Against my better judgement I gave this tepid sitcom another go, bearing in mind how great Derek Jacobi was in Series 2 of "Last Tango in Halifax".
Nothing has changed. Obviously filmed straight after Episode 6, early in 2013. Same tired dialogue and obvious, crass situations ("Truth or Dare" resulted in Frances de la Tour having to mention Ash's penis). She must go home, look at the script and cry.
The studio audience must have been primed up with booze and chocs - laughing at almost anything (e.g. Ash's comments about his perennially drunk mother brought inappropriate titters).
How this waddle deserves a second season is beyond me. Perhaps if there was more mincing in "The Hour" and "Ripper Street" BBC wouldn't have cancelled both. No, silly comment, these were big budget dramas, whereas this sitcom is cheap (and nasty).
I know it's called "Vicious" but Gary Janetti ("Will and Grace", "Family Guy") seems to have forgotten how to write funny, gay stuff.
America's PBS has bought the rights (the prestigious cast must been a factor). Didn't they watch it?
Observation:
This dross reminds me of Stanley ("Singing in the Rain") Donen's 1969 misfire "Staircase" starring Richard Burton and Rex Harrison as the aging queens. Perhaps the play was better.
Showing posts with label Will and Grace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Will and Grace. Show all posts
Saturday, 28 December 2013
Friday, 3 May 2013
"Vicious" ITV TV series Episode 1 review
What a waste of talent! Three of the greatest actors of the British stage - Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Derek Jacobi, Frances de la Tour, the creator of "Will & Grace" - it seemed like a winner. The script was juvenile. And the worst sin ....dull.
Only one mildly funny bit when the two old queens reared back like Dracula when the curtains were opened. That was it. I've laughed more in old episodes of the 1970's "Father, Dear Father".
I wanted to like this. Didn't these two great thespians read the script? Jacobi was so wonderful in "Last Tango in Halifax" too.
Only one mildly funny bit when the two old queens reared back like Dracula when the curtains were opened. That was it. I've laughed more in old episodes of the 1970's "Father, Dear Father".
I wanted to like this. Didn't these two great thespians read the script? Jacobi was so wonderful in "Last Tango in Halifax" too.
Friday, 26 April 2013
"Hannibal" NBC TV series Series 1, Episode 4 COMPLETE "Ceuf", Episode 5 "Coquilles" review
Unfortunately, due to the pulling of Episode 4, the series has lost some of its impetus. I applaud Bryan Fuller's sensitivity. This is me, being purely selfish - it has stuffed up the flow of the series. After watching the complete "Ceuf" episode (thanks to Sony run cable, AXN Asia), I am bewildered why it was pulled. Sure the family dinner scenes were disturbing, the bodies slumped around the dinner table, but the violence was mainly off camera and part of Will's mental reconstructions. There is so much violence on TV. For example, "The Following" Ep. 14 "Carrie"-like gym massacre. Was it merely timing with "Hannibal" Ep 4?
I hope we can return to the fascinating relationship between Hannibal and Abigail. Didn't quite know where the magic mushroom scene was going.
It is a shame Episode 4 got reedited so drastically in the web version. Veteran director Peter Medak directed "Ceuf". The theme was family - Will's family of stray dogs, Joe's lack of children, Lecter trying to make Abigail a new family and the families of 'the lost boys'. The web version was a waste of time. Scenes referenced previous scenes, so it made no sense.
Molly Shannon plays a great psycho - I remember her deranged character in "Will & Grace". The 'lost boys' and Molly should have been a two-parter, there seemed a lot of back story, more could have been explained about how the mock-family of runaways operated. "You don't know what it's like" says the kid to Joe about his real family. Perhaps it is best if we didn't find out the background to these affluent but twisted families.
Episode 5 was noteworthy because of Laurence Fishburne's fine underplaying - where he gradually realises his wife has cancer (while listening to the angel-maker's wife talk about his cancer) was a classy scene.
Lots of scenes of Will sleepwalking in these 2 episodes. Is this so the audience can see more of Hugh Dancy in his boxers? Funniest line: Will turns to Hannibal, "Did you just smell me?"
The 'angels' tableaux created reminded me of Dexter, Season 6 with Edward James Olmos.
Hannibal's sumptuous banquets staged in his "Architectual Digest" dining room are becoming my favourite scenes in the series. Jack asks what he is eating. "It's rabbit" Lecter replies. Jack, "He should have hopped faster!" (Cut to a running, strumbling man). Also liked when Lecter stressed that he "only uses an ethical butcher".
I hope we can return to the fascinating relationship between Hannibal and Abigail. Didn't quite know where the magic mushroom scene was going.
It is a shame Episode 4 got reedited so drastically in the web version. Veteran director Peter Medak directed "Ceuf". The theme was family - Will's family of stray dogs, Joe's lack of children, Lecter trying to make Abigail a new family and the families of 'the lost boys'. The web version was a waste of time. Scenes referenced previous scenes, so it made no sense.
Molly Shannon plays a great psycho - I remember her deranged character in "Will & Grace". The 'lost boys' and Molly should have been a two-parter, there seemed a lot of back story, more could have been explained about how the mock-family of runaways operated. "You don't know what it's like" says the kid to Joe about his real family. Perhaps it is best if we didn't find out the background to these affluent but twisted families.
Episode 5 was noteworthy because of Laurence Fishburne's fine underplaying - where he gradually realises his wife has cancer (while listening to the angel-maker's wife talk about his cancer) was a classy scene.
Lots of scenes of Will sleepwalking in these 2 episodes. Is this so the audience can see more of Hugh Dancy in his boxers? Funniest line: Will turns to Hannibal, "Did you just smell me?"
The 'angels' tableaux created reminded me of Dexter, Season 6 with Edward James Olmos.
Hannibal's sumptuous banquets staged in his "Architectual Digest" dining room are becoming my favourite scenes in the series. Jack asks what he is eating. "It's rabbit" Lecter replies. Jack, "He should have hopped faster!" (Cut to a running, strumbling man). Also liked when Lecter stressed that he "only uses an ethical butcher".
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