Mrs Brown's Boys

Lahm · 23-02-2011 4:03pm

It doesn't have to always be realistic or intellectual but Mrs. Brown is just a cringeworthy "comedy".

It has worn thin at this stage. Brendan has been doing the same thing in theatres across the country. People come out in droves. His company produces these DVD's. People buy them. Every DVD is the same. It's full of "fu.cks" and "willies". That's a terrible road to go down for laughs.

What suprises me even more is that the older generation find such vulgar language funny. Usually they'd be on whinging on Liveline. Obviously all 800,000 viewers aren't over 65 but a fair few are.

The problem is that people are still buying it. As long as they do that Brendan will keep producing it. And that's a sad state of affairs.

Badgermonkey · 23-02-2011 4:27pm

brummytom wrote: »

Why does comedy always have to be intellectual for fuck sake? Sometimes, people just want to laugh.

Steptoe & Son wasn't overtly 'intellectual' comedy.

Nor was Fawlty Towers.

They were well crafted, well acted and well directed.

Most importantly, they were funny, hence their enduring popularity.

Elmo · 23-02-2011 6:21pm

Lahm wrote: »

The problem is that people are still buying it. As long as they do that Brendan will keep producing it. And that's a sad state of affairs.

I don't think that is a problem to be honest if you can make a buck you, can make a buck, hey! <<< Sorry I think Gay Byrne just took control of my keyboard.

The series isn't good. If you enjoy, you enjoy it. But it isn't Fawlty Towers, Steptoe and Son or even The Inbetweeners, it might just about make TBBT

.

madraj55 · 25-02-2011 3:58pm

Badgermonkey wrote: »

Steptoe & Son wasn't overtly 'intellectual' comedy.

Nor was Fawlty Towers.

They were well crafted, well acted and well directed.

Most importantly, they were funny, hence their enduring popularity.

In fact, MBB is closer to the double entendres of Up Pompeii back in the early 70s although frankie Howerd wasn't allowed to use actual swear words then. This show makes Up Pompeii look intellectaul for heavens sake.

MalteseBarry · 25-02-2011 4:01pm

Jerichoholic wrote: »

Brendan O'Carroll always makes me feel uncomfortable whenever he's on tv, there's something just not quite right about him.

I thought I was the only one who cringes when i hear his voice. Not owning a tv, this is one of those many occassions when i rejoice at missing out an opportunity to both see and hear the dreadful brendan O'carroll. I was shocked the other evening to hear him referred to as the "irish answer to Dame Enda Everidge" on radio 4's Front Row program. Dame Edna is funny and has talent and is in no way anything like brendan O'carroll.

Skerries · 25-02-2011 5:22pm

is this being shown on English BBC channels or only NI BBC?

Lahm · 25-02-2011 5:31pm

All. Sadly.

madraj55 · 25-02-2011 5:45pm

Skerries wrote: »

is this being shown on English BBC channels or only NI BBC?

In fact BBC NI is showing it a full hour later than the Britain based regions [where it is 10.35pm]. at least for the first ep, that is.

Elmo · 25-02-2011 6:40pm

madraj55 wrote: »

In fact BBC NI is showing it a full hour later than the Britain based regions [where it is 10.35pm]. at least for the first ep, that is.

I believe that BBC Scotland or Wales are also showing it an hour later.

hotmail.com · 25-02-2011 7:17pm

Irish show with Irish actors doing really well - Some Irish people moan about it!

Irish man enjoying success, some Irish people want to take him down!

Irish begrudgery is great isn't it.

Elmo · 25-02-2011 8:04pm

hotmail.com wrote: »

Irish show with Irish actors doing really well - Some Irish people moan about it!

Irish man enjoying success, some Irish people want to take him down!

Irish begrudgery is great isn't it.

No it is not when nearly everybody who has given a negative criticism of the show has also offered up a congratulations to everyone involved.

hotmail.com · 25-02-2011 8:10pm

Elmo wrote: »

I don't think that is a problem to be honest if you can make a buck you, can make a buck, hey! <<< Sorry I think Gay Byrne just took control of my keyboard.

The series isn't good. If you enjoy, you enjoy it. But it isn't Fawlty Towers, Steptoe and Son or even The Inbetweeners, it might just about make TBBT .

You sound like an old you know what tbh lol. You'll have to mellow out.

And some of the best known comedies started with dreadful reviews.

I thought the series was ok, not great, but not rubbish either. The last episode was very very poor in fairness. No laughs at all.

That said, fair play to him for doing so well.

Elmo · 25-02-2011 8:16pm

hotmail.com wrote: »

You sound like an old you know what tbh lol. You'll have to mellow out.

And some of the best known comedies started with dreadful reviews.

I thought the series was ok, not great, but not rubbish either. The last episode was very very poor in fairness. No laughs at all.

