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Lead Balloon - the british Curb Your Enthusiasm

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Your Excellency

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Has anyone ever seen this show? It's in its third series now on the BBC, and it's really good. It's like a british Curb Your Enthusiasm, starring sour comedian Jack Dee playing a very struggling version of himself.

It sounds like it would be terrible, but it's just so well written and acted you can't help but love it. The supporting cast (his family and friends) are also fantastic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btiP7s4Zyqo&feature=BFa&list=SPCC2637A8A0FCFC08&index=14

Most youtube clips don't do it justice as the comedy isn't based on thick and fast punchlines, more of a character-based and story-based comedy.


Also, his daughter in the show is fit and she has a great weird voice:

42945368.jpg
 
I like Jack Dee but Curb Your Enthusiasm is so much better and I just can't see the comparison, other than him being an out-of-touch moody old man. It's more like a standard sitcom, with Jack Dee and no canned laughter.
 
daviyoung said:
I like Jack Dee but Curb Your Enthusiasm is so much better and I just can't see the comparison, other than him being an out-of-touch moody old man. It's more like a standard sitcom, with Jack Dee and no canned laughter.
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Curb is much better, no doubt, but Lead Balloon is still really good. If you go into it expecting Curb you'll be disappointed, I mentioned Curb because if I hadn't every post would have been 'COPIES CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM' etc.

The wife is also soo hot. Hotter than Cheryl.
 
Vagabundo said:
As in sunk like...
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Well, it's on Season 4, which is quite long for a TV sitcom in the UK. Although I think this has to do more with the BBC's budget cuts than quality assurance.
 
daviyoung said:
Well, it's on Season 4, which is quite long for a TV sitcom in the UK. Although I think this has to do more with the BBC's budget cuts than quality assurance.
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Probably because they pay Jack Dee in booze and the budget is a tenner
 
I don't know much about USA TV but I'm pretty sure HBO is America's BBC equivalent. They're pretty interchangable as far as I'm concerned.

Also, BBC films > HBO films. In The Loop is on iPlayer at the moment, and that's funnier than both Curb and Lead.
 
I watched the pilot after seeing Jack Dee on the Graham Norton show a couple of months ago. It was ok. Didn't really motivate me to seek out the rest.
 
This show is absolutely terrible surprised it's still going. OP just watches because he wants to bang the daughter it seems.

What makes Curb work is Larry is mostly happy that's what makes the situations funny when he tries to bend people to his 'rules' . Also having comedy actors play exaggerated versions of themselves.

This show completely misses the point.
 
daviyoung said:
Also, BBC films > HBO films. In The Loop is on iPlayer at the moment, and that's funnier than both Curb and Lead.
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Watch "The Thick Of It"! Best series evar
 
I've watched half an episode I think, didn't really do it for me. Though I like Jack Dee's stand up.

I think comedy on the BBC is shit at the moment, Not Going Out with Lee Mack isn't really great, either.

Needs more IT Crowd. Oh wait, that's channel 4. I actually can't think of any funny BBC shows at the moment, someone help me out.
 
daviyoung said:
Also, BBC films > HBO films. In The Loop is on iPlayer at the moment, and that's funnier than both Curb and Lead.
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In The Loop wasn't a BBC TV movie. It was an actual movie.

As far as TV movies go, HBO is head and shoulders above the BBC. I'd argue that Channel 4 are on the same level as the BBC when it comes to TV movies/miniseries. And those two are head and shoulders (arms and torso?) above everyone else.

BBC+HBO have done excellent work when they work together though, eg Band of Brothers, The Gathering Storm, The Special Relationship, Conspiracy ( http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266425/ )

HBO's tv movie 'Recount' is one of my favourite films of all time. It's absolutely perfect:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVd1LuadnDk
 
Meadows said:
He's Irish so he hates the BBC. But wait, YOU'RE IRISH. SHIT, I NEED TO STEREOTYPE...FUCK...GUINESS?!?
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Ha!
I can admit it when I am wrong.
Some great stuff on the BBC!
Eastenders is brutal though
 
Mechanical Snowman said:
I've watched half an episode I think, didn't really do it for me. Though I like Jack Dee's stand up.

I think comedy on the BBC is shit at the moment, Not Going Out with Lee Mack isn't really great, either.

Needs more IT Crowd. Oh wait, that's channel 4. I actually can't think of any funny BBC shows at the moment, someone help me out.
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There aren't any the BBC has retreated to the safe zone. It says much when your most 'dangerous' show is Outnumbered and that's only because the kids are so great on it and can ask some pretty risque questions.

Not Going Out,Miranda and their ilk absolutely terrible.

