Alan Partridge: is just me?

[Weekender]

DIdn't know that - mystery solved!

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/armando-iannucci-alan-partridge-exclusive-rt-rewind/
He's the reason Alpha Papa worked as well as the early stuff...for me anyway.

 

[PhilEOS]

“Wings, what The Beatles could have been”.

He deserves immortality for that line alone!

Back of the net!

 

[Cav]

I very much enjoy Partridge/Coogan.

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

Can’t enjoy stuff like The Office, AP or Sacha doing his Borat thing, just not my cup of tea. However that After Life series was brilliant and made me look at Gervais in a different light.

Yes to all that. Completely agree. I'm sure Borat is hilarious, and SBC is clearly a real comic talent, but it all makes me feel uncomfortable. And yes, I reassessed Gervais after that.

 

[myles]

Yes to all that. Completely agree. I'm sure Borat is hilarious, and SBC is clearly a real comic talent, but it all makes me feel uncomfortable. And yes, I reassessed Gervais after that.

I read your post and totally understand your position re the discomfort - it's not for everyone. Have you tried The Trip? Although from the outside it looks like two guys eating food and having impression battles, there is a real back story to both characters, and Coogan especially plays a vulnerable middle aged man clinging to his youth with such skill - it's really compelling stuff. Hilarious as well.

 

[droodzilla]

I never used to like Ricky Gervais, thinking him a bit of an arse and self-satisfied. Again, The Office is comedy of embarrassment, and I felt it was slightly cruel.

However, then I saw After Life, which I thought was just so sensitively and brilliantly done. Still those Gervais tropes of caricatures in most characters, but just an utterly superb piece of work. IMHO

In that case, we are mirror-opposites.

The Office is a masterpiece in my view - perhaps the best TV comedy ever made. I'd say it's the opposite of cruel because it gives people who are rarely seen on TV (bizarrely, since so many of us spend so much time in offices) a voice, and humanises them. Even David Brent is (partly) redeemed in the end (in the final Christmas special).

A pivotal scene for me is the one where David Brent talks about John Betjeman's poem, "Slough". On one level, we're invited to laugh at his clumsy attempt to critique the poem. On another, it's a sincere, even passionate, defence of "ordinary people" against the sneering tone of Betjeman's poem:

In labour-saving homes, with care
Their wives frizz out peroxide hair
And dry it in synthetic air
And paint their nails.

Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough
To get it ready for the plough.
The cabbages are coming now;
The earth exhales.

It's a wonderful scene, as close as The Office gets to a statement of its underlying philosophy. In spite of all the embarassment and occasional cruelty, it's a wise and humane series - Ricky Gervais clearly loves these characters.

In contrast, I found After Life rather sentimental and Ricky Gervais' character self-absorbed and quite obnoxious. It's well made, and season 1 held my attention but I'm not tempted by season 2.

 

[gintonic]

SBC is a funny man

 

[Weekender]

Damn it Drood...well said.
First time I typed that it came out "Damn IT Drood".

 

[Sue Pertwee-Tyr]

I read your post and totally understand your position re the discomfort - it's not for everyone. Have you tried The Trip? Although from the outside it looks like two guys eating food and having impression battles, there is a real back story to both characters, and Coogan especially plays a vulnerable middle aged man clinging to his youth with such skill - it's really compelling stuff. Hilarious as well.

I haven't seen it, but I have seen trailers and yes, I think I'd probably enjoy that. It's on the list.

 

[myles]

In that case, we are mirror-opposites.

The Office is a masterpiece in my view - perhaps the best TV comedy ever made. I'd say it's the opposite of cruel because it gives people who are rarely seen (bizarrely, since so many of us spend so much time in offices) a voice and humanises them. Even David Brent is (partly) redeemed in the end (in the final Christmas special).

A pivotal scene for me is the one where David Brent talks about John Betjeman's poem, "Slough". On one level, we're invited to laugh at his clumsy attempt to critique the poem. On another, it's a sincere, even passionate, defence of "ordinary people" against the sneering tone of Betjeman's poem:

In labour-saving homes, with care
Their wives frizz out peroxide hair
And dry it in synthetic air
And paint their nails.

Come, friendly bombs, and fall on Slough
To get it ready for the plough.
The cabbages are coming now;
The earth exhales.

It's a wonderful scene, as close as The Office gets to a statement of its underlying philosophy. In spite of all the embarassment and occasional cruelty, it's a wise and humane series - Ricky Gervais clearly loves these characters.

In contrast, I found After Life rather sentimental and Ricky Gervais' character self-absorbed and quite obnoxious. It's well made, and series 1 held my attention but I'm not tempted by season 2.

Great post by the way. I think Gervais has nailed the lead character in After Life - he's lost the only person who he cared what they thought of him, and honestly he doesn't give a flock about what anyone thinks ever again, in fact he is positively pushing the world away with his obnoxious and self-obsessed attitude. Gervais got it right - made me want to cry when I watched S1, with the wife sat 1ft to my right.

 

[Weekender]

The first series of The Trip is brilliant.
Beautifully shot in early Spring in the North.
Great interplay with Brydon.
The shock of the new is less on the later series but still well done.
Haven't seen the Greece one yet.

 

[eternumviti]

I'm with the negatives, for what it's worth. Gervais too. One thing to be merely obnoxious, but smugly self-satisfied too?

 

[Ponty]

Paul Calf

Love Calf.

 

[wow&flutter]

I must admit I struggled with episode one as well. I did feel the “I’m Alan Partridge” series where it’s based on him being a local radio DJ was wonderful. I suspect though it was due to the other actors and actresses he had bouncing off him. Must admit to loving Barbara Durkin in that series, she was superb. The “are you going all the way” sketch in the lift with Partidge was painfully embarrassing as well as incredibly funny.
The “Sophie” and “Michael” characters were also excellent in this series as well.

 

[myles]

I'm with the negatives, for what it's worth. Gervais too. One thing to be merely obnoxious, but smugly self-satisfied too?

I equate Gervais' performances to the woman who plays Carmichael in Line of Duty - her acting is so good; smug, uppity, bloody infuriating! I'm sure neither Coogan or Gervais are the same in real life.

 

[eternumviti]

Although I find him unbearable, I did have a sneaking admiration for Gervais's first hosting performance at the Oscars. Though I didn't actually see it.

 

[Weekender]

I must admit I struggled with episode one as well. I did feel the “I’m Alan Partridge” series where it’s based on him being a local radio DJ was wonderful. I suspect though it was due to the other actors and actresses he had bouncing off him.

And Armando Ianucci.

 

[SteveS1]

Re- Gervais - not that keen on The Office, but I thought Extras was superb, especially the episodes featuring Les Dennis, Kate Winslet and Ross Kemp.

 

[Tony Lockhart]

Re- Gervais - not that keen on The Office, but I thought Extras was superb, especially the episodes featuring Les Dennis, Kate Winslet and Ross Kemp.

And Bowie?

 

[Bart]

I equate Gervais' performances to the woman who plays Carmichael in Line of Duty - her acting is so good; smug, uppity, bloody infuriating! I'm sure neither Coogan or Gervais are the same in real life.

I want to believe Gervais is.