Which episodes should I avoid? - The Comic Strip Presents... (1982) Discussion

[–] NothingButTheBest 16 years ago

Only ones I would avoid are:

The Yob
Funseekers
Wild Turkey
Queen of the Wild Frontier
Jealousy

The only one I can say from that list which is a must not to watch is The Yob. I think the rest are all worth viewing at least once.

"The World is Your Lobster My Son!"-Arthur Daley, Minder.

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[–] Wrathschild 16 years ago

Thanks.

I tried watching Demonella but only made it about 10 mins in, it was pretty painfull.

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[–] The_Devonian 16 years ago

I love The Yob!

Agree with the rest, though.

"Vegetable rights and peace!"

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[–] jagheterjack00 16 years ago

Wild Turkey(
Demonella
Didn't You Kill My Brother
Space Virgins From The Planet Sex
Fistfull Of Travellers Cheques
Jealousy
South Atlantic Raiders
Summer School
Private Enterprise
The Strike
GLC
Oxford
Spaghetti Hoops
Les Dogs
Red Nose of Courage
The Crying Game
Detectives on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

I don't hate all these but Its fair to say that the BBC produced episodes were not a patch on the Channel 4 ones.

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[–] NothingButTheBest 15 years ago

I like a lot of ones on that list, but I can't believe you included The Strike and GLC, The Strike is my favourite Comic Strip Film and GLC was also excellent.

Others which I think are must sees are A Fistfull Of Travellers Cheques and Les Dogs, Les Dogs isnt a very funny one but its very odd which makes it a pretty decent film.

"The World is Your Lobster My Son!"-Arthur Daley, Minder.

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[–] jagheterjack00 15 years ago

I'm very much down the middle with The Comic Strip films. I either love or hate certain episodes or some i'm completely indifferent about.

The Strike was good! But it was a little long winded for me. GLC i found to be a bit silly and couldn't get into. Fistfull Of Travellers Cheques is held with high regard, but i felt it was a bit overrated. Les Dogs i agree with you on as well.

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[–] unclearchie 15 years ago

Wild Turkey is, yep, a turkey. the rest are great.
Faves are
4 men in a car
GLC
beat generation
all of them to be honest

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[–] strawberry_switchblade 14 years ago

For me the worst Comic Strip ever is thankfully the one that isn't on the box set. Namely the 2005 episode Sex Actually, which just felt utterly plastic and forced and completely lacking in the 'human' element of past Comic Strips. It just looked like the team had completely lost their hunger for radical comedy at that point.

Prior to seeing it, I'd have said Susie or Space Virgins from Planet Sex were the worst, but rewatching them again, I found them to be far funnier and better quality than that piece of crap.

**

http://frontios.blogspot.com/ - New Online Fanzine

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[–] richie_patrese 14 years ago

I really like The Crying Game, but the next one in the series - Wild Turkey - was just absolute rubbish. I still remember my disappointment watching it at the time.

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[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kimdino-1 13 years ago

'Different strokes for different folks' springs to mind. When you got such a large gang of very creative folk, as The Comic Strip is, then you get a wide range of styles. Viewers are sure to disagree as to which are greats (i.e tickle' their particular sensibilities) and which are no good (i.e. fail to tickle). I, for example, don't think think the French offerings are that good while my g/f loves them.

I have just gone through the 4oD offerings and after reading the reviews, including this page, wasn't going to bother with 'Funseekers'. In the end I did watch it and thought it was very good. I also like 'The Yob'. I would also say (as he put's on his flameproof suit) that the Mayall/Edmondson stuff is generally the worst trash to hit TV & that certainly includes 'Mr Jolly'. Though I must say that that Mayall & Edmondson apart have provided some of the greats. And that 'Slags' (Saunders) is one of my favourites.

So, to make my point, I think you have to judge for yourself.

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[–] lewnatic 13 years ago

I hope that Flameproof suit is tight :)

"that the Mayall/Edmondson stuff is generally the worst trash to hit TV & that certainly includes 'Mr Jolly'."

MOST would consider Mr Jolly to be one of the most quotable pieces of comedy outside of Monty Python. To call it Trash is absurd, not your cup of tea then fair enough but TRASH?

I'd say the best Comic strips are the ones with the 'young ones' involved.

Fistfull of travellers cheques and 4 men in a .... are other faves out of the lot.

I personally think it was keith Allen and the later lot that dragged it down.

Ade Edmonson for me is the best of the lot. Gregory diary of a nutcase and Eddie Monsoon are another 2 GREAT episodes.

Rant Over

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[–] LouisRenault 13 years ago

I just bought the box set and 10 minutes into the first episode, Five Go Mad in Dorset, I thought right, that's 15 quid down the drain. The remaining 20 minutes wasn't any better. Then I watched Mr Jolly, which was slightly worse, and then Slags, which was unbearable. I stopped it after 10 minutes.

Next was The *beep* It had some unsavoury bits but at least there were plenty of laughs and it didn't have me constantly looking at my watch. Clearly there is at least some good stuff; and I know The Yob is good from a previous viewing.

So this thread looked to be just what I needed - a guide to the garbage to be avoided. Sadly, it doesn't help much. It's far too much a matter of very personal taste, clearly.

I do think, most definitely, that some of these guys were very, very, very lucky to get a break in Showbiz at all.

edit: didn't think I'd get a beep there - I meant the Bonehead and Foyle one.

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[–] keefly 11 years ago

Escorts, Bestcorts - come in if you're saucy !!

:)

K.

- I've seen things you people wouldn't believe -

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[–] sesarp101 10 years ago

To turn it around the other way, I only ever watch three from my boxset - Five Go Mad in Dorset (THE undoubted classic), Strike, and Bad News. A few others have their moments, but a lot of them are clunky and poor quality and probably not worth watching unless out of curiosity.

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[–] smoothsagetx 10 years ago

Honestly even the worst one is worth a look. I suggest watching all of them.

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[–] BrainGirl78 9 years ago

THANK YOU!! Finally, someone made the comment I was thinking. If you got the DVD box set, why would you want to take others views on episodes to avoid? Watch each, and determine for yourself which you like or dislike. Everyone has their own taste. The OP, and others have to remember that these were originally done over 30 years ago, and based on material from that time (or earlier). They might not make sense, or seem relevant today, but if you place each of the shows in the context of the time of filming, and/or the material being parodied, you (I am using the "royal you" as in anyone reading this) just might find that you can appreciate the entire Comic Strip Presents... Much more. I, just like everyone, have my favorite as well as the episodes I now know I don't care to watch, but I gave each a chance, and watched them through. I also found that when I watched some episodes years even decades after seeing them for the first time (and not liking a particular episode), found that my tastes and knowledge had changed. This gave me a greater understanding of the unliked episode, and in several instances turned my opinion around 180 degrees.

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[–] SteveResin 8 years ago

I also found that when I watched some episodes years even decades after seeing them for the first time (and not liking a particular episode), found that my tastes and knowledge had changed.

This totally. I recently dug out the box set and watched Didn't You Kill My Brother, which I didn't enjoy at all back in 88. I was only a teenager then and I think the nuances of the episode went over my head, the whole Socialism vs Capitalism theme and British industry being laid to waste by "gangsters". Watching it now it all seemed obvious and some of the lines were absolutely hilarious. "I don't want you making things. This isn't the 70s!"

Yes, make your own mind up is the best advice, that's the beauty of TCSP, there's so much variation there's something for everyone but not everything will hit the mark, depending on age/humour/experience.

--------------------

Suburban Robot That Monitors Reality

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