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Underground > Film, TV & Theatre >

Are you local?

Mister Six, whom all the girls

15:08 / 30.01.03

Then have you seen 'League of Gentlemen'?

I was first exposed to this series through Comedy Central's very brief run of it at night. I found that an online correspondent of mine in the UK found it to be far too scary to watch... so I was more intrigued.

I just finished season one on DVD and am waiting for two to arrive from benson's world. I really enjoy the characters, camera work, and sincerity of the performances, something I find lacking in other great comedy shows like Kids in the Hall. I also like the way that, each episode, it freaks me out so much that I have to look away screaming. Also finding that Mark Gatiss has his eye on the mantle of Dr Who didn't hurt my interest!

So does anyone on the boards like this program as well or could you give me an idea of how it is accepted in its homeland? In the US it's mainly unknown. I think it freaked out most people.

Just curious.

15:18 / 30.01.03

Think it’s gone down well in the UK – three series, an Xmas special, and a live show which played to packed houses, as well as the original radio show. Oh, and a tie-in book and various bits of merchandise, so there seems to be an audience for it.

Think it won the Golden Rose or somesuch at Montreux, which always helps the profile.

I like – various things about it, not least the hard work that goes into it, with the recurring jokes, details thrown into the title sequence, and the way it can suddenly tilt from comedy to tragedy and horror (a lot of this to come in series 2, so you can look forward to that)… strangely enough, I think it’s been quite popular in various other countries in Europe, but I can see how some of the more gross aspects of it might make it hmmm in the USA.

Classy show, with lots of effort put into it, and nudges some comedic barriers, I feel, and we can always do with more of that…

Mister Six, whom all the girls

15:30 / 30.01.03

The comedy to tragedy really appeals to me, and is why my girlfriend won't watch, preferring the simplicity of Father Ted.

I was particularly grossed out and stifled a scream when the vet character tried to birth a calve from a large cow off-screen while the children yelled that his arm was up her bum, not the 'other hole.' He dismissed their cries and tied a rope around what he assumed to be the calve's legs and pulled... disemboweling the cow.

16:10 / 30.01.03

Oh, Dr Chinnery's a marvel.
Some more of him in Series 2, and there's one episode - I think it's the third one - where the horror element is very strong indeed; several friends of mine stopped watching it then, the lightweights. Tch.

In terms of sheer sinisterness, though, I think Herr Lipp and Papa Lazarou are hard to beat. They await you in series 2, and I'm being a good chap by not giving any details there.

Don't know if the Xmas Special and Series 3 are or will become available to you, but in chronological terms you're probably best off watching them that order (series one, teo, Xmas, three) for the full effect.

Fireman !

16:11 / 30.01.03

Oh, Dr Chinnery's a marvel.
Some more of him in Series 2, and there's one episode - I think it's the third one - where the horror element is very strong indeed; several friends of mine stopped watching it then, the lightweights. Tch.

In terms of sheer sinisterness, though, I think Herr Lipp and Papa Lazarou are hard to beat. They await you in series 2, and I'm being a good chap by not giving any details there.

Don't know if the Xmas Special and Series 3 are or will become available to you, but in chronological terms you're probably best off watching them that order (series one, two, Xmas special, three) for the full effect.

Okey-cokey, pig in a pokey ?

Mister Six, whom all the girls

16:16 / 30.01.03

"Okey-cokey, pig in a pokey ?"

Being on the doll twice now, Pauline was one of the most disturbing characters for me.

Yeah, the X-Mas special is available for roughly 25 bucks! I was a bit shocked, but I'm making oodles of money which I'm using to buy UK DVDs, so I might get it next month.

17:52 / 30.01.03

The Xmas special is rather fun. Jah-stin.....

But also: the end of series two. The toads! And anything involving Legz Akimbo. Series two is marvellous. Not so sure about three... has some interesting moments, but not entirely convinced.

Radio series pretty good too, though it's set in an industrial town (called, IIRC, Spent) but featuring largely similar characters. Especially Babs.

19:15 / 30.01.03

Me no likey. Me think League of Gentlemen is ugly. Oscar Wilde would surely not approve.

