Shooting Stars

Exactly - running jokes are a key feature of the show.

Personally, I think Shooting Stars is on the best form it's been since its original run in the 90s. For me it just seems to have got some of its original sparkle back. The BBC Choice series always felt a bit like they were going through the motions, and I thought the one-off last Christmas was very poor, so I'm pleasantly surprised so far.

I was never a fan of the BBC Choice episodes with Johnny Vegas. It seemed that quantity rather then quality was the key-word then, trying to throw out as many episodes as possible to fill air time

I'm sure many fans would ignore this era and always look back to the first few series

I don't mean to be obtuse, but you've said previously:
"There's no need to continue every running joke, otherwise they'd might as well just repeat the series before last"

So to clarify, do you approve of them using the old jokes or not... sorry, but I'm a bit a confused where you stand now Colour me temporarily thick. Personally I like the running jokes, and I think they partly make the show what it is.

I think Private Eye's telly critic made a good point today, in that Matt Lucas is doing the show as if it's a favour and he's the star of the show in a way-- certainly I've found his contributions to be the funniest aspect of the present run. However I don't think Vic & Bob have lost their touch, and Ulrika is still game.

It doesn't matter what his own opinion is, the point was that some people are never happy.

Although George always used to steal the show, who can forget "Peanuts"

You run a joke until it's tired.

A running joke for this series which only started last week isn't a problem, one that was done to death 12 years ago is.

If they brought back something from that long ago, such as the 'Dove joke' just for the sake of it it's really just lazy playing to the crowd.

Certainly George Dawes' contributions to the BBC Choice series were its only real saving grace. The Lesbians and Peanuts songs still make me laugh.

I never really like the fox and actully like the dove being back

Yeah, nothing else really caught on

I don't suppose anyone else remembers the Blue Suitcase, or "Bleu Valise" which pre-dated the Dove From Above?

OK fair enough, thanks for clarifying.

I suppose the difficulty is, when/how does one decide that a joke is "tired" or "done to death", since such views are entirely subjective: I wonder if they do much in the way of audience feedback for SS-- or the continuation of the show's features are entirely at the whims of Vic & Bob?

If the former, then it could be that audience feedback shows the Dove From Above is popular feature, so they've re-introduced it. If the latter, then I would be inclined to agree that Vic & Bob have brought it back out of laziness, as you say. Or it could be that the Dove From Above was revived as a point of (ironic) nostalgia? [shrug]

Either way, it's a pity they couldn't though of another 'conduit' for that part of the show, since it is a fresh series.



I appreciated what the point was Jugalag, however I was still interested in what Inspector Sands himself thought on the issue. I don't see anything wrong with that, given this is a forum and his opinion is as valid as anybody else's

Found amongst some assorted tapes...

http://www.tvidworld.com/online/BBCChoiceShootingStars.flv