Can't Wait for 'The Thick Of It' to come back only comedy that the Beeb has that has some bite
 
Dabanton said:
There aren't any the BBC has retreated to the safe zone. It says much when your most 'dangerous' show is Outnumbered and that's only because the kids are so great on it and can ask some pretty risque questions.
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Speaking of Outnumbered, is it any good? (Not getting my hopes up)

And I agree with you about the safe zone comment, they seem to be giving all the tried and tested comedians their own shows because they know they've immediately got fans of those comedians as their audience. It seems like very manufactured comedy we're churning out at the moment, and it's a little disappointing.
 
While we're on the only good BBC comedy shows remaining, Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle is criminally underrated (scripts edited by Chris Morris, produced by Armando Iannucci, etc).

Mechanical Snowman said:
Speaking of Outnumbered, is it any good? (Not getting my hopes up)
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Yes.
 
Sage00 said:
Speaking of the only good BBC comedy shows remaining, Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle is criminally underrated (scripts edited by Chris Morris, produced by Armando Iannucci, etc).
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I agree with this. Occasionally the gags fall flat, and Stewart Lee has the charisma of a kettle but the show in general is very witty.
 
Interestingly i see Armando Iannucci is doing a US based political show. After the disaster of The Thick Of It US, which he wasn't really involved but had a production credit but it must hurt to see people completely miss the point.

I remember going to see Armando Iannucci at the NFT and he showed us the US pilot seriously if you can find it anywhere give it a watch.

He did warn us beforehand just how bad it was but nothing prepared us.
 
Sage00 said:
While we're on the only good BBC comedy shows remaining, Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle is criminally underrated (scripts edited by Chris Morris, produced by Armando Iannucci, etc).

Yes.
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Yeah that was another good show.

But in terms of sitcom style shows they are seriously bereft of quality imo.
 
It is not the British Curb Your Enthusiasm in the sense that Enfield's character not likeable in any way.

Larry's character in CYE often means well, and gets himself unfortunate circumstances either by chance or by being brutally honest. Enfield's character is completely selfish. After watching two episodes of the latest season I had to stop. What is his wife meant to see in him at all?

Don't get me wrong, I adore awkward comedy like Peep Show, but the recent series of Lead Balloon is just depressing.
 
Mechanical Snowman said:
Speaking of Outnumbered, is it any good? (Not getting my hopes up)

And I agree with you about the safe zone comment, they seem to be giving all the tried and tested comedians their own shows because they know they've immediately got fans of those comedians as their audience. It seems like very manufactured comedy we're churning out at the moment, and it's a little disappointing.
Click to expand...

I blame the success of Michael Mcintyre it's led to the BBC letting his style of comedy leak into all new commissions.
 
This is now the "Recommend British series" thread, I guess.

Another recommendation: The Trip.

Haven't watched the series myself, just the movie. But the movie's pretty good.
 
CHEEZMO™ said:
WAT
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I know it was bloody terrible. Apparently the BBC sold on the idea without telling Armando Iannucci.

The Thick Of It creator Armando Iannucci has criticised the BBC for wrecking the Stateside version of his hit political satire.

He moans: "I was shoved out of the equation straight away. The BBC just went and sold it to the highest bidder without really telling me."

He called the show - made without the swearing skills of Peter Capaldi - by director Christopher Guest of Spinal Tap fame as "a bit dull really".

The grumpy star adds: "Maybe Guest wasn't the best person. He favours a slow unravelling - whereas The Thick Of It is quite frenetic."
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The good news is Armando is doing a proper version where he is in control which will be on HBO called Veep

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is playing the central role of Senator Selina Meyer Other confirmed cast include Anna Chlumsky (who has previously starred in Iannucci's film In the Loop), Tony Hale, Matt Walsh, Timothy Simons, Sufe Bradshaw and Reid Scott. Shooting was completed in March 2011.
HBO announced it picked up the show for a full season in April 2011. The series is expected to be recorded in Baltimore, will begin production in fall of 2011 for a 2012 debut on HBO.
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Dabanton said:
There aren't any the BBC has retreated to the safe zone. It says much when your most 'dangerous' show is Outnumbered and that's only because the kids are so great on it and can ask some pretty risque questions.

Not Going Out,Miranda and their ilk absolutely terrible.

Can't Wait for 'The Thick Of It' to come back only comedy that the Beeb has that has some bite
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Your avatar is making me wonder what Chris Morris is up to at the moment.

What is Chris Morris up to at the moment?

*IMDB*

Untitled Lee Atwater Project. Hm.

EDIT: ^^ Armando Iannucci + Elaine Benes + Buster Bluth? Colour me interested
 
Love this quote from him

If a terrorist organisation wanted to knock out the moral compass of Britain, all they'd have to do is to kill 100 celebrities at random. The entire country would have an instant nervous breakdown
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