February 1, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY : Not a gigantic fan, but my OH likes it (he’s a geek) and I’ve found myself drawn into it on occasion. Although it can be funny, I think my problem with it is that I don’t find ANY of the characters even slightly likeable, and in fact want to punch most of them. On balance, I’ll give it a 5/10.
THE TRIP: never seen it, as I believe it contains both Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan, both of whom make me want to spew. So no marks for that.
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS : Again, not for me – I never watch this kinda film.
MARMITE : really quite disgusting. I’ve never understood why anyone would eat this, even the smell of it is barf-tastic. 1/10 and that’s purely on the basis of it being vegetarian.
DUBLIN : Love it. Been a few times and had a great time each time. Great atmosphere, great city, great sights and culture, love it. Lots of fun things to do and places to visit. Incredibly expensive for drinking, but hey, it’s not like you have to live there. 8/10 (would be more but for the ridiculous drink prices).
MEDITATION : I do yoga and find it very relaxing and healthy. No problem with meditation, though I sometimes find it hard to actually relax enough! But as a useful part of a healthy but busy lifestyle, 6/10.
MICHAEL McINTYRE : I’m really not keen. I think he can, on occasion, be mildly amusing, but that’s the best I can say about him. It speaks volumes about the British public that he has been propelled to superstardom. He’s just lazy comedy and a funny jiggly hairstyle. It galls me that there are so many amazing comedians out there not making it big, while he, undeservedly, has become huge. He really, really hasn’t merited his rise to fame. Plus, his Roadshow has been responsible for unleashing some horrors on the unsuspecting public (Kevin Bridges, for one) who have now also, undeservedly, made it big simply because a lot of people simply like what TV tells them to like. Overall McIntyre gets a 2/10 from me and he’s lucky to even get that.
Posted by Helen on February 1, 2011
Big Bang Theory
I like this, it’s funny and easy to watch. Sadly it is the type of thing that could be easily ruined for someone if it’s been over hyped, as it’s by no means brilliant. I would call it quite good. 6/10.
THE TRIP
I did not really get this. 1/10
MARMITE
Oh good God the slogan pisses me off. It is an utter fucker. When the hell did it become seen as acceptable for people to describe their personality as ‘like marmite’. It was just a marketing campaign and now it’s gone and slimed it’s way into everyday conversation. I mean really…you either Love it or Hate it? Jesus. I think it’s very hypocritical for a murky brown spread to go about acting like everything is black or white.
The taste, however, isn’t at all bad. Had it with toast and an egg for my tea. 4/10.
MICHAEL McINTYRE
He’s done some great material and then some not so great material. He’s good comedian but does seem to make a lot of things up and pretends they really happened in a way that’s leaves me feeling cold rather than happy to go with it and laugh. This is only from watching him on telly though so I feel like I don’t really have the right to pass judgement. Never seen him live and I would quite like to. 7/10
Posted by Misha on February 1, 2011
Tonights comment comes to you from a coach to Cov. Regular blog readers may not I now live in Cardiff. It’s a long story (really). Anyway!
The Trip 5/10
Saw the first two episodes in a state of ahh, impaired judgement. Didn’t really drag me in enough to bother with the remainder, but one of the characters was called Misha which was nice/confusing.
Meet the Fockers/Marmite/Meditation 1/10. Have tried all. Concluded all werw shit. Just didn’t do it for me.