That said, fair play to him for doing so well.

Wait you can criticize the show and then give them a fair play to him for doing so well but no one else can ???? Perhaps you need to mellow out. :rolleyes:

The reason that I reply as an old fart was that I had mention the fact that so many of your so called begrudgers gave him the thumbs up for doing to well. Even if this had just had the involvement of RTÉ I would be saying fair play!

I hope it improves for it second series rather than getting worse.

Elmo · 01-03-2011 8:50pm

This is possibly the fairest TV Critic so far

Stop talking down to fans of Mrs Brown

Broad-brush, populist comedy gets a rough time of it from British TV critics. Whisper it, but lots of people like My Family. I don't. I think it's a waste of great actors on lazy scripts, but the fact is, it has a pretty hefty audience and is sold around the world to be watched by millions more.

The same goes for the irritating haunted-ventriloquist-dummy antics of Michael McIntyre. He's the comic version of Barry Manilow, saccharine and downright awful to some, but guaranteed to deliver big box office. Mrs Brown's Boys (BBC1) is in that category.

Mrs Brown's Boys is Brendan O'Carroll doing a variation of Eddie Murphy's Nutty Professor schtick i.e. comic dressed as rude, fat old woman. The set up is hackneyed (Agnes Brown owns a fruit stall, has a filthy mouth and lives with her six stereotypically funny children).

In an odd Krankies-esque twist, one of those children is played by Brown's real-life wife. God knows what kind of fantasies get deployed in that bedroom ("Put on a wig and call me your daughter...").

I wouldn't stick Mrs Brown's Boys on my best comedies list this year (or any year) but it did what it set out to do by delivering bawdy, slapstick comedy. The grandfather was smacked on the head with a frying pan, a thermometer got stuck in his arse and the script was peppered with 'fecks' from Mrs Brown.

I found Mrs Brown's Boys gently amusing despite it seeming as if it had been posted down a time hole from 1976. There's something loveable about the live action Tom & Jerry antics of O'Carroll. Just as Miranda had critics sniffing at its reliance on physical comedy and farce, Mrs Brown's Boys will never be universally praised, but it's nice to see a show that doesn't take a narrow London-centric approach to laughs.

Other reviews

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2011/mar/01/mrs-browns-boys

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv-entertainment/columnists/kevin-osullivan/2011/02/27/mrs-brown-s-boys-is-fekkin-awful-115875-22951387/

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-entertainment/echo-entertainment/2011/02/26/paddy-shennan-s-tv-review-mrs-brown-s-boys-bbc1-100252-28237193/

Over all it looks like these types of comedies are here to stay

for me they are re-hashes of older comedies but perhaps I watch too much TV comedy.

mike65 · 22-03-2011 5:16pm

BBC orders second series!

Colmo52 · 22-03-2011 5:36pm

mike65 wrote: »

BBC orders second series!

http://wwe.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a310388/bbc-orders-more-mrs-browns-boys.html

The BBC has commissioned a second series of comedy series Mrs Brown's Boys.

BBC One controller Danny Cohen and comedy commissioning controller Cheryl Taylor green lit the second run following strong ratings for the Brendan O'Carroll sitcom.

Based on a stage show about Dublin matriarch Agnes Brown (O'Carroll), the show also featured O'Carroll's real life family members in the extended cast.

"This is unbelievable! I'm just thrilled that the BBC continues to have confidence in the show," said the comic. "The support we have had from all involved, from Danny Cohen and Mark Freeland and BBC Scotland, makes us just so excited to get back there and do it all again.

"Producer Stephen McCrum promised me that he would be faithful to the stage show and he has gone beyond this in making the show the success it is. I am living the dream."

Last week's episode of Mrs Brown's Boys picked up an impressive three million viewers in the 10.45pm slot.

Cohen commented: "Mrs Brown has been a big hit with BBC One viewers. It's a laugh-out-loud funny show with wonderful performances at its heart."

Taylor added: "Brendan O'Carroll and his irrepressible alter ego Agnes Brown have lit up Monday nights for the past few weeks and, despite the rarefied language, the warmth of this series and the laugh-out-loud comedy antics have proved a huge hit with BBC One viewers. We're delighted that Agnes and her wonderful family will be returning later in the year."

Elmo · 22-03-2011 7:48pm

mike65 wrote: »

BBC orders second series!

Didn't we say that already?

Logan · 16-04-2011 10:54pm

Can't believe how many people on hear talking ****. Mrs. Browns Boys is bloody funny as hell, it's not meant to be serious, so the actors don't act serious, it adds to the show. You people wouldn't know funny if it smacked yeas in the face, pity all the same.