Brigade du jour

20:46 / 30.01.03

weird brilliant hit-and-miss northern stereotyped funny dark sick-ass unsettling beautifully photographed exquisitely acted threatre of the grotesque.

I think the vicar's my favourite character because she's so goddamn acerbic it's untrue (yet strangely believable - imagine preaching the good word in that town). Then again, I really like the arguing couple (but not so much that I can be arsed to remember their names) especially when trying to involve the kid upstairs (who I believe doesn't exist, can anyone confirm?).

Our Lady of The Two Towers

16:15 / 31.01.03

I started loosing interest about midway through series two, with the exception of Papa Lazarou I don't think it introduced much of interest, if you watch the scene's with Benjy and his Uncle/Aunt and the scary cousins, you can see that they are struggling to think of things to do with them, and it's similar with a few of the other characters.

Of course, the local shop is excellent. But there is one main type of joke that the LoG use again and again, having several characters have a huge argument over something, then when they are too furious to speak, one of them will say something offhand and their anger will suddenly dissipate.

I didn't watch the Christmas Special but heard from people afterwards that it was great, so borrowed the video off of a friend and watched it, they did seem to be trying to stretch themselves beyond what they normally did. But I haven't bothered watching the third series.

And Mark Gatiss is a huge Who fanboy. He did the sketches for the Doctor Who night they had a few years ago and, before the League took off, wrote a New Adventure or two.

Mister Six, whom all the girls

17:04 / 31.01.03

"And Mark Gatiss is a huge Who fanboy. He did the sketches for the Doctor Who night they had a few years ago and, before the League took off, wrote a New Adventure or two."

Yeah, on the season one commentary they say things like 'that character's name is a reference to a scientist from Doctor Who and the Green Death' which is... beyond fanboy. I've seen a pic of him dressed up in a frock coat, sideburns and monocle in a slag pit, looking very believably Who.

I recall reading one of the Who books which was OK. I'm sure I'd hate those novels in general if I read them now.

Waiting on LoG Season Two, will let you know what I think.

Thanks for all the info, guys. I appreciate it.

Mister Six, whom all the girls

17:21 / 31.01.03

God... I finally found the pic of Mark dressed as Dr Who and it reminds me of a long sad day at work...

http://www.timelord.co.uk/fiction/alternative/evening/royston.htm

Also, this pic:
http://www.timelord.co.uk/fiction/alternative/evening/index.htm

Oh Lord... save us from fanfic.

21:25 / 31.01.03

"You're ma waffe now Daaave"

LoG series 1 was brilliant and they should have had the sense to end it there. Series 2 was dreadful by comparison - a real disappointment. And TLC (a situation "comedy" featuring LoG's Reece Shearsmith) was even worse!

The strange thing is that The Office had a second series out around the same time and prior to both this and series 2 of LoG showing, there seemed to be a suggestion that The Office couldn't top the first series - and LoG was the one to watch. But The Office IMHO managed to be a winner this time round.

The Photographer in Blowup

20:03 / 03.02.03

We didn't burn him!

Careful: may contain some SPOILERS

I have no doubts, this is my favourite show ever. Sad here in Portugal it went quite unnoticed.

It's a really wonderful blend of comedy and horror, with so many hints at famous (and not so very famous) horror movies - all that sense of conspiracy and secrecy around Roston Vasey reminds me so much of The Wicker Man, but there are so many more jokes: from Se7en to Silence of the Lambs, plus Nosferatu and Psycho - and i'm sure i'm still missing a lot of movie jokes

The first series are my favourite, closely followed by the Christmas Special - the second was also great, especially the 'monster' in the Local Shop, but the bleeding noses storyline was just too damn weird... in a good sense.

Everything in The League of Gentlemen is wonderful: the directing and acting is top notch; the setting, make-up only make the series more real, and creepy - it's incredible only three guys give life to more than 30 different characters, each being completely unique.

The writing is also great, all jokes so fresh and original, and carry a bit of creepiness that you can't get in a Hollywood comedy - certainly not for the light-hearted. All this combines with so many little details that make this little series so good.

