This show is really poor. It suffers from a lack of directorial/editorial control, just like the fictional 'This Time' does. The conceit doesn't work for me - if This Time was a real live magazine show, Alan would not be allowed to go off script or just muck about - he would have people shouting in his ear and he would have been replaced the next show. Partridge used to be satirical, now he's just silly (with overuse of peculiar or exaggerated pronunciation).
The material would be perfect for a regional radio show like Mid Morning Matters, because that medium at least allows a presenter to wander off on tangents and you can suspend disbelief. That show was also edited together well, and they weren't trying to recreate a whole show 'as live'.
The filmed bits are better, as they are just a continuation of This Sceptred Isle stuff. There were some good bits like someone falling off the stage which goes completely unmentioned but then at the end there is some panic apology about showing a split second of an unsavoury tweet! Like the previous 30 minutes had been a completely normal broadcast. So, it may not be a good thing to overanalyze it but I'm not sure how people can suspend disbelief for 30 minutes. The off-air bits were actually more believable and played more naturally.
I loved those spoof TV shows that John was supposed to have hosted and also that apparently the train times from London to Sunderland with a 3 hour wait at Newcastle actually stack up.
With jokes about the other host being son of Head of Factual Programmes, I do still feel it should have been on BBC Two though.
It was a joke about nepotism, you don’t need to have a particular interest in TV to get that.
I enjoyed that after rewinding to see what or who had fell off the side. Whilst I appreciate the subtlety of it I do feel that it is the sort of thing they could have had made a big deal out of with them carrying on the show whilst paramedics are rushing into the studio and Alan giving updates on his condition which is the kind of the kind of farce which this show feels is missing for me.
The material would be perfect for a regional radio show like Mid Morning Matters, because that medium at least allows a presenter to wander off on tangents and you can suspend disbelief. That show was also edited together well, and they weren't trying to recreate a whole show 'as live'.
Surely that's part of the joke that Alan in recent years has been a local presenter on a little listened to digital radio station who continues to be out of touch. Yet elements of classic Alan are there, the tangents he went on, the uncomfortableness of his other colleagues, especially Jenny, while Simon continues in the Michael role.
I enjoyed that after rewinding to see what or who had fell off the side. Whilst I appreciate the subtlety of it I do feel that it is the sort of thing they could have had made a big deal out of with them carrying on the show whilst paramedics are rushing into the studio and Alan giving updates on his condition
No no no. Its just a little subtle throwaway visual joke, there are a few dotted around. Why ruin it by taking it too literally?
Last edited by Inspector Sands on 5 March 2019 6:11am - 4 times in total
I enjoyed that after rewinding to see what or who had fell off the side. Whilst I appreciate the subtlety of it I do feel that it is the sort of thing they could have had made a big deal out of with them carrying on the show whilst paramedics are rushing into the studio and Alan giving updates on his condition
No no no. Its just a little subtle throwaway visual joke, there are a few dotted around. Why ruin it by taking it too literally?
I’m not suggesting that whole episode should have been rescripted to embellish that gag. I’m just saying that’s the sort of chaos this show seems to be lacking.
I’ve enjoyed the first two episodes of the series but they haven’t given me the sort of belly laughs you got from KMKY or I’m Alan Partridge. It feels like they toned it down for Mid-Morning matters and that worked because it’s something nice you’d want to watch for 10 minutes on your lunch break, but what they haven’t done is cranked it back up for TV.
I can happily watch it as it is, the moment and enjoy it but I don’t feel very satisfied.
With jokes about the other host being son of Head of Factual Programmes, I do still feel it should have been on BBC Two though.
People watch programmes, not channels. I'm not quite sure who you imagine the 'BBC 1 audience' to be ?
It's more or less the entire UK population taken over a week, everyone from Category A prisoners to Theresa May (I've fed someone a line there). Some won't 'get it', plenty of others will
With jokes about the other host being son of Head of Factual Programmes, I do still feel it should have been on BBC Two though.
People watch programmes, not channels. I'm not quite sure who you imagine the 'BBC 1 audience' to be ?
It's more or less the entire UK population taken over a week, everyone from Category A prisoners to Theresa May (I've fed someone a line there). Some won't 'get it', plenty of others will
Why is anything on BBC Two in that case?
The previous Alan Partridge material was on BBC Two. W1A is on BBC Two, who knew such a wild suggestion was to cause such outrage.
With jokes about the other host being son of Head of Factual Programmes, I do still feel it should have been on BBC Two though.
People watch programmes, not channels. I'm not quite sure who you imagine the 'BBC 1 audience' to be ?
It's more or less the entire UK population taken over a week, everyone from Category A prisoners to Theresa May (I've fed someone a line there). Some won't 'get it', plenty of others will
Why is anything on BBC Two in that case?
The previous Alan Partridge material was on BBC Two. W1A is on BBC Two, who knew such a wild suggestion was to cause such outrage.
Good question, I don't know where the dividing line is. Historically there's always been a blurred line. For instance Monty Python was a BBC 1 programme, MOTD started life on BBC 2. Morecambe and Wise moved from ITV to BBC 2 in 1967, (although that was partly because they wanted to be seen in colour)
Really enjoyed last week's but couldn't see it as something I'd return to in 20 years. This, on the other hand, was sensationally good. The crescendo it built up to at the end was wonderful (always quite enjoyable when Alan occasionally gets the upper hand) and then the shuttlecock. So many great throwaway gags peppered throughout the episode as well, feels like it'll reward another watch.