MovieChat Forums > Jam & Jerusalem (2006) Discussion > Jumped The Shark.

Jumped The Shark.

posted 15 years ago by jbm853-1
16 replies | jump to latest

I never thought I'd say this about something Jennifer Saunders has written, but Series 3 has totally Jumped The Shark.

All the signs are there:

Major cast members leaving or absent for entire episodes (Joanna Lumley, Doreen Mantle, Pauline McLynn, David Michell, Simon Farnaby...).

Change of format (spreading a 30 minute story over an hour thus spreading the jokes far too thinly).

And the big one, the completely outlandish storyline in episode 2 (I won't put spoilers in, but it involves the Vicar, a letter, a hillside, and another cast member).

And other things are just plain slipping. The usually brilliant Dawn French keeps slipping out of character, there are continuity errors, and in last night's episode Jennifer Saunders was supposed to be hosting a dinner party and was clearly talking to an empty room - where's the credibility.

Jam and Jerusalem is dying on its feet and the first casualty is the sharply written observational humour.

The only thing that shines out of this mess of a series is Sue Johnston's performance, which is as sterling as ever.

Please god don't let there be a Series 4.

[–] alixfowler 15 years ago

The problem with the writing is I have a feeling the BBC told them what timeslot they had to fill so had to write around that. Everything feels a bit rushed and out of place.

[–] Elmer_the_Aylmer 15 years ago

Au contraire, the mid-point intertitles suggest Series 3 WAS written as six 30 minute episodes and then the BBC decided to stitch them together. If you look at the plot and pacing more closely events are written to a natural end at 30 minute intervals.

It's a "cut and paste" job to fit the 8pm Sunday Night "gentle comedy drama" slot.

[–] jbm853-1 15 years ago

Whatever the timing, the intelligence has gone out of the writing. It just isn't funny any more and the actors don't seem to care, or have left.

They should've quit on the high-note of the wedding at the end of series 2: a fabulous piece of observational humour.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] coney_island_baby 15 years ago

There is far too much Dawn French in this... I just don't get her character, it seems totally out of place to me. It would be ok if she only popped up every now and then to say something dim, but she seems to be key to every plotline! She's dragging it down!

T-bag: Unfortunately Pretty, that ain't an option...

[–] trust_worthy 15 years ago

Two words: Character Development.

If only you could see what I've seen with your eyes

[–] angelfish81 15 years ago

FWIW I seem to remember reading in the Radio Times(?) that they had a reduced amount of time for filming this time round, and therefore had to switch to doing more studio-based scenes because there wasn't time to set up a lot of location shots etc for the outdoors-y scenes we've become accustomed to.

This would explain changes such as having Tip working in the pub rather than in scenes out on the farm with Colin etc.

I think it has changed the feel of the programme a little, as I always liked the scenes like when they'd go off rambling on the moors etc - it all feels fairly enclosed now, hopping from one set to another with occasional outside-the-house shots (apart from the scene on the moors with the vicar last week, which, btw, I thought was rather a nice turn of events).

But I still really really like the show. Even with the changes that have been made feeling a little odd, it's still better than the majority of other so-called 'comedies' being made at the moment. JMO.

Re characters being missing - since the likes of David Mitchell etc are becoming ever more popular, trying to get everyone in the same place during the same few weeks must have been a nightmare, and it doesn't surprise me that there have been various absences in one episode or another.

And FWIW, I've never been keen on Dawn French's character (I'm not a fan of 'volume = comedy'), so I've not really noticed a difference there. ;)

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] wieldy 15 years ago

J&J has not 'jumped the shark' at all (and I personally hate that ridiculous expression).

Various cast members being missing can (I presume) only be due to the availability of the actors. It's one of the problems with having a stellar cast, it's incredibly hard to get them all together at one time.

Personally I loved the storyline with the Vicar and Kate Bales. I thought it was very fitting with the warmth of J&J, that two isolated people can find some happiness together.

The two-part hour long episode issue is entirely the fault of the BBC. In a radio interview Pauline McLynn mentioned that the BBC only told Jennifer Saunders about the new hour long format after the scripts had been written. I didn't feel though that this format made any real different to the show. My only disappointment was that it meant that the series lasted for 3 weeks instead of 6.

Let's just hope there is more J&J.

Dear Buddha, please send me a pony and a plastic rocket.

[–] goodsmartman 13 years ago

I agree, and I love Dawn French--she is hysterical and her timing and vocal inflections are dead funny. You people need to relax on here and enjoy life and the show--really, you are killjoys, and NO one likes a killjoy.

[–] huibioux 15 years ago

I liked the new season. But I am sad that it was so short. The Kate & Hillary pairing was a nice twist while Sal & Jock was obvious the minute they started to get at each other's throats. And I loved every "bloody hell" in it.

It's a shame that the filming schedule didn't fit some of the actors since I guess their performances would have made the episodes even funnier or better (I wonder if parts and plots that were written for certain characters were then used for other characters?)

I always wonder though what's the deal with Eileen covering her breasts while running (or is she holding her guild medal chain)?

money can`t buy you back the love that you had then - Feist "1 2 3 4"

[–] CrazyMaryT 15 years ago

I've really enjoyed series three. I love that this series is more "slice of life" then flat out comedy. It's a cliched term but it's a feel good series. I really enjoy all the characters of Clatterford and I hope that there is another series.

I would also like to say I'm glad Kate and the Vicar ended up together. I thought it was very sweet and why shouldn't they both get some happiness?

As always Sue Johnston kicked major butt. I'm so glad she did this series.

[–] LCShackley 14 years ago

I completely agree. The whimsy is gone, and it's become just another tame sitcom.

Episode 3 was completely out of character and seemed like a long F&S sketch.

The main love story was completely predictable.

The odd love story between the vicar and the young widow may make sense in sitcom-land. That's the only location where "vicar" is just another job and has nothing to do with what a person actually believes.

Tash & her surrounding characters are now just tiresome, repeating all the old formulas.

BTW, the USA DVD is broken up into 6 30-minute segments that seem to make sense that way.

[–] goodsmartman 13 years ago

I think you need to relax and enjoy the great and hysterical gentleness of this show and take a chill pill. You sound ridiculous.

[–] elegoo 13 years ago

I think you'll find that most of that was down to budget and time restrictions. And not to mention people such as Lumley and Mitchell who had other commitments. Yeah it wasn't as good as S2 but every programme has weak series. Buffy S4 Charmed S1-3 Angel S4-5 Xena S4 Desperate Housewives S6 Criminal Minds S2 the list could go on.

”Do the stars gaze back?" Now *that's* a question.

[–] SonicAndy 13 years ago

"The usually brilliant Dawn French"

Don't know what you've been smoking... Unless by "brilliant" you mean annoying as hell.

""God, there's no acting required here, is there?""

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