pauld-witham
Joined Feb 2006
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Reviews2
pauld-witham's rating
After the three excellent preceding entries in this quartet, (Steptoe,Hancock,Hughie Green)this was a considerable disappointment.
I've no complaint with the performances, both David Walliams and Rafe Spall as Howerd & Heymer respectively were on top form. Where Rather You Than Me falls down, as opposed to the three previous entries is it's lacklustre script, which can't make up its mind whether to concentrate on Howerd or Heymer and falls limply between the two.
This cramped production lasting barely sixty minutes, seems more interested in Heymer's uninteresting sex life than exploring Howerd himself. So we are then subjected to scenes of dimly lit homosexual nightclubs and sweaty couplings, whilst Howerd sits morosely at home.
Poor old Frank is made to look so miserable and dull, you wonder how he ever made people laugh at all. Further insight into his character by the writers would have revealed that despite his depressive nature, he could also be humorous and great company as his many friends including Cilla Black and June Whitfield would bare witness to. (Happiness doesn't sell progamme's it seems)
I'm sad to say that Rather You Than Me is a kick in the teeth to a great comic.
I've no complaint with the performances, both David Walliams and Rafe Spall as Howerd & Heymer respectively were on top form. Where Rather You Than Me falls down, as opposed to the three previous entries is it's lacklustre script, which can't make up its mind whether to concentrate on Howerd or Heymer and falls limply between the two.
This cramped production lasting barely sixty minutes, seems more interested in Heymer's uninteresting sex life than exploring Howerd himself. So we are then subjected to scenes of dimly lit homosexual nightclubs and sweaty couplings, whilst Howerd sits morosely at home.
Poor old Frank is made to look so miserable and dull, you wonder how he ever made people laugh at all. Further insight into his character by the writers would have revealed that despite his depressive nature, he could also be humorous and great company as his many friends including Cilla Black and June Whitfield would bare witness to. (Happiness doesn't sell progamme's it seems)
I'm sad to say that Rather You Than Me is a kick in the teeth to a great comic.
The penultimate episode of this long running series finds Jim back on the mainland and getting tangled up in the Lovejoyish world of antiques in Hampshire.
As a policeman Jim Bergerac was astute and reasonably bright, as a private investigator the writers have made him slow and hapless and reliant on friends and family to get him out of tight spots, in this case Danielle and Charlie. This plot device of bringing in other characters to help with the detective work, coupled with removing the central individual out of his usual location (Jersey),is a sure fire sign that the writers are running out of steam.
That said John Nettles always gives value, even when struggling with a script as implausible as this one. Shame also that Terence Alexander and the lovely Therese Liotard are not given some better lines.
As a policeman Jim Bergerac was astute and reasonably bright, as a private investigator the writers have made him slow and hapless and reliant on friends and family to get him out of tight spots, in this case Danielle and Charlie. This plot device of bringing in other characters to help with the detective work, coupled with removing the central individual out of his usual location (Jersey),is a sure fire sign that the writers are running out of steam.
That said John Nettles always gives value, even when struggling with a script as implausible as this one. Shame also that Terence Alexander and the lovely Therese Liotard are not given some better lines.