Lahm · 17-04-2011 2:41pm

Logan wrote: »

Can't believe how many people on hear talking ****. Mrs. Browns Boys is bloody funny as hell, it's not meant to be serious, so the actors don't act serious, it adds to the show. You people wouldn't know funny if it smacked yeas in the face, pity all the same.

Problem being that the Tv series replays everything from the DVD's, live shows, etc.

It's just a bit sh?t. That's all. You'll get sick of that auld humour in no time. The British will too.

Scottie Dundee · 17-01-2012 1:30am

I have a theory that "Mrs Browns Boys" was only commissioned by the BBC when Ricky Gervais's "Extras" suggested that an OTT panto based comedy would prove popular commercially if not critically.

I personally like it. Whilst not stuck in the past, I do like to revisit it now and again.

Life imitating art imitating life again.

Elmo · 17-01-2012 1:32pm

Logan wrote: »

Can't believe how many people on hear talking ****. Mrs. Browns Boys is bloody funny as hell, it's not meant to be serious, so the actors don't act serious, it adds to the show. You people wouldn't know funny if it smacked yeas in the face, pity all the same.

The actors don't act at all. Comic timing is very important and what ever you might say about Brendan O'Carroll he has comic timing, unfortunately the rest of the cast find it very difficult. They all seem to be holding back their laughter and missing their cues.

I haven't watched much of the second series, personally I think if this hadn't been co-produced with the BBC it would have been ridiculed. I saw a bit of the Xmas special and I felt it was below par for the series and not a good episode of the show.

mcwhirter · 19-01-2012 8:00pm

I can't believe it's so popular, its the lowest common denominator of humour, its like watching the bad parts of terry and june.

constitutionus · 21-01-2012 5:43pm

Scottie Dundee wrote: »

I have a theory that "Mrs Browns Boys" was only commissioned by the BBC when Ricky Gervais's "Extras" suggested that an OTT panto based comedy would prove popular commercially if not critically.

I personally like it. Whilst not stuck in the past, I do like to revisit it now and again.

Life imitating art imitating life again.

the panto element of it does jump out at me.

i think the audiecne LIKE seeing some cast members near pissing themselves.

personally i quite like this, as beyond all the nonsense in it it actualy has a bit of heart.

something missing from most comedies that comes out of RTE. Its probably the BBC side of things that managed to get that through this co production.

this aint high art but it sure as **** is no "extra extra read all about it".

fryup · 05-02-2012 12:20am

constitutionus wrote: »

the panto element of it does jump out at me.

i think the audiecne LIKE seeing some cast members near pissing themselves.

i find it completely false...like that bit tonight with the cameraman's mobile phone :rolleyes: as if it wasn't pre-planned

woodoo · 05-02-2012 1:24am

fryup wrote: »

i find it completely false...like that bit tonight with the cameraman's mobile phone :rolleyes: as if it wasn't pre-planned

Its just straight forward comedy and it seems to be working. Not all comedy needs to be new and pushing boundaries. It makes me laugh, i could sit through a full episode of big bang theory and not laugh once.

Badgermonkey · 05-02-2012 2:16am

So, you're quoting the example of 'Big Bang Theory' as a new comedy which pushes boundaries?

Boston Globe described it as "one of those laugh-track sitcoms that has exactly one comedy routine and just keeps hammering it home".

Seems it may have more in common with Mrs.Brown than you think.

walshb · 05-02-2012 1:19pm

Logan wrote: »

Can't believe how many people on hear talking ****. Mrs. Browns Boys is bloody funny as hell, it's not meant to be serious, so the actors don't act serious, it adds to the show. You people wouldn't know funny if it smacked yeas in the face, pity all the same.

My issue with it is the acting, timing and forcing of the humor oh, almost forgot, and it's just so unfunny! It's so predictable. I like subtle humor, humor that isn't spoon fed to you. Creative humour and quirky humor. Best example is Chandler from the earlier seasons' of Friends.

Also, the swear words are "thrown in" for the sake of shock. But, completely unnecesaary, and out of place and context, which makes it appear pure desperate.

All in all, one of the worst examples of a comedy show I have ever seen.

Elmo · 05-02-2012 1:57pm

woodoo wrote: »

i could sit through a full episode of big bang theory and not laugh once.

I agree

Boston Globe described it as "one of those laugh-track sitcoms that has exactly one comedy routine and just keeps hammering it home".

I also agree

constitutionus · 06-02-2012 12:00pm

6.32 milllion viewers for the season finale.

2.4 more than jonathan ross.

http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/0206/ocarrollb.html

whatever else ya can say they must be doing something right.

brian_t · 06-02-2012 1:22pm

constitutionus wrote: »

6.32 milllion viewers for the season finale.

2.4 more than jonathan ross.

http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/0206/ocarrollb.html

whatever else ya can say they must be doing something right.

In these economic times we should be applauding any successful export.

Mrs Brown's Boys

Comments