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Not Going Out

TV Review: Not Going Out: The End

January 17, 2015 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

Not Going Out came to its conclusion in December, and has been consistent and homely viewing, with frequent laughs at the characters’ expense. It is silly, frustratingly painful watching (the protagonists get it so wrong every single time) and very rude.

The characters are all familiar by now; we know when Lee is going to do something stupid, or when Frank is going to arrive out of nowhere, or when Daisy is going to say something entirely moronic, and that is all part of the charm. Lee’s dysfunctional family and friends become our own family and friends and it feels like they have truly earned a place in our homes after all these years.

Mack’s vast quantity of gags and puns continue to fill the space that Tim Vine left behind back in 2012, but that doesn’t mean Vine isn’t missed. A new addition to the programme, however, has been that of Hugh Dennis (Outnumbered) who plays Lee and Lucy’s new neighbour, Toby. The introduction of Toby in series 7 has allowed the character dynamics to be balanced with his level-headed presence, in predictable and typical Dennis-style.

A highlight of this series had to be episode five, Pointless (see above link), which featured appearances from both Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman, who stepped up to the job with apparent ease.

I won’t spoil the ending of the series, but I will say that it ended in typical Not Going Out style (though with the addition of something all concluding sitcoms seem to be doing these days: showing cringeworthy flashbacks of the famous moments from past episodes within the final scenes of the last show). All the memorable characters from the past eight years came together, including Tim Vine which was a delight.

I will always enjoy watching reruns of Not Going Out, but I have to say I felt it reached its natural conclusion here and I am glad it wasn’t stretched any further. Lee Mack’s brilliant comic writing has provided us with years of quality family entertainment and I look forward to seeing what he goes on to write in the future.

Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: Hugh Dennis, Katy Wix, Lee Mack, Not Going Out, Sally Bretton, Sitcom, Tim Vine

Christmas Round Up

January 6, 2015 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

The Christmas period presented multiple comedy gems to our television screens last month, and here is a summary of a few of my particular favourites:

Derek

Ricky Gervais’ Derek reached its natural conclusion with a wedding, a fight and a baby. Gervais has shown a great subtlety in his writing that I had not noticed in his other projects that often displayed, in fact, quite the opposite. I found the episode to be dealt with sensitively and with great humour, with the character of Derek remaining endearing yet dignified throughout, as was noticeable from this year’s series two. Available on 4OD.

House of Fools

House of Fools has been one of my favourite sitcoms since it first aired in early 2014, as it is written by, and stars, the incredible Vic and Bob. This Christmas spectacular presented many problems for the duo: Erik has demanded a particular bobble hat for his present but it has been set on fire. The strange gathering must set off to steal a replacement, and meet Father Christmas (Reece Shearsmith) on the way. Available on BBC iPlayer.

Not Going Out

Not Going Out has been consistently and delightfully cringe-worthy with frequent small laughs and a few brilliant lines per episode (and there have been an impressive seven series, so that’s some great feat). This final episode did not disappoint, and audiences were finally given an answer to the age-old question: will Lee and Lucy ever actually become a couple? Available on BBC iPlayer.

Gadget Man

Richard Ayoade returned with a Gadget Man’s Guide to Christmas with special guests Adam Hills, Jessica Hynes, Stephen Merchant, Jonathan Ross, Reece Shearsmith and Robert Webb. With a wonderful array of toys and vehicles and strange household items, Ayoade presented us with an entirely new take on Christmas gifts and dinners. Available on 4OD.

Charlie Brooker’s 2014 Wipe

Charlie Brooker brought his infamous positive little rays of sunshine to Christmas by overviewing a seemingly awful year for everyone in the entire universe. From Farage to Ebola, Charlie’s typically sarcastic and cutting commentary overed it all, with help from Barry Shitpeas and Philomena Cunk. I should probably warn off people who are prone to depression from watching this programme but Brooker’s wit really takes the edge off, as does the wonderful song at the end. Available on BBC iPlayer.

Man Down

Man Down has to be one of my favourite new sitcoms from the past couple of years because it stars a couple of my most loved comedians: Greg Davies and Roisin Conaty. The Christmas episode was a beautiful tribute to the late Rik Mayall, who played Dan’s father in the show, and sent both Mayall himself, and the character he played, off in a hilarious but touching fashion. Available on 4OD.

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Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: Bob Mortimer, Charlie Brooker, Derek, Gadget Man, Greg Davies, House of Fools, Lee Mack, Man Down, Not Going Out, Reece Shearsmith, Richard Ayoade, Ricky Gervais, Rik Mayall, Roisin Conaty, Vic Reeves
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