Roger & Val Have Just Got In - BBC2 Fridays 10pm

I laughed at a few bits, but only because they reminded me of my life, I think.

Was shocked at the end when I realised it was Alfred Molina, i thought it was that bloke out of the Bill, he played Don Beech?
 
This show is hanging on as the BBC have seen fit to try and stick it on about 50 times a week across BBC2 and BBC 4. I really can't see it coming back for a second series. There seems o be too much of a rush to make this type of "comedy" but a Royale Family or "Early Doors" or even "The Smoking room". I just find this show self indulgent . No where near alan Bennett in quality.
 
I still like it. I suspect they might end up killing each other by accident in a fight about switching all the bulbs to energy saving LERAB.
 
I really really love this programme. The writing is brilliant, and the acting by both DF and AM is perfect, I think. I agree with posters who have said it shouldn't have been billed as a comedy, because of course you'd get all the My Family fans tuning in and saying 'where's the laughs?'

I think the subtle way it's written is amazing, putting a lot of trust in the audience to get things, and accepting they might not, but not shoving it in anyway just in case. By episode four, the whole baby story was unbearably moving, mainly because of the largely unspoken aspects of it. Also, some of the best lines are just thrown in quickly without signposting ... like when Val was saying she couldn't come up with a solution to the email situation, 'There's nothing' and Roger said in a panic 'there was nothing before electricity was invented ... come on'.
 
I have to disagree I think she is very, very good at the light hearted and the emotional. It was Dawn French that carried the ending of episode 4 all she did was stop, bow her head and shed a tear in to the lasagne but it said everything there was to say. I found it very moving.
 
I bet Alfred Molina is glad he has been signed up to star in LOLA (the new LA spin off of Law and Order).

Tough choice - another series of this 'comedy' or become the new Jack McCoy and get a prestige US TV role.

Wonder how his agent sold it to him.:)
 
There is something of the Alan Bennett about it.
It still puzzles me, that's why I'm still watching. What is it supposed to be ? A comedy or a drama ? There is almost an element of impending doom about it, and very little humour. I can't see it as typical of a normal middle-aged couple, a couple of days living their lives would make me feel suicidal. Perhaps that's how it enRAB ?
 
I didn't think of that. Good thinking.

Why this is billed as a comedy is beyond me :eek: The BBC have got it wrong there. It is a bittersweet story which is just very gentle.
 
So far the gentle comedy has been too gentle.

I'm a huge fan of character driven comedy where not a lot happens except pepople talking to each other such as Marion and Geoff, Early Doors, Jam and Jerusalem, The Royle Family (at least until the recent specials), People like Us and so on but these shows have loaRAB of clever and funny lines in them. So far this one hasn't.

It has people talking about rocks and instruction manuals and the like and didn't raise a single smile, let alone a laugh. It was something that was going on in the background whilst i was thinking of other things rather than something that drew me in and demanded my attention.

I'll give the second episode a try but if it's the same again I doubt I'll see a third.
 
I'm still enjoying it - but as other posters have said, it's hard to see what it's trying to achieve.

There are no traditional laughs but quite a few gently amusing scenes which convey the funny little quibbles that we all have.

There are touches of Alan Bennet about it, particularly in that nothing really happens - the difference is, Bennet writes characters who are interesting to be with and who you care about.

I do find it interesting that the last scene of each episode so far has focused on an object that has played a tiny part in the story - the chilRAB chair in ep 1, the note from a pupil in ep 2 - I wonder of these are hinting at something to come?
 
I think it's a bit arrogant to claim that those who don't like it are somehow "my family" viewers and dont get or appreciate good comedy. I beg to differ my like range from Are you being served, to Rev, The Smoking Room, The Thick of it, the good life, Getting on.... and on and on and on. I'm sure this hits its mark with some people but it's a very acquired taste.
 
Was very disappointed tbh. Some of it was well observed (e.g. the panic about being put on the phone without warning) but I'd be hard pushed to remember anything that was actually funny. Doubt I'll watch again.
 
I agree. And I was swallowing back the tears when they cut to the ceiling light in the spare room, that still had the child's lampshade with the space patterns on :(
 
Back
Top