Still haven't seen the third series, though

21:08 / 03.02.03

League is ace, but it has this cultish aspect to it. Not in a horribly bad way, but every party I go it there seems to be people quoting it -I'd be a prat if I didn't admit I sometimes join in.

In case any Australian's are reading, the third series starts this Friday (02/07/03) on ABC at 10:20pm. I for one, am really looking forward to it.

I agree with My Izzardlike Transvestite about the arguing joke. It really stood out for me when watching the live DVD.

Could it be that they don't know how end scenes? Though that seems unlikely to me given how clever and well written the show is.

Is it that the try to "break" the gags, so that the mood isn't kept for too long and that each scene can established it's own mood?

freelance hairdresser

22:26 / 03.02.03

'fraid that show is a real bugbear for me. The first series was odd. I watched the first one and just didn't get it. As the series progressed I picked it up and really enjoyed it by the end (same as the first Fast Show series, in fact). It was a bit odd, but still had plenty of funny moments.

Then the second series started. Something was wrong. Dark was in, funny was out. Of course then it had become THE trendy show to name drop, pretending that you'd been there from the start and saying "You're my wife now, Dave" at every given opportunity. But I really think it's a case now of the writers thinking "let's see what we can get away with this week..." These days I avoid it like the plague...

Mister Six, whom all the girls

12:59 / 11.02.03

Very interesting reviews. Thanks for sharing.

I think the fact that it is largely unknown in the States helps me out. I hate watching things other people like, y'know? I never even watch TV aside from cartoons. Can't stand the stuff. I need to watch DVDs and tapes from other countries for some reason. Part of me needs to be that guy you worry about who shows you strange things unavailable anywhere else (I've introduced ppl to Dr Who, Sapphire and Steel, Blakes7, Invisibles, Father Ted and LOG, which gives you the idea of the ppl I hang with). If I lived somewhere where ppl quoted the shows I liked I'd promptly stop watching.

That saod, I just got series 2. The DVD design is all based on Papa Lazarou and very disturbing. I agree completely that Lazarou was the star of the first ep and that the repeated characters were not very funny at all. This saddened me as I realized they'd done those characters, the stories were told, y'know? It was time to move on. This was especially the case with Pauline and the Toad couple. I just didn't laugh. BUT that was okay, by and large, because it was still so strange and well done. And if it were an American sjow, you'd hear wall-to-wall laugh track no matter what happened. I was pleased to hear a lack of laughter to the same things that had no effect on me.

Still waiting on the X-Mas special and series 3. Wonder what the movie will be like??

Nelson Evergreen

21:32 / 11.02.03

I caught just enough of series three to make me want to kick myself for missing the rest. The episode set in the S&M guest house was priceless, as was the one about the cuckolded "bloke-from-the-arguing-couple" getting roped into administering hand shandies at Royston Vasey's massage parlour and falling for his wife's lover. Grotesque, grubby, awful stuff. There seemed to be an even bigger emphasis on sexual misery than usual, while the structure owed more to the (wonderful) Xmas special than to the sketch-based format of the previous two series. Loved what I saw of it, anyway.

21:48 / 06.08.05

Yes, I know, I only found about this series a couple of weeks ago. But I like it very much! Harvey and Edward are my heroes!

Anyway, here´s a link to an LoG forum I just found.

on this link we don´t masturbate

uncle retrospective

22:43 / 06.08.05

I missed the whole LoG thing but was lucky enough that a friend at work forced me to watch it.
I seem to be one of the few people who didn't like the first season that much. It's far too much bloke in a dress humor for my liking.
I though it really kicked off in season 2 when the evil came out to play but the winner for me was S3.
Jesus! I've never watched anything that upset me so much, yet I couldn't stop watching.
Urgh!
The bit with the twins and the scarecrow is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen on tv and I've seen Saphire and Steel!

08:05 / 07.08.05

That´s good news! I´ve only seen S1 and S2, and somebody told me S3 is rather disappointing in comparison. If S3 really is that good, I´ll watch the xmas special and the movie, too.

The bit with the twins and the scarecrow is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen on tv and I've seen Saphire and Steel!

Isn´t that from S1?

Our Lady Has Left the Building

17:01 / 08.08.05

Uncle- What is it about 'bloke in a dress' humour you don't like?