Mickey's Review of Christmas Part 1

Here's my special New Year treat for you all:

A summary of some of the things that I saw and whether I thought they were good or not.

1. Christmas at the Riviera

I've just checked on imdb.com and it appears to have been written and produced by the same people who did The Worst Week Of My Life, which I've never seen, but got good reviews.

It had an allstar cast, with the likes of Alexander Armstrong (out of Armstrong and Miller), Sam Kelly (off of Allo Allo), the bloke who was the neighbour in Saxondale (out of Saxondale), Ferris (off of Darling Buds of May), Reece Shearsmith (out of the League of Gentlemen) etc.

With credentials like that, surely this should be a surefire laugh a minute hit. But wait, it's Christmas. So lets go for tragic characters going through genuinely traumatic and upsetting situations. Poor old Sam Kelly getting over euthanising (is that a word?) his wife from terminal cancer, Ferris going through chemotherapy for her own cancer. Great uplifting and life affirming comedy for Christmas Eve.

It reminded me of the classic Only Fools and Horses Christmas Special when Rodney collapsed in Del's arms as he told him that his beloved Cassandra had had a miscarriage.

2. My Family

I don't watch My Family generally although I understand that Mrs Davie is a big fan.

While I had no fault with the comic performances on show (Lindsay and Wanamaker are at the top of their game), nor with the plot of the programme (genuine farce with very little mawkish sentiment, and no life shattering tragedies to deal with) I watched with a strange sense of bemusement.

My sister-in-law and her family were laughing away, making appreciative comments and looking extremely satisfied with the entertainment on offer. Meanwhile, my brother and I simply sat, occasionally exchanging bewildered glances as to why we weren't enjoying what clearly should have been riproaring British comedy at its best.

I could see that there were jokes and comic situations. I could see where I was supposed to laugh at, and I saw that it was quite well done. But it left me numb. That's right. Lindsay and Wanamaker left me cold and numb.

In summary then: Christmas at the Riviera: not good, less human tragedy in future please; My Family: not good, make it a different kind of funny so that my brother and I will laugh in future please.

I could go on, but I'm trying to cut down on my blog length. I'll do part two in a few days. And as it's 2008 I'll not do my "what I watched on television" bit either. Mind you, I should end with some sort of unfunny quip or in-joke (possibly referencing something that I've written earlier in the post) that finishes the thing off.

Erm, I used a semi-colon in an earlier paragraph. I don't know, but it was probably not appropriate. I've never been able to use them properly. I got a C in English Language O-Level you see.