Cant Cope Wont Cope

ligerdub

Duggie2012 wrote: »

i missd the 1st episode. whats the story with this taxi driver, do they know him well or something?

This is a serious irritation for me. It's part of the misplaced narrative that this show presents, and this taxi driver thing sums it up. The show is trying to appeal to people from the country, those who might generally use the same taxi driver for every journey they make, and who is readily available to provide the service. This just doesn't work in Dublin! Also, in last night's episode they rang him up in the Wicklow mountains, didn't know where they were, just said "we're somewhere up in the Wicklow mountains". Apparently that was good enough instruction for the taxi driver, and he was more than willing to pop out!
Oh and he refused payment for this journey!

What is this rubbish?!!!

In reality the taxi driver is

1) Never going to take the job
2) Would probably take an age to get there
3) Would absolutely insist on payment if he does take the job. We're probably talking the guts of €100 here I would think. You're not a charity mate, and you're not their friend either.

You can forgive some oversights for the sake of making stories come together, but far too often this show just goes with ridiculous scenarios that are just taken as fair game. In fact it's pretty much the only reason I've continued to watch it, as sad a reason as that is.

What's the craic with giving Huberman "featuring" status in the credits too? Her status as an actor is insignificant in Ireland. I don't mean to be harsh on her, it's just a fact.

livedadream

fin12 wrote: »

Ya I don't like this show, it is so depressing Aisling is way too reliant on Danielle, not good to have only one friend, she needs to go out and join social groups like meetup or take up a sport and mix with people then. Danielle must feel like she is being smothered by Aisling. I do think she should have spoken to Aisling that they need space instead of deleating her or blocking her, that's going to be really upsetting for Aisling.

. You understand it's a tv show right? It's not real life... She only has one friend because she has a drink problem and is fundamentally a bit of a dick.

fin12

livedadream wrote: »

. You understand it's a tv show right? It's not real life... She only has one friend because she has a drink problem and is fundamentally a bit of a dick.

Well I think it reflects real life, there are plenty of people that have few people in their lives, there's so much pressure on young people now and it's hard not to compare yourself to others your own age. you don't need to have a drink problem to feel like your live is going nowhere.

LuckyLloyd

Find this thread a bit bizarre. I'm a 32 year old male Dub for context, and I've found the first five episodes of this incredibly compelling. It's clearly not a comedy, 'like', and it's a shame it was billed as one. It's equally stupid that it's only been given a 6 episode run as there's a full series bursting to get out here. But they're standard RTE issues, and the material overcomes them imo.

For sure, there is laxness over little details that could be improved without impinging on the quality of the show. The machinations of a "funds" office deserved a couple more hours focus, and is the sharpest example of the writing being slightly lazy. However, I don't mind the "Good Taxi" character - this is fiction and devices are allowed. The Taxi driver is representative of decency being afforded despite the main character's disorganisation and fecklessness.

I'm not going to say that I've trod the same path as Aisling, but there is surely plenty in there that is relatable for people? And the two leads are turning in scintillating performances with the frequently electric script (last night's episode nailed a very believable tension between them throughout).

'Like' I simply don't get the Avalanche of negativity in here. And if the likes of Louise O'Neill are trying to appropriate the show for some manner of gender agenda so be it. It should be judged on its own merits and is well able to stand on same imo.

fin12

When I say I don't like the show its not about the acting cause I think it's very good performances, it's just the last two episodes have made me feel quite down after watching them, I can releate to some of the things that are happening to Aisling and how she's feeling. She's clearly very unhappy and depressed.

hao123

The back ground music was integrated perfectly with the acting. Just curious about what kind of emotion that Aisling has towards Danielle.

LuckyLloyd

fin12 wrote: »

When I say I don't like the show its not about the acting cause I think it's very good performances, it's just the last two episodes have made me feel quite down after watching them, I can releate to some of the things that are happening to Aisling and how she's feeling. She's clearly very unhappy and depressed.

It's no doubt close to the bone - further adding to the inappropriateness of using the word "comedy" in relation to it.

ligerdub

If it's a drama then it should have removed the slapstick element (that bouncing office worker and basically anything involving Huberman for example) and foolish inconsistencies that the show presents.

It decided to be a drama because it's not funny enough. It's not a drama because its attempts to be serious are fairly lazy and cliched.

