End of an Era

[haggis]

I know the feeling about UXB. What American TV show kills off regular members of the cast? I cringed everytime they started to defuse the bombs.

Although the sight of the guys rolling a ticking bomb down to the river in a wheelbarrow always made me laugh.

[Shapley]

What American TV Show regularly kills off members of the cast? Soap Operas do it all time. It's called contract negotiations.

[haggis]

Shape, yeah you're right but it normally takes years for that to happen and besides, that’s not considered prime time TV either.

DUXB ran for, I think, 13 episodes and they had an annoying habit of killing off primary and secondary actors and then bringing new ones in. On one episode they put one actor in jail for being AWOL and I can’t remember if he ever came back after that.

Ya know, if a few of "Matlock" or "Perry Mason" clients had been convicted and executed, it would have added to the tension of following shows.

Similarly, on Brit cop shows like "The Sweeny" (cockney rhyming slang) it was not unusual for the bad guys to win; to literally get away with murder, or a bank robbery. You (the viewer) would know who robbed the bank and the cops would investigate the crime and either arrest the wrong person or just give up an move onto another crime. It really was frustrating at times. You found yourself wanting to shout “Him! He’s the one! The guy on the corner smoking a cigarette!!! You idiots!!!”

I always thought that added to the reality. The closest I've seen any American show get to that level of reality were some of the earlier "Law and Order" programs.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Originally posted by Haggis:
"Two fat Ladies" Didn't one die recently?

Yes, the Jennifer Paterson, the brunette one, died of lung cancer, I think it was in the summer of 2002.

I applied as a replacement cook for the show, but they don't pay for the commute.

[Shapley]

Haggis,

There are, or were, prime time soaps, such as Dallas, I seem to recall that one of the regulars was killed off on that program, only to return a year later, in the "whole last season was only a dream" show that irked most of the viewers.

I don't watch a lot of TV, but I seem to recall seeing an episode of CSI - Miami recently in which the bad girl got away with murder. The office regulars were talking about a previous episode that went unsolved. I don't know if this is routine on that program or not.

V/R
Shapley

[Marye]

Originally posted by Selma in San Diego:

Originally posted by Haggis:
[b] "Two fat Ladies" Didn't one die recently?

Yes, the Jennifer Paterson, the brunette one, died of lung cancer, I think it was in the summer of 2002.

I applied as a replacement cook for the show, but they don't pay for the commute. [/b]

I loved that show.... they always used a pound of butter in every recipe... too funny.

[treebeau]

Seems she passed away earlier than that, according to this.

Regards,
Tim "pound of butter is worth an ounce of cure" B.

[dai bread]

And lots of fatty bacon! (Posts drooling icon).

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

We need a drooling icon. Or at least a "yum" icon.

A couple more "scorn and mockery" icons would please me, but might not be a good idea, objectively. <durnit icon here>

And how bout a "WOOHOO" icon?

And a "stirring the pot" icon.

Selma

[dai bread]

What good ideas, Selma!

[haggis]

I can't believe that I forgot to mention "Last of the Summer Wine" on my list of favorite Britcoms!

I don't believe there was another show that showed so much beautiful scenery, including "All Creatures.." When I lived there I took it all for granted, but now, 20 years after we moved from England it kind of makes me home sick.

My wife and I are returning to England in April for a two-week trip to Devon and Cornwall (and probably a few nights in London) we are looking forward to it so much.

[Marye]

I was in London just recently, Haggis. We were there for 8 days: the theatre every night and the galleries and museums every day...

Lovely time.

[haggis]

Mayre,
Any recommendations for plays, concerts, etc in London??

[rwcrooks]

Haggis,

To The Manor Born, All Creatures, Danger UXB and Solo....all good.

But so were The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin and Rising Damp (in their times, but Perrin could stand up today).

Last night our local station played the Waldorf Salad episode of Fawlty Towers. I forgot just how funny those were.

[haggis]

RichC,
I agree about "Rise and Fall" (first time I saw Geoffrey Palmer) and "Rising Damp." Leonard Rossiter was a brilliant actor and I was sorry when he died, shortly after I left England in 1984.

He did a series of commercials in the ‘70s for Cinzano Bianco with Joan Collins, and they remain some of my all time favorite comedy commercial. He just had that great voice and the stutter that you always expect officious “know-it-alls” to have.

I have to say that while I enjoyed some of “Fawlty Towers” (or “Farty Towels” as one of the signs said in the opening credits once) I wasn’t a great fan of the series. That said, I can’t watch the “Basil the Rat” episode without laughing so hard I get tears in my eyes.

[Marye]

Oh god yes Haggis... you are going in April? What dates? I will check to see how long the productions are on the stage before I suggest which ones you might like to go to. BUT we always went to Leicester Square each day and in particular went to "Tkts" booth formerly known as the Official London Half-Price Theatre Ticket Booth. This booth is jointly owned and operated by various theatre groups. We would get great seats for half price.

And RichC Fawlty Towers... oh my it still makes me howl. I am particularly fond of "Don't mention the war."

I will get back to you Haggis....

<small>[ 03-01-2004, 04:14 PM: Message edited by: Marye ]</small>

[rwcrooks]

...I did once, but I think I got away with it.

And how about the episode in which Basil is trying to find the girl someone snuck into their room? In the end, he ends up hopping around on the floor like a frog. Even my wife was rolling on the floor by the end of that one!

[Rudy2toot]

What was the Britcom with the uppity, titled, dolt and his clever butler? That was kind of cute. But I'm with Haggis, I REALLY like A Touch of Frost. Didn't run long enough.

[treebeau]

Originally posted by Rudy2toot:
What was the Britcom with the uppity, titled, dolt and his clever butler?

You'll need to be more specific, I presume. LOL.

Regards,
Tim B.

[Marye]

LOL TIM! that was funny....