MovieChat Forums > The League of Gentlemen (2000) Discussion > Characters you can't watch

Characters you can't watch

posted 17 years ago by intelligiser
55 replies | jump to latest

Before I get anyone all riled up and ready to reply with "you're wrong and I hate you", lemme just say I love the show, there are just some things I honestly can't watch. Tiny list though.

Pop:
I can't watch pop past his first appearence (where he disowns one of his sons). He's just too real for me, I think. All of the other characters are either so out-there that no matter what they do, it doesn't really seem real (Tubbs and Edward, Papa Lazarou etc..) or very real, but tragic rather than creepy (Les). Pop just creeps me out. I can't watch him because he's just one step too far in my creepiness scale. Which just goes to show how well the character is written, I guess. I skip past his scenes.

Dunno the name, but that girl who the gay one from Legz Akimbo meets up with in London (forgive lack of names, it's a while since I've seen it). She drives me mad. I realise that the point is that she is annoying, but I can't get past that and see her as anything OTHER than annoying. Skip past her scene too.

Anyone else love the show but have a character they can't stand?

[–] diarmaid_blah_blah 17 years ago

Barry Baggs.
I think that's the character's name. I find him really difficult to watch because Steve Pemberton plays him so well. He's so pathetic and nice it nearly brings me to tears when his boss floors him.

Dean Tavaloures.
Just the scene when the 2 tough guys hold him down and stick the cigarette in his hand. I can't watch it. It's too sad.

The girl you're thinking of is called Tish.

[–] Joebody 17 years ago

Barry Baggs.

It depresses the hell out of me.

Like when he gets stopped from going to the interview, and it shoots him later playing with a fire engine making noises.
He's played so well.

[–] tinstar_ 17 years ago

For me there aren't really any uncomfortable characters to watch in that way, but if I skip anything it's Dr. Chinnery. The character just seems out of place in the show - the joke is too "Hale and Pace" and doesn't work. It's a one joke character and not even a very good one at that in my opinion.

"I don't agree with that in the workplace."

[–] HeatherMason 17 years ago

Pop. His scenes are just horrible. I find something very disturbing about him. Like you, I skip alot of his scene, they make me very uncomfortable. Especially in the second series.

[–] cheshire_cat00 17 years ago

I can't stand the Dr. Chinnery scenes. They're just awful and unnecessary, I don't know how anyone could find something like that funny.

That's about it really...though I do really really despise Pop. Like one of them said on a commentary, he's a completely unredeemable character. I can watch his scenes but they are just so filled with tension that it's almost unbearable. Though of course that's just because of the good acting.

____________________________________
"No mother...that sailor suit doesn't fit anymore!"

[–] hunter47-1 17 years ago

I cant really say that there's a character that i can't watch, but there are some scenes which are a bit too freaky, like papa lazarou abducting bernice's mother.

The Spirit of Vengeance

[–] andrewimlah 16 years ago

They are hilarious, how can you not find it funny.
and his scenes so work with the show
they fit in perfectly
i just love it when he puts the wrong dog down
i felt bad about laughing but it was hilarious
then the owner said "Whiskey?" trying to wake the dog up
that made me piss myself with laughter

I have two questions, what am i doing and why the hell am i doing it!

[–] Jenesis 16 years ago

I agree, the Dr Chinnery scenes are the funniest bits of the show. And I am an animal lover.

The tortoise/compressed air scene is probably the funniest of the series.

(¯`· ._.» º Jenesis º «._.·´¯)

[–] amorrice80 16 years ago

Aren't Vets only Doctors in America? In the UK the are Misters or Misses.

[–] Sluggr-3 7 years ago

But all the Dr Chinnery scenes were just a set-up for when the transvestite went under the knife and his face is the last thing seen before losing consciousness.

And as someone who has been elbow deep in a ewe to correct a breech delivery, the horse pluck scene was brilliant.

My Chimp DNA seems to have lost its password temporarily. Sluggr-2

[–] violentquiche 16 years ago

That isnt Barry Baggs. You're thinking of Mickey.

"By the way Strudwick...A Gorilla called. He wants his ass, which you are using for a face, BACK!"

[–] andrewimlah 16 years ago

That's Mickey.
Barry Baggs is the Baliff, isn't he?

I felt bad when Barry couldn't get scampi.
We all feel bad when we are looking forward to something
but he loses it. It's sad. But i love it.

I have two questions, what am i doing and why the hell am i doing it!