I think the secondary character is the best thing about the show. She's a stronger character as she's a better actor in my opinion.

livedadream

fin12 wrote: »

Well I think it reflects real life, there are plenty of people that have few people in their lives, there's so much pressure on young people now and it's hard not to compare yourself to others your own age. you don't need to have a drink problem to feel like your live is going nowhere.

yeah but your picking it apart like its your best friend and her other friend.

its a tv show if you dont like it stop watching its pretty simple...

i like it i think the acting is good, yes the same as with every TV show in the world there are errors and bits that sometimes dont fit in with everyday life. its a small budgeted irish written and produced show... i think theyre doing okay.

TCDStudent1

Thought last night's episode was the best. No comedy in it at all which is maybe why it worked better. Or maybe it was because there were less side characters there this week.

I knew a group of girls living in Dublin before that always used the same taxi guy, similar to how the girls on the show use "Taxi Good". It was a bit ridiculous that he went to the mountains to get them though!

I think the negativity for this show comes from a lot of people thinking it could have been so much better.

McGuigan should have thought his daughter to take a punch ha ha. She took some elbow

Danielle promised to fry Aisling sausages and then just made her toast and fecked off to college. I notice Danielles boyfriends bed was made out of pallets. Seemed they held up to the bit of hanky panky.

Some familiar sites from filming Love/hate

The girls probably walked over lukes grave in the woods whereas at least poor Fran is in prison and incapacitated since his vicious attack at the hands of Noelie. he cant murder them and bury them on his land mores the pity

fin12

livedadream wrote: »

yeah but your picking it apart like its your best friend and her other friend.

its a tv show if you dont like it stop watching its pretty simple...

i like it i think the acting is good, yes the same as with every TV show in the world there are errors and bits that sometimes dont fit in with everyday life. its a small budgeted irish written and produced show... i think theyre doing okay.

Well it's kind of pointless now to stop watching it when there's only one episode left.

homerun_homer

Deleted User wrote: »

I notice Danielles boyfriends bed was made out of pallets. Seemed they held up to the bit of hanky panky.

Except she apologised saying she got in to the bed while he slept in the middle of the night. So the pallet bed durability still has to be tried and tested on the sex front.

Funnyonion79

ligerdub wrote: »

If it's a drama then it should have removed the slapstick element (that bouncing office worker and basically anything involving Huberman for example) and foolish inconsistencies that the show presents.

It decided to be a drama because it's not funny enough. It's not a drama because its attempts to be serious are fairly lazy and cliched.

I think the secondary character is the best thing about the show. She's a stronger character as she's a better actor in my opinion.

Absolutely agree with everything here. I also think the writing is really bad. If you were to compare this with Sharon Horgan's Catastrophe which is actually laugh out loud funny, with some really sweet and touching moments in it, Can't Cope Won't Cope comes across as pure amateur lazy writing.

homerun_homer

homerun_homer wrote: »

Except she apologised saying she got in to the bed while he slept in the middle of the night. So the pallet bed durability still has to be tried and tested on the sex front.

Id be skeptical if they held up tbh although pallets are hardy and carry big loads in shipping containers etc.

Deedsie

Deedsie wrote: »

I think it's been excellent, casts a light on some of the poorer behaviour of millennials in Ireland. Selfishness, lack of accountability, alcoholism. I think it's realistic enough, Irish programmes are always going to get canned by some people but to me it's been an interesting show.

It does nail those aspects to be fair but there is a bit of shíte to filter through too

bigpink

Its over already?prob should have been made a web only series.
Wonder did having Amy Huberman get this a slot and media darling loving

sasta le

I watched it or tryed but as an average punter guy its so bad. Is it a comedy or drama?
I agree the medis lovlies fawning over it

icdg

sasta le wrote: »

I watched it or tryed but as an average punter guy its so bad. Is it a comedy or drama?
I agree the medis lovlies fawning over it

Further evidence that it at least started life as a comedy - the sponsorship bumpers from our largest cable TV company proudly "sponsoring comedy on RTE2"

I think whoever said it sailed a bit too close to the bone is right, hence RTE's attempts to rebrand it as a drama.

homerun_homer

icdg wrote: »

Further evidence that it at least started life as a comedy - the sponsorship bumpers from our largest cable TV company proudly "sponsoring comedy on RTE2"

I think whoever said it sailed a bit too close to the bone is right, hence RTE's attempts to rebrand it as a drama.

They were definitely full on advertising this as a comedy.

On the comedy front the big ticket show this year is Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope - a six-part "darkly comic" series

And they did the same in 'RTE's New Season' adverts, only ever really showing 'drunk acting' Amy Huberman waving her cigarette holding hand in summation of the show's comedic aspects.