Posted by DeborahF on January 31, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY – I’ve seen the odd bit of an episode as I’ve flicked through the channels but never really watched it. It seems a bit cliched to me, but that’s just a general impression rather than an in depth review based on extensive knowledge. 4/10
THE TRIP – I wasn’t sure what to expect but I really enjoyed it and would recommend watching it. Though I can’t really say it was hilariously funny or put my finger on quite why I found it enjoyable and highly watchable. 9/10
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS – No idea never watched them and from what I’ve heard, not my kind of thing. 0/10
MARMITE – The Devil’s creation – absolutely disgusting – 0/10
DUBLIN – I’ve never been either but I’m going for work soon – though I suspect I’ll not see much apart from the inside of an office, the inside of a hotel and the airport. However, I will be interested in what people have to say as I aim to go back for pleasure sometime soon. Entirely based on my expectations. 7/10
MEDITATION – I’ve tried this – however the I find the process of being able to empty my mind impossible. It keeps filling itself with random thoughts and bizarre, possibly unanswerable questions. I do however think it is important to find a quiet time to just be quiet and I do admire anyone who can do it. 8/10
MICHAEL McINTYRE – If he’s on TV I’ll watch him – he’s funny enough but I’m not sure I’d go out of my way to watch him live. He seems have been criticised a lot since he’s achieved success lately, which I think is probably unfair. 7/10
Posted by Clembear on January 31, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY -
Its quite funny and works as long as you don’t push it very hard, or ask questions about how the character behave or their emotions. The physics is very accurate too. I watched a great video on youtube when they remove the laugh track and it becomes quite haunting. So if you can watch an episode with and without the laughter it becomes quite good. 6/10
THE TRIP -
I liked this, Coogan and Brydon play horrible versions of themselves (well possibly, Patrick Marber described Steve Coogan as a man who reads car magazines) so it does the excruciatingly painful moments of observation well. And its nice about the North. 7/10
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS -
Same jokes as the first films. For many people this is not a problem and is genuinely why some people watch films. Which makes me a sad. Its similar reasoning to why the Big Bang Theory works really. You get a fun sensation with Meet the Fockers if you imagine time travel to the 70s to tell Hoffman, de Niro and Streisland what they’ be doing. What a cast! And they’re in Meet the Fockers. 5/10.
MARMITE -
No opinion. Really.
MICHAEL McINTYRE – quite funny, bit sexist. I read his autobiography on a flight. Its sort of wonderful but not on purpose. He’s obsessed with success and so has written his autobiography as a narrative to how he got where he was with no mention of luck or chance. It has absolutely no reflection or personal insight. This makes it a somewhat incredible read as you keep asking where his mind is. Does he doubt? Does he ask himself questions? He might be a unneurotic comedian, which makes me give him a 9/10 for rarity.
Posted by Alice on January 31, 2011
Big Bang Theory- 8/10
This show comes listed in my ‘guilty pleasures’, though I disapprove of the term. Network fluff centred on four gifted young scientists whose lives are upturned when a pretty actress moves in next door. An unlikely friendships forms along with the traditional ‘will-they-won’t-they’ between the two central characters. Nerd culture is king in this show: the jocks are mocked mercilessly and the character if Sheldon Cooper is inspired. As the girl who’s hung out with more than her fair share of nerds this show has a place in my heart, and I love it more with each science joke. My only misgivin is having to defend it to ‘cultured’ people who are apparently above the post modern approach to popular and high culture.
Posted by Beth on January 31, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY: Haven’t seen it.
THE TRIP: Haven’t seen it.
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS: Haven’t seen them.
DUBLIN: Haven’t been.
MEDITATION: Haven’t tried it.
MICHAEL McINTYRE: Haven’t seen him.
Now, normally, with such a high proportion of things that I haven’t seen / tried, I’d let this one slip.
But.
I am Australian and I cannot walk past a chance to try and convince everyone that MARMITE is the embodiment of pure evil, but VEGEMITE is proof of divinity, Heaven and that there is someone Up There who loves us very, very much. YMMV, of course.
But if it does, you’re wrong.
Posted by Corry on January 31, 2011
THE TRIP: I really, really wanted to love this, and I did for 2 episodes. Then it got terribly repetitive and a bit lazy. I think it has been grossly over-rated by some critics and has a touch of the emperors new clothes about it. If this had been anyone other than Coogan and Brydon I don’t even think it would have been commissioned. Having said all that I watched every episode. 4/10
DUBLIN: I saw U2 live in Dublin, it was my first time to the city and it was an all expenses paid trip by the record company (I was a +1, I am not special enough for record companies to pay for me to go on a jolly) So I think that the amazingness of the whole journey added something to the city. It is gorgeous, the people are as brilliant as the cliche says they should be but it is an expensive place to be (unless someone else is paying). 9/10
MEDITATION: Desperately want to slate this. Can’t. It works for me most of the time. 9/10
MICHAEL McINTYRE: An exceptionally hard working comedian who has done a great deal for up and coming acts on the circuit. His comedy is really not my cup of tea, I think his observations are lazy and 9 times out of 10 don’t make sense, he just says them with enough conviction to get away with it. I gave him 3 stars last time I reviewed him which would make it 6/10 if I have my non-biased hat on. Personally, and this is purely down to my own taste in comedy, I would give him 1/10.