[–] theguitarist 16 years ago

Mickey and Pauline having sex really made me cringe lol

I find it funny that so many people don't like Pop haha. I think he's hilarious, he's so creepy and awful that you just couldn't imagine meeting anyone like that! Although I am sure there's people out there.

The thing where he slaps his face is hilarious: "We're gonna be good friends you and I... goood friends.." haha.

Papa Lazarou is probably my favourite.

[–] panda-2182 16 years ago

I also find those two characters quite upsetting, I used to have a thread on here, where I said that Barry and the character Mark Gatiss played {alongside the ginger lad who was in Corrie and East is East), were quite unpleasant to watch.

I wasn't that keen on Dean in parts, especially in the extra where he tells his mum that his gran has died, she cries and then he has a fit, was just awful imo.

[–] kellymariekitty 11 years ago

Sorry who is barry??
I love this show but havent seen it in a while and i think there was a barry but I cant place him

[–] my_dad_hussles_mooses 17 years ago

The Cleaner and the rich woman who are mother and daughter.

As I Hustle In The City, For A Paper Stack, Lord Knows I Got The Devil On My Back

[–] cheshire_cat00 17 years ago

The Cleaner and the rich woman who are mother and daughter.

haha really? those two are quite possibly my favourite characters, after papa lazarou...

____________________________________
"No mother...that sailor suit doesn't fit anymore!"

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] andrew-bullock 16 years ago

Pop...I have to say, one of favourites. The scene at the dinner table with his son and his son's girlfriend? How anybody can not see that for the comedic genius that it is, is beyond me! What else would you have for dessert other than Kinder Eggs if you had dinner with the manager of a chain of newsagents?! And let's not forget "Bright Eeeeyes...Burnin' like fire...!" A genius mix of brutality and ridiculous sentimentality. Now, as for the scene in the warehouse where he disowns his son for the Maverick Bars incident, again I think this is comedy genius..but also, dare I say it, almost cinematic genius!! Check out the camera work in this scene, the music, and the tension....amazing. I'll always say that the best comedians are great actors, and these guys are all great actors in my opinion, with Steve Pemberton possibly having the edge over the other two. Of course, everybody has different taste and finds different things funny, and as I always say, you can't argue with somebody's taste. It's not going to change as a result of your badgering! So I appreciate that not everybody likes Pop. For me, he was always a highlight.

[–] MoonLily 16 years ago

Lol I love pop too. I admit he's a little freaky, but this IS the league of Gentlemen we're talking about here. The Maverick bar scene is one of my all time league favorites.

[–] Bubbly-Jubbly 16 years ago

I can't watch that magician bloke played by reece in episode 6 series 3. His face makes me feel sick, i know it's just make up but all the same. Plus that sketch is a little boring!

[–] kamdine 16 years ago

The vet is my favourite character!! :) I love them all, but with the vet I actually laughed out loud... with the turtle, but also the wrong dog put to sleep... So horrible and funny! The one character I can't watch (but do anyway) is Papa Lazarou, he actually freaks me out! I laugh, but I cringe. In the Xmas special he was even scarier than usual I thought! "You're my wife now!" :) Great show, disturbed sense of humor. Right up my alley!

[–] HennerBoBenner 16 years ago

Papa Lazerou has given me nightmares! Maybe because I'm an American the blackface makeup really strikes a nerve.

[–] thetrooper244 16 years ago

I love most characers but the scene i always skip is that stupid tidy up song in season 2. i felt acward watching it because it just wasnt funny to me. The rest of the season though it think is the best.

Pop is hilarious i think. "9 MAVERIC BARS!"

and who can forget such classics as "FETCH HER A KINDER EGG FROM THE SHOP!" "but she doesnt like chocolate dad" "SHE CAN PLAY WITH THE TOY!"

[–] smut_husky 16 years ago

There's no character in particular I can't stand watching, although Neds in series three isn't up to much. The bit in the warehouse, with the fire raging and him humming his own take on the Knight Rider theme tune isn't too bad, but the way series three plays out, and the structure it takes, shouldn't have characters that weak playing too big a role. Not too keen on Lance either. Don't mind the scenes confined to the joke shop, but beyond that; don't really enjoy the character.

I do like Pops, but can understand why some people might not take to him. The extended version of the warehouse scene in series one when he disowns his youngest son is a bit intense, but that scene with Al and his girlfriend in the house is great. (the kinder egg line mentioned above is particularly great, lol).

[–] acetremendous 16 years ago

A few scenes gave me cringes and chills the first time or two I saw them, but I love it all now.

The human scarecrow really creeped me out the first time around. Something about Hilary Bris really got to me too.