There are great dark comedies/comedy dramas out there at the minute and this is completely missing the mark. Catastrophe & Fleabag are two predominantly female driven comedies that can be quite dark and do justice to all aspects they aim for.

The only bit i laughed at throughout is when

Amy Hubermans character asked the American client if she had a drink and Aisling said, 'no shes an alcoholic'

there was a comedy in there somewhere waiting to spring out but in truth the show couldnt make up its mind where it was positioned. It didnt really even mix elements and was lobsided. Some scenes such as the family talk last week were just painful to watch. What normal kid would ask his mother if he was breast fed in all fairness?

Aisling had potential to be a more rounded character and in fairness to the actress who played her i think she is exceptionally talented but the scriptwriters done her no favours

TCDStudent1

Deleted User wrote: »

The only bit i laughed at throughout is when

Amy Hubermans character asked the American client if she had a drink and Aisling said, 'no shes an alcoholic'

there was a comedy in there somewhere waiting to spring out but in truth the show couldnt make up its mind where it was positioned. It didnt really even mix elements and was lobsided. Some scenes such as the family talk last week were just painful to watch. What normal kid would ask his mother if he was breast fed in all fairness?

Aisling had potential to be a more rounded character and in fairness to the actress who played her i think she is exceptionally talented but the scriptwriters done her no favours

I didnt find that line funny at all. Who would be stupid enough to say that?!

The 2 bits I found close to funny were: 1) When the 2 fellas came along and stole the ladder - I could imagine that happening on a night in Dublin and 2) the brother being annoyed at having to leave the xBox to get her code for the train - I found that to be a fairly realistic scene.

Its not a good reflection that the 2 main characters were not the characters I have found funny! It definitely would have benefited from not pitching it as a comedy. The last episode was by far the strongest when it completely ditched all the comedy stuff.

TCDStudent1

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

I didnt find that line funny at all. Who would be stupid enough to say that?!

The 2 bits I found close to funny were: 1) When the 2 fellas came along and stole the ladder - I could imagine that happening on a night in Dublin and 2) the brother being annoyed at having to leave the xBox to get her code for the train - I found that to be a fairly realistic scene.

Its not a good reflection that the 2 main characters were not the characters I have found funny! It definitely would have benefited from not pitching it as a comedy. The last episode was by far the strongest when it completely ditched all the comedy stuff.

Very very few if any especially where there is so much at stake professionally. It was like something you'd see Dougal doing in Father Ted though ala 'Hows the son?'

Ernest

This series seems to have settled for being drama not comedy but who imagined that it was okay to insert a Dublin taxi driver character called (and even addressed as) "taxi good" who would know these girls by voice, always be available to come and collect them, identify where exactly "in the mountains" they were lost and not even accept any payment??? Was this man supposed to be some kind of allegorical figure - a kind of guardian angel?? This is just sloppy writing and should have been corrected prior to filming.This programme seriously needed a script editor.

There were some well-crafted passages such as the girls dialogue on the mountain in the last episode but also some unconvincing and dreary ones such as those tiresome "alcoholic" episodes all through the series.

TCDStudent1

I am not really sure I am understanding the whole obsession with kids in it. When she is the pharmacy to get the pill, she talks to the kid, then her mother announces she is pregnant, then Bobby tells her he has a kid, & then she reminds Bobby he didnt want kids. I'm wondering if all that is leading somewhere - for example, will there be a revelation that Aisling aborted Bibby's child or something?

TCDStudent1

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

I am not really sure I am understanding the whole obsession with kids in it. When she is the pharmacy to get the pill, she talks to the kid, then her mother announces she is pregnant, then Bobby tells her he has a kid, & then she reminds Bobby he didnt want kids. I'm wondering if all that is leading somewhere - for example, will there be a revelation that Aisling aborted Bibby's child or something?

Are they meant to symbolise Aislings unwillingness to grow up ?

TCDStudent1

Deleted User wrote: »

Are they meant to symbolise Aislings unwillingness to grow up ?

I didnt get that @ all from it. Maybe I am not intelligent enough for this show!

TCDStudent1

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

I didnt get that @ all from it. Maybe I am not intelligent enough for this show!

Another thing just crossed my mind, Aisling is so unsuited to motherhood given her lifestyle.

I wonder will she become pregnant herself? Her attitude to contraception, alcohol and sex is dysfunctional to say the least but all of a sudden she could face a few big life changes.