Posted by Ally on January 31, 2011
The Big Bang Theory: I quite like this show, though sometimes it ventures into the realm of silly instead of funny. The character Sheldon is pretty much the main reason everyone should watch this show as almost every second joke is either about or said by him. 8/10
Meet the fockers etc: Hated it. 2/10
Marmite: Clearly inferior to Vegemite. 4/10 (Vegemite gets an 8/10 if you were wondering)
Meditation: Most of the time it’s just boring, I do find that listening to a guided meditation thing before going to bed helps me sleep as it stops me from focusing on eveything that happened during the day. 7/10
Posted by Lisa D on January 31, 2011
BIG BANG THEORY–I love this show. I was starting to wonder if sitcoms were ever going to be funny again, or at least not low rent “Office” knockoffs and then this show came along. My favorite character changes from week to week, but any plot device that puts Sheldon and Penny alone together rocks. The current season started out a bit off but it seems to be on track now. 9/10
MEET THE PARENTS/MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS–At it’s absolute best this movie series was a reasonably amusing opportunity to watch Robert De Niro be funny. They get progressively less funny and didn’t start at a high level to begin with. The only reason I saw the last is someone else offered to pay so I wouldn’t get angry about wasting my money, and I still left the theater feeling ripped off. It isn’t that there isn’t any laughs to be had it’s that they are in the midst of a wilderness of pointless awkwardness and rehashed “babies are kooky” material and even a great actor like De Niro seems unable to hide his boredom. 5/10, 3/10, 1/10
MARMITE–I hate to toss a wrench in a perfectly good marketing campaign but I am utterly indifferent to Marmite. Tried it. Liked it fine. If it was offered to me I would accept it, but I’ve never craved it. 5/10
MICHAEL MCINTYRE– And speaking of things that inspire indifference in me…I have never seen anyone as middle-of-the-road DULL as Michael Mcintyre. He seems charming enough, certainly content with his life, and maybe that’s the problem. Perhaps he lacks the discontent necessary to push himself and his work a little harder…or maybe he’s just not that funny. Either way: 5/10
Posted by Lydia on January 31, 2011
THE TRIP: I liked this series, but at the same time I had issues with it. I think maybe it would have been better if there had been half the number of episodes and Rob Bryon and done something other than impressions. There’s only so many times a slightly dodgey Michael Caine voice is going to make me laugh. 6/10
MEET THE PARENTS/FOCKERS: I don’t really know why I’m reviewing this one because I’ve only watched one and it was ages ago. I remember thinking it was kind of funny. 3/10 (it can’t have been that good if I don’t remember anything about it)
MARMITE: Good in macaroni cheese. 8/10
MEDITATION: I have problems with anxiety, so I have been told that I should meditate. I don’t really get the point though, because I just sit there thinking about everything and getting stressed. Or I get bored. And once I fell asleep, which I suppose is an okay kind of outcome. 1/10
MICHAEL McINTYRE: I love him. He always cheers me up. I think I liked him more before my brother started putting on his voice all the time. It’s very annoying when all you want to do is drink your coffee quietly. 8/10
Posted by Dan on January 31, 2011
THE TRIP: Fantastic, in fact probably the best british comedy series of last year. Steve Coogan plays that tragic undertone to perfection, and Rob Brydon is hilarious. 9/10
MICHAEL MCINTYRE: Funny but nothing special. 6/10
MARMITE: Just the thought of it is making me want some marmite. I love it. Particularly on toast. I’m off to buy some marmite. 10/10
Posted by Beth (Bloomability) on January 31, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY- I absolutely love the Big Bang Theory, even though I’ve only seen a few episodes. I fully intend to watch more of it though. It’s nerdy, awkward but it is strangely charming and full of quotable nik-naks to recite with your friends. 9/10
THE TRIP: Once again, I only saw a couple of episodes of this. I thought it was quite funny in som parts, but found it a bit slow-moving and was a little unsure of the format. Maybe that’s just me. My dad, however, watched every episode and absolutely loved it. Due to that, I’ll give it a 6/10.
Posted by Chris H on January 31, 2011
The Big Bang Theory. I’ve seen a couple of episodes, and they were actually quite funny, but I’m not sure I would want to watch a 100 or so episodes. 7/10
The Trip. Never seen it, but am keen to.
Fockers. Some funny bits wrapped in what seems to be 100 hours of Ben Stiller gurning… So, if you like Ben Stiller you’ll love the films, if you don’t, you’ll hate them. I hate them. 2/10
Marmite. Most of the time I cannot stand it. But when I’ve got a hangover I would happily kill for a slice of marmite on toast. 7/10
Dublin. A great place – I’ve been there a few times, and have always really enjoyed it. Go to the Winding Stair Bookshop – you’ll love it. 8/10
Meditation. I’ve never tried it, so I don’t have any views. I would admit, though, that I instinctively find people who (unprompted) proclaim that they meditate to be extremely annoying.