Pop's howlingly funny but he is really...visceral. Like you can hear the spit in his throat, the rasping of him scratching himself, you know? Something about that performance, it's like you can smell him. Amazing acting, effectively disturbing.

I am continually amazed (and delighted) that the same man is Pop, Pauline, and Tubbs. WOW.

*********************************************
* "We may be stupid, but we're not clever!" *

[–] sulin418 16 years ago

Hey, I like the league of gentlemen a lot, and it's a such a great show to me. The writers and performers are all brilliant.
But i have the same idea like many of you...
I don't like Pop, while i was in manchester, i did meet several this kind of guys around,this kind of landlord, this kind of stall owner, and it just reminds me of them. So i always speed it up and skip it.
Except Pop, everytime when i watch Dean Tavalouris's part in restaurant, the young gangster squishes a fag on his paw, it always makes me cry out "No, leave him alone!" I like Dean, he's a lovely weirdo.

[–] jpearson-20 16 years ago

The first episode I ever saw, on the original first run of the first series was the episode with Pop and his sons and the maverick bars, I was into gangster movies at the time and I thought this small town take on a typical gangster situation was hilarious, this was also the episode with the road surveyors - "Edward, you let them get away!" " Dont wory Tubbs, they wont get far" as he pulls out a monster crossbow, and this placed LOG firmly in my No.1 favorite comedy slot.
Whilst I dont find any character particularly unwatchable there are plenty of sketches that hit particular nerves and make laughing a guilty pleasure, another testament to the writing and acting here, I must say that the first time I saw Papa Lazarou taking a suburban housewife as his own really creeped me out but as he developed he definately became one of my fav's.
I know some people who have been more scared than amused by LOG, especially the 'Deliverance' style of inbred shop owners. Unfortunate really as I am sure they would love the Pauline sketches!
"I distort my perceptions to make my reality more palatable"

[–] ERJosh 16 years ago

Les is so tragic I think, that classic bitter old rocker whose band never made it and who drops names you've never heard of, I know this doesn't sound classic but I know people like this around here and its so real, it is hilarious though haha

[–] Jenesis 16 years ago

It's a sh_t business...

Jenesis

[–] vdemon96 16 years ago

Pop creeps me out but that's because he's so well played so I like him.
I LOVE Tish! She's so realistic it's hilarious!
I don't like the character Mark Gatiss plays in Series 3, the one that puts paper clips on his car as a weapon. That was weary to watch, IMO.
I get a little tired of Chinnery sometimes but I do like him and think he's funny.
But yes, I love the show!

"Once the vodka gets flowing you never know what's going to happen, really"

[–] smut_husky 16 years ago

Agree with all of the above, vdemon96.

Tish wasn't the kind of character I'd have thought would have brought into play, but the Tishs' of the world are out there! Also, they played the right card by giving her just that one scene; good performance by Steve and some really great lines, but she's a one trick pony, better to bring in through the front door and lead her out again quickly rather than have her start looping - much like many, many characters in other shows around now.

Also yeah - Neds in series 3 was pretty awful - glad he wasn't a running thing across episodes, but he still didn't really work for me in the one ep he was in. The only thing that made me smile about the whole thing was the young boy's "Oh *beep*!" at the end with the fire, but a bit of a waste of screen time I think.

[–] vdemon96 16 years ago

I know what you mean about Tish, she's such a good character but there's not a lot more you can do with her after that one scene without repeating yourself. They did well to just leave it at that. Although if she had an episode revolve around her (rather than a cameo in Geoff's) they could perhaps work out a whole backstory for her and that might work.

"Once the vodka gets flowing you never know what's going to happen, really"

[–] kimdino-1 15 years ago

Pop is definitely my most-difficult-to-watch character. He is done so well.

But I disagree about Chinnery, he is great to watch. The bit with the dog & the fire cracked me up. Especially with the way it was nicely polished off with him placing the cigar back in the box.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] jay_bee2483 15 years ago

Yeah Pop is probably the most creepy character if you think about it.... "Prove it to me, sign your name, that's who you are!" And the spying on his tenants via hidden cameras, akin to Sliver.

One of the distinctive lines he says is prob... "Guess who's here?!" - then brandishes the porn mags for his sons! Or, "Why don't we watch a video before we go to bed, ONNNNNEEEE of my favourites".

Some of his actions are quite funny too like when he drags his hands over and down his face one after the other.

Although Hilary Briss has quite a sinister side to him. "Somebody's got to stay in control." : D