MovieChat Forums > Big School (2013) Discussion > Catherine Tate was great, the writing......

Catherine Tate was great, the writing... not so much...

posted 11 years ago by whataclevername
8 replies | jump to latest

I thought Catherine Tate gave a very good performance, given that the writing wasn't very good. There were one or two amusing lines, but overall it just felt so broad and cliched.

- The characters were all far too ridiculous.
- The scenarios were all over-the-top.
- The basic plot of the first episode was so cliched.
- The jokes weren't particularly clever or funny (with a few exceptions, and those were mainly down to Catherine Tate's delivery).

I've noticed that a lot of recent BBC1 comedies are like this. Is it deliberate?

I'll give it one more episode. Sometimes shows like these can grow on people. What did you think?

[–] badgerking10 11 years ago

She was the best thing in it. Though, considering how dire it was, that wasn't all that difficult.

It really is decades since I've found a BBC1 comedy worth watching - I don't know what the problem is.

[–] sirjeremy 11 years ago

I agree and it's for her that I'll persevere, plus it may get better. The worst character was the lecherous P.E teacher, such a lazy stereotype not played all that well by Philip Glenister. To add to your gripes, one of mine is that the casting was so predictable.

[–] grumbs64 11 years ago

The likelihood of this getting better is very low. It was crap and most crappy TV stays crappy. Another BBC crap comedy, I'm glad I don't pay license fees over there. I'd be pissed.

[–] lancer165 11 years ago

Was able to watch this on catch up as i had missed it. I enjoy most of the TATE Walliams efforts of the past which did give me some moments of comedic fun.
Catherine managed to squeeze a few of her characters into the lines she had and she managed to give me a glimpse of Nan for a few seconds. Also for quite few lines I saw her replaying the death row pen pal lady. Note that her French has improved from her 'I CAN DO THAT' lady.

Yes stereotyped. Glenister was reprising a role or many previous attempts but Brian Conley the PTI chasing Amanda Holden in The Grimleys at least was believable.

Unlike the Fenn Street series from some time ago my impression is that the child actors are at least relatively young.

Its always great to see children portrayed as truculent waste of time individuals who deserve every bad thing that is thrown at them. The writing that gives us a 'CHILD' telling his teacher that the way to get a girls attention send a picture of your knob to her on your mobile paves the way for attitudes that were used recently in an under age sexual offence. I wonder how many teachers have found themselves victims of children's bullying. I also wonder how many due to comedic writing creating little monsters.

Walliams and his well known characters are not suited to this outing and while as I said I have enjoyed many of the visual and verbal moments of both of these people I was cringing at some of the many forced moments.

No one who drives an Austin Allegro [or similar] is fortyish with no relationship experience is going to be suddenly a lady chaser. The PTI who while unbelievable might be a serial stalker of a kind with an unrequited life.

This is more suited to a cartoon than live acting but then has this been done not so long ago. 'Bromwell high'?

Disappointed as I was with Coming of age potentially funny except for the cast and got a few series out of it presently we are treated to BADULTS. I tried to watch one episode.

It should be realised that good comedy is very difficult to seem natural. When you consider the success our two stars have had this non comedy is not that funny.

[–] Lenitas 11 years ago

I feel the same.

The show relies too much on tired old gender and other stereotypes. Many of the lines were rehashes of jokes that have been done to death already (sadly, often including their delivery).

I'm not looking for a crazy new invention of the essence of humour, but maybe *some* originality. Big School felt very conventional, even reactionary. I think there is definitely a market for it, but it is not what I wanted it to be.

As for the acting: well, Walliams is walliamsing through the episode (meh), Tate is the occasional delight, and Glennister is outright wasted.

I'll keep watching (6 episodes is hardly ever a complete waste of time), but yes, I agree that the writing is lazy and the only thing I'm looking forward to right now is Catherine Tate doing her thing, and doing it well enough.

[–] lazlopanaflex 11 years ago

Tate was the reason I stuck it out, it was just not funny at all.

[–] sirjeremy 11 years ago

Kudos for that 'Walliamsing' remark .

[–] 11 years ago

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