Upstart Crow – Ben Elton Comedy

Quite enjoying this comedy, was a bit unsure about Series 1 but in Series 2 the character acting & dialogue are superb.

Plus I get to feel a bit smug when I spot a clever/obscure reference. (But that doesn’t happen often.)

Series 1
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07bp62s

Series 2
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0959g36

Didn’t see season 1 but have just watched season 2. Really enjoyed it and a lot better than most new comedies. GOTS yara greyjoy looked completely different!

S2 is on my current iPlayer list. Watched the first two episodes his week.

It’s improved over S1. Some very funny moments, and Kit is superb.

Keep meaning to watch it but not got around to it.

Sadly in these days of ‘comedy’ unless it has a man dressed as a woman or the main character is clumsy and can’t hold a relationship then it’ll not take off.

Mark Heap’s performance is spot on and proper funny. As it is in pretty much everything he does.

Can David Mitchell really not even attempt a black country accent though?

Watched about 10 minutes of the first episode of series 1, didn’t laugh once, thought it was a bit rubbish and gave up. However I decided to try again with series 2, watched the first couple of episodes a few days ago and really enjoyed it. Will watch the rest and maybe go back and try series 1 again. I was wondering if I’d just missed the point originally, though comments above seem to agree with my impressions.

First watch for me tonight. Very funny! The scenes in his family kitchen are particularly good.

Playing catch up on this series. Just watched ep4. Enjoyed them all so far.

Watched about 10 minutes of the first episode of series 1, didn’t laugh once, thought it was a bit rubbish and gave up. However I decided to try again with series 2, watched the first couple of episodes a few days ago and really enjoyed it.

That was my experience of it as well.

Skipped over it so far but all recorded, once the weather turns proper horrible I’ll then watch them all.

I like it, apart from Harry Enfield, who’s just too Harry Enfield.

Harry Enfield and David Mitchell both pretty poor imo, otherwise it’s improved

I like it, the best thing Elton’s written for many years imho, and some great performances.

However, I think it would have been better with almost anyone other than David Mitchell in the lead role – his one-note “acting” is the weakest in the main cast.

I really like it, and I quite like the fact it’s just David Mitchell playing himself.

I’ve tried and tried (again last night) but it just didn’t tickle me

I like it, apart from Harry Enfield, who’s just too Harry Enfield.

It’s didn’t really bother me until you mentioned it, but now you’ve drawn my attention to it I think Enfield’s performance is going to spoil it for me a bit.

I really like it, and I quite like the fact it’s just David Mitchell playing himself.

This. I like Mitchell ‘appearing’ in it rather than ‘acting’ in it. He feels to me like a combination of the Bard & the modern viewing public – often saying what we’re thinking. However edlong’s post makes me wonder how it would be if a proper comic actor played Shakesphere and actually did some proper acting.

I’ve only just “got it” and look forward to it.

The bloke who just does a Ricky Gervais impression makes me laugh.

…and talking of impressions – have you seen the Jack Dee thing, where they move to the country and they do a complete nick of the “Margaret! Margaret!” sketch from Little Britain?

PSA: Series 3 was on in Oct. Available on iPlayer now. (I only just realized.)