Television, drug of the nation

If you didn't like Seinfeld you won't like Curb, which is really just Seinfield meets Mrs Brown's Boys on a plane for the post-war generation, smeared liberally with Larry David's neo-liberal politics and antisemitism and missing Kramer's subtle undermining of late capitalism and restrictive gender norms. Curb is very much the go-to for pre-TikTok post-divorce couples and can't, by any reasonable standard, be considered comedy at all, in much the same way that Friends cannot be considered to be a show about nothing.

Finally finished Seinfeld. I can finally close that chapter of my life.

How did they squeeze 9 seasons out of it. Even for the 90s it was not very funny.

Why the hell did you watch 9 seasons of it if you weren't laughing? I only managed 3 episodes.

If I start something, I have to finish it.

Even if it's a really big salad?

Cunk on Earth episode 2 properly funny, the other episodes marginally less but still a great watch.

Love watching Cunk, it’s hilarious

Really enjoying Ludwig on iPlayer

I lasted 15 minutes with it. Since everything you like I dislike, and vice versa, we could probably be very useful to each other. I only wish you'd recommended Cunk a bit sooner so I could have saved 20 minutes there.

Tell me all the programs you hate and we’ll create a system

Monsters is very gripping and gets very dark, very well acted.

Finally finished Seinfeld. I can finally close that chapter of my life.

How did they squeeze 9 seasons out of it. Even for the 90s it was not very funny.

There are great eps of Seinfeld the best being s3-s8 but I know lots of Brits don't like it/get it.
But if you didn't enjoy it, definitely give it up!

I'm a huge Curb fan and you might find some similarities but the characters are meant to be more objectionable than the Seinfeld quartet. Palestinian Chicken (a specific episode) remains one of the best 30 mins of television I have ever seen.

If however you don't enjoy the comedy of discomfort/awkward social interaction, give it a miss. My other half used to leave the room as soon as she heard the tuba on the intro...

Red Dwarf quiz in the Guardian today.

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/oct/02/roll-up-smegheads-its-the-ultimate-red-dwarf-quiz

Lots of guesses, but 15/18 for me.

don't like it/get it

I'm not sure there's a lot to get.

Awkward social interaction and the questioning and subversion of social norms.

It's the Office meets Entourage.

Fun fact, both Gervais and Wahlberg don't eat in Larry's restaurant because he refused to give a begrudging apology for ripping off of their ideas.

Fun fact, both Gervais and Wahlberg don't eat in Larry's restaurant because he refused to give a begrudging apology for ripping off of their ideas.

Sounds like an ideal plot for Curb.

It's the Office meets Entourage.
Seinfeld ran from 89-98.
Office - 2001 to 2002
Entourage - 2004 to 2010

I think you can see which way the derivation ran.

I'm pretty sure Gervais might have done quite a lot of ripping off first (see stapler in the jelly which he stole from Office Space, 99. (Mike Judge).

Anyhow, Penguin (Sky/HBO) is a nice dark show, but I can't help think Colin Farrell in prosthetics is just a bad Tony Soprano version...

Reveal doesn't work for me. :(

I know it's been said before but just sitting watching Ghosts again. So good

Yes it is brilliant. Best TV for years IMO. The casting and script are very well matched. Absolutely love Robin. Have you seen the US version? What do you think?

Not seen the US version yet will give it a go.

Pat is the star for me

yet will give it a go.

I wouldn't, it's absolutely terrible, akin to almost anything 'americanised'. They just don't get what makes it good

Shut up. Especially as I like it. It is the same premise, but different characters similar to the UK one. It is fun imo.

Nearly finished Monsters on Netflix. Disturbing but visually impressive production.

So gripping.

The miners strike documentary on Netflix is very good.

Watched some of Have I got a Bit More News For You when I got in this afternoon. Went to finish it off tonight and it has vanished from i-player. Someone's got the lawyers in by the look of it. The regular version is still up.