MovieChat Forums > The Royle Family (1998) Discussion > They are a horrible family

They are a horrible family

posted 13 years ago by drek258
15 replies | jump to latest

I watched the episode last night after watching the series on and off over the years and I was shocked how horrible they are, the mum and daughter had no right going through her things like that an going through her diary was uncalled for, they even complained about her keeping the key for the diary in a seperate place, the dad was just downright lazy and going back to the daughter and her husband, they should have the kids taken away as they obviously have no interest in looking after them. The only decent members in the family was the son and his Fiancee.
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[–] stevenmcpunisher 13 years ago

Sarcasm or lack of sense of humour.

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[–] TheApostle 13 years ago

The characters have become more unlikeable as the series has gone on. Their stupidity and selfishness goes too far.

[–] Bobryshev_777 13 years ago

But the extra stupidity and selfishness makes it all the more funnier IMO.

[–] Gobiastia 13 years ago

But the extra stupidity and selfishness makies it all the more funnier IMO.

I don't think it does. The Royle Family in the old series, and the Queen of Sheba always treaded a fine line there, were they kept it funny, believable, and not made the characters out to be totally despicable.

The last couple of Christmas specials threw all that out the window.

[–] stevenmcpunisher 13 years ago

I would agree that Dave and Denise have become too stupid, but Jim and Barbera are the exact same. Jim was always an ass, but a funny one all the same.

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[–] siwelk 13 years ago

I view the specials separately to the 3 seasons. The fact that they're not done in real time means the pace and writing is different, there's less opportunity to let little jokes and plot points eak out, they have to be a bit more brazen about it.

I'd say the Queen of Sheba and this year's one stand well in their own right. The middle two however, were really dissappointing.

[–] MarkAnthony1990 13 years ago

Like all shows that are stretched out the characters have become caricatures. Like being a bit dim was a part of Dave's personality in the old series and now he's all out stupid with the mind of a 2 year old. Laziness and shallowness was an aspect of Denise's character and now she's a complete airhead who couldn't give two *beep* about her kids.

Babies kill TV shows!

[–] xcfred 13 years ago

I think you've missed the entire point of the programme.

[–] TheApostle 13 years ago

I wish a had a dollar every time someone responded to criticism of a TV show or movie with a variation of the tired line "you don't get it".

Lame.

[–] xcfred 13 years ago

They are supposed to be horrible, that's the whole point. The OP doesn't have to come on here to point that out to us.

[–] Bobryshev_777 13 years ago

Yeah, some people seem to be taking the show in a far too serious way (even though it's a comedy!). Ok, some say the show has ran out of ideas and is now relying on OTT humour. Well I strongly disagree, but I guess that's all down to opinion. I do think there is more slapstick but in a positive way, and I wouldn't say the show's jokes/scenes are any less witty at all.

The ones I don't understand, are the ones that say it isn't funny because of the characters being horrible to each other, or basically all these supposed way in which certain characters have changed. Well they haven't! They are no more horrible/lazy/stupid/selfish than in the earlier episodes.

[–] Gobiastia 13 years ago

People take the mis-characterizations of beloved characters seriously. There's a difference between stuff like making Anthony always make the tea, and calling him lazy, to flat out horrible actions like having Denise and Barbara going through Saskia's diary (which has a lock on it!!!), clothes, and stealing her perfume.

The writing in these Christmas specials is just horrible.

[–] tdigle 13 years ago

Uh, the Royle women are, relatively speaking, poor, ignorant, and enamored with women who carry themselves well. It makes sense that they'd be interested in Saskia's stuff. Didn't you watch the last episode of series 3? Look in the background when Barbara and Denise are taking turns trying on Emma's mother's coat. They've always been this way; they're no more despicable than they were more than 10 years ago.

[–] madnesspersonified 13 years ago

The show has turned into a crude, slapstick farce relying on toilet humour to get the laughs.

Watching Jim and Dave laying in bed together discussing the fact that they both get morning erections was pretty cringeworthy stuff.

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[–] avia2 12 years ago

Sadly I agree with OP.

In the first two series they are all very believable, but they become less realistic as the show goes on.

In the first series, Barbara would never have opened someone's diary like that. I also found it a bit weird when they're playing with the ashes.