Blappity Blah

[oselle]

If The Office is a comedy then why does it usually wind up making me cry? There's a sort of brutally realistic sentimentality to this show that never fails to push my buttons. I practically slit my wrists after Jim and Pam's wedding and that's just one example.

I never watched the British version but I'm pretty damn sure that Ricky Gervais didn't allow his show to devolve into this constant soft-heartedness. I think I need to move to England. I'm not cut out for being American. Then again I do love 30 Rock, which is unstintingly vicious and therefore relentlessly funny and so I can watch it without Kleenex. And the British did give us heart-tugging dreck like Love Actually, which I hate myself for watching every single goddamn time it's on (and why the hell didn't it air on one single cable channel during the entire month of December? Believe me, I WAS looking for it). Ugh. Of course I mostly watch it for the same reason I watch Bridget Jones' Diary -- the fantasy of London. Which I'm sure is depicted about as realistically as New York City was depicted in Friends or When Harry Met Sally or Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Speaking of English television, man, I just can't imagine Doctor Who without David Tennant. I pity the poor soul who has to fill his sneakers. Because Tennant was not just a great actor, he was also just so bloody odd-looking in the most perfect way for that character. I don't think anyone else could possibly manage to look so much like a little boy and an old man, like a buoyant naif and a tragic lost soul all at the same time. He just was The Doctor. I don't think the show will be anywhere near as much fun without him.

You know what I need? A giant aneurism. I mean, BOOM, just the ol' big one.

*strains*

Come on....nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggnnnnhhhn! Come on! How hard can this be?!

Comments

[pedx.livejournal.com]

Although I can't imagine the Doctor not being Tennant, I'm sort of excited for the new guy. He looks cute yet still quirky. I think he's gonna pull it off.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Probably he will, after all, this is a series with a very long history that has never been dependent upon ONE actor to carry the leading role. But man, Tennant cast a big shadow for such a skinny guy.

[pedx.livejournal.com]

I'm usually more upset about the companions. No more Donna? HOW WILL THE SHOW EVER BE THE SAME, I'LL NEVER LIKE ANOTHER COMPANION, etc etc, flailing, teeth-gnashing, wailing.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

The British Office is harsher, but there is a sweet ending in the Christmas special that wraps up their Jim/Pam (and their Michael gets a nice little moment too). I'd say there's less sentimentality but sometimes a lot more desperation.

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

We have some wonderful very English comedies over here that I'm sure wouldn't be funny anywhere else in the world. They can be harsh, often taking the piss out of themselves and parts of England and I love them.

We also do truly, truly AWFUL ones as well.

David Tennant will always be my Dr Who but I think the new guy is good. He looks interesting, I can wait to see what he does with the role.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

I remember 'Mind Your Language' with much fondness. And I actually prefer the British version of The Office :)

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

Have you seen Blackadder? Quite cruel but very funny.

I think things like The Vicar of Dibley and Father Ted are truly wonderful but they take the piss badly. I think that's something that's not so common in other countries.

[layne67.livejournal.com]

I want to watch Blackadder but I can't find it to download.

I'm watching the Agatha Christie's Poirot series now. I've read all her books but haven't seen the series yet. I'm enjoying it very much!

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Defintely keep looking--Blackadder is awesome!

[arabia764.livejournal.com]

Poirot with David Suchet? He's wonderful. Is Blackadder not on youtube? It's very funny.

[ghyste.livejournal.com]

Eh, Doctors come and go - what I'm more worried about is the US version of Torchwood that FOX is doing.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

SHUT THE FUCK UP. That's a fucking travesty. I apologize on behalf of America.

[ghyste.livejournal.com]

To be fair, the UK ought to apologise for some of the episodes in the original Torchwood Season One :D

[pearlette.livejournal.com]

Of course I mostly watch it for the same reason I watch Bridget Jones' Diary -- the fantasy of London. Which I'm sure is depicted about as realistically as New York City was depicted in Friends or When Harry Met Sally or Breakfast at Tiffany's.

You got that right. :D But the film makes me laugh like a loon, and Renee's accent is PERFECT. She even looks English! -- lots of white English women have those plump cheeks and a pink complexion. (I met her once. She's TINY!) The second Bridget Jones film is not so good: too self-conscious. The first one has a real charm. I love that crappy TV channel she works for, Sit Up Britain. :D

Love Actually -- OMG, I turned that film off after 20 minutes. I've seen the ending and I wanted to put Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon in front of a firing squad. :D

The Office (UK) -- Ricky Gervais's dreadful office manager, David Brent, was toe-curlingly, excruciatingly, embarrassingly painful to watch because the character was so horribly close to reality. The Tim/Dawn romance was really sweet, though, and gave the show its humanity.

David Tennant -- best Doctor ever. :):):):):) But I did like how they introduced Eleven. Made me warm to the new guy, and I like what I've seen from the preview for the new season this spring.

[sixth-queen.livejournal.com]

How did the fantasy of Sherlock Holmes London turn out? I didn't get a chance to see that movie, and I'm not really a moviegoer anyway (unless there are a tons of fans watching with me.) The last movie I saw in a theater was Pirates 3, and that was better left unwatched.