Michael McIntyre. I used to like him, and even bought his DVD, but now he annoys the fuck out of me. However, he is still occasionally funny, and is clearly quite popular. 3/10
I’ve just read the above and wondered what my views say about me – that I am fairly grumpy, apparently.
Chris
Posted by lisan66 on January 31, 2011
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS: Meet The Parents was good, and then Meet The Fockers/Little Fockers were the exact same jokes with a few extra actors thrown in for eye candy. 6/10
DUBLIN: I live in Dublin, so I don’t want to be too mean, but feel like I have the right to be because it’s my home. I think that Temple Bar (the bit with all the pubs, little artsy shops etc) is the nicest bit of Dublin City. We have a Spire that tourists generally like to look at, lots of nice theatre places, a zoo and the only bridge in the world that is wider than it is long. (Vicar Street or The Olympia are good places to gig by the way). I’m scroing it 10/10 because it’s home, but 7/10 as a place a tourist should go.
Posted by Ingrid on January 31, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY : I do really like it! I didn’t think I would, but I found myself watching it a few times and it turns out its pretty good. 7/10
THE TRIP (TV series; missed the whole thing) Yeah… me to
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS: I liked the first one (meet the parents was it?) but meet the Fockers not so much. I had planned on seeing little fockers but never really got round to it. 4/10
MARMITE: I LOVE marmite! On crackers, bread, biscuits… its all good. 10/10
DUBLIN: I haven’t been either, but I really wish I could go. I love Irish accents and pretty much Ireland altogether. Even so I haven’t been there so I’m not to sure I’m qualified to judge this one.
MEDITATION: Tried it once or twice with school or swimming or other groups. Its pretty fun and relaxing but I never really have time to do it by myself. I always feel like there is something more important I have to be doing. Still, not to bad. 6/10
MICHAEL McINTYRE: I have to say I really really like him. He is one of the few comedians I feel comfortable watching with my family. He isn’t rude or offensive and he really makes me laugh. I think my fondness of him could be a lot to do with the fact that he was the first comedian I liked, and he essentially got me into comedy. So he gets 9/10
Posted by h2osarah on January 31, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY – I watch this on a regular basis. LOVE IT! It is one of the TV shows that makes me laugh out loud on a consistent basis. I <3 Nerds! 10/10
THE TRIP – Watched it, found it more awkward than funny, but that's probably because I find Rob Brydon a bit grating. He's good in acting roles, but his endless array of characters drives me a bit crazy. So adding Steve Coogan into that mixture didn't help me any. 2/10
MARMITE I was once made to eat vegemite (different, I know, but similar) by a pair of Aussie boys. I still can't get the taste out of my mouth. Awful. (I can't score it though, since I haven't had marmite itself, and I only had a tiny bit of vegemite on toast once, several years ago).
MICHAEL McINTYRE – In my experience of watching him live, he was getting laughs twice as big as other comics on the bill for jokes half as good. That bothered me. Also, I now skip over his bits of the comedy roadshow because I find his style a bit annoying. His main strength is that he loves Jon Richardson almost as much as I do. He gets 1/10 for his own humour and 3/10 for being a big fan of Jon. Overall score gets him 4/10.
Posted by Rachel on January 31, 2011
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS: Remember loving Meet the Fockers when I first saw it, never really found it funny though. Little Fockers hasn’t caught my attention at all so overall 5/10
MARMITE: Never tried it, but I did once make a friend a hat in the shape of one of those novelty Marmite teapots and she looked suitably crazy… (can’t really give a rating having never tried it, but I wanted to share my hat story)
MICHAEL McINTYRE: Used to love him, then he did a second series of his Comedy Roadshow and I don’t really bother with him anymore. His old material still gets me but none of his new does. I also hope my friend/comedy twin Poppy doesn’t read this because she loves him… 7/10
Posted by Alex on January 31, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY (TV series; haven’t seen it much; everyone in British TV industry name-drops it)
The more I watch of this the more I like it. I kind of assumed I wouldn’t, but having sort of accidently watched a few episodes and starting to follow the story I do find it really funny. I have also become quite invested in Penny and Leonards relationship…
7/10
MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS (films; don’t think I’ll ever watch them)
Meet the Parents was funny, Meet the Fockers wasn’t, not gonna bother with Little Fockers.
4/10
MARMITE (yeasty spread; meant to be the ultimate love-it-or-hate it thing; keen to see if this is true)
I am actually reasonably indifferent to Marmite. I am probably nearer to hating it than loving it, but… yeah.
4/10
MEDITATION (activity; people often recommend it for tense people like me)
I have tried this a few times and have always, without fail, got the giggles. Silly. Fun, though.
5/10
MICHAEL McINTYRE (a well-known comedian; just intrigued by people’s views)
I don’t really get why people are so down on Michael McIntyre. Is it because he became very successful very quickly? I saw him at the Glee Club in Brum maybe in about 2007 and it. was. brilliant. I was in physical pain from laughing. Sadly I do agree with Tom that every time he is on TV now he seems to become a bit less funny. First DVD is brilliant though.
7.5/10
Posted by Anji on January 31, 2011
Beacuse I meant to post on the last one and then totally forgot, I’m doing this now so I don’t forget. Seems to make sense.
Big Bang Theory – I’ve only seen a few, but do like it, as far to say if I’m channel hoping and find it, I’ll watch it. But it’s not on the old sky+. 5/10
Meet the Fockers – have watched the first 2, once. Don’t think I have brought the DVDs, they are silly but no where near as bad as some other films out there! 4/10
Marmite – love it. Love on toast, always saves me when I have nothing else to put in a sandwich and I use it loads in cooking. Always a jar in the cupboard. And I called my cat Marmite and he was lovely too! Marmite, every house should have it! 8/10
Michael McIntyre – have to say I quite like him. Saw him in early 2008 (I think) before he was MASSIVE. And he is good live. Probably I think he’ll have a more love/hate reaction then Marmite! 7/10
Posted by Kathryn on January 31, 2011
THE BIG BANG THEORY:
Oh dear. I fear it isn’t funny. Being at a nerdy university means I am surrounded by people who would get all the complex maths/physics/star trek references yet agree that it’s not funny. Maybe it’s too American. It’s supposed to be targeted at people around my age, studenty people, but I think the general consensus is that it’s only worth watching if you’re trying very hard to avoid that essay or lab report. Inoffensive but unamusing. 4/10
MARMITE:
Bleugh. I’ll admit I’ve never actually tried it- I couldn’t get past the smell. 2/10
DUBLIN:
To my shame, despite being Irish (sort of, ish) I’ve never properly been to Dublin. I’ve been to the airport three times. And I’ve been through the city in a taxi at 6am once in order to catch the bus back to Belfast. But that’s it. Ergo, this is based on things I’ve read, and the opinions of my friends, and the film Once (which is amazing). Brilliant city. Lots of craic. Great airport. And unlike Belfast, much less likely to have bombs and stuff. 9/10
Posted by Tom Beasley on January 31, 2011
First comment. I feel special.
If that thing where I get to dictate a topic is still going, then I’d like to hear Mark talk about which topics he feels are good for comedians to talk about and which topics should be avoided, either because they’re offensive or just not at all funny. xP
Posted by Tom Beasley on January 31, 2011
THE TRIP: Absolute genius! If you like Rob Brydon and/or Steve Coogan, you will almost certainly love it. In fact, even if you aren’t really fond of either of them, you will almost certainly love it. It should really be awful because it basically just boils down to two middle-aged man bantering and doing impressions of people that no-one under the age of 20 has hear of, but Coogan and Brydon somehow manage to take that and make it bloody hilarious. 9/10
MEET THE PARENTS/MEET THE FOCKERS/LITTLE FOCKERS: Now a lot of people will pull this trilogy up on its immature humour and fairly formulaic plot. But you don’t watch a film with “fockers” in the title because you want a mature, emotional epic. You watch it for a laugh and you will definitely laugh at these films. Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro are both outstanding and some of the writing is genuinely excellent. They are by no means excellent films, but if you want to see a man called Gaylord brawl with an ex-CIA man at a children’s party, you certainly won’t get it anywhere else! 7/10
MARMITE: The love-or-hate thing is bollocks. I actually quite like it, but I don’t think I have the capacity to love sticky brown stuff that is kept in a jar. It’s not everyone’s cup or tea and I don’t eat it regularly, but it tastes great on crumpets! 6/10
MICHAEL MCINTYRE: Ah, this one’s a shame. His first stand-up DVD was cracking. The problem is that, because of the popularity of that first DVD, he is now allowed to be lazy and still be lauded as an amazing comic. He still occasionally produces some absolute comic gems, but he’s nothing more than a likeable, mediocre stand-up these days. 7/10