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Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 12:58 pm
by KK
Can opinions be wrong? Well this one certainly is...

The Sun, 'Buzz' TV Guide wrote:I realise that saying I don’t like Only Fools And Horses is a bit like saying I don’t like crumpets, cricket and red telephone boxes. Regarded by many as a British institution, the adventures of Del and Rodney are held up as an example of great UK comedy. The problem is it’s just not that funny. People who say they love it always rave about the scene where Del falls through the bar, or the one when the chandelier smashes to the ground. These scenes are so ingrained in people’s minds, they’ve been brainwashed into thinking they’re hilarious. They’ve been on every comedy clip show and are repeated on GOLD every five minutes. But if you sit through a whole episode, you’ll see those moments are few and far between. What you actually get are long, unfunny scenes where Del and Rodney tease an old man about his war memories, with a laughter track to tell you where the jokes are.

And then there’s the Christmas Specials. Each year, one would haunt my festive enjoyment like distant relatives or Brussels sprouts. Forced to watch them by my parents, they were always the same. I’d wait for the one good joke that would remind everyone why they should think it was the greatest comedy ever made, then when it didn’t arrive, go to bed having wasted an hour of my life. Only Fools And Horses? Bah humbug.


Image

"Funny? Not funny? You're joking!"

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:00 pm
by Spindash
KKLEIN wrote:Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.


o/

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:00 pm
by Rubix
Spindash wrote:
KKLEIN wrote:Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.


o/


:|

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:01 pm
by Preezy
The "falling over at the bar" scene is funny.

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:03 pm
by Mockmaster
It was funny before they became millionaires. A couple of the Christmas specials were rubbish and some episodes haven't aged well, but generally speaking, it was comedy gold.

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:06 pm
by Beans
I found them funny at the time, but a bit like Simpsons and friends, if has been repeated so many times it's hard to laugh anymore.

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:07 pm
by jiggles

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:08 pm
by TheTurnipKing
Somebody should file his bloody fax.

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:14 pm
by Spindash
Rubix wrote:
Spindash wrote:
KKLEIN wrote:Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.


o/


:|


Image

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:23 pm
by Saint of Killers
KKLEIN wrote:Can opinions be wrong? Well this one certainly is...

The Sun, 'Buzz' TV Guide wrote:I realise that saying I don’t like Only Fools And Horses is a bit like saying I don’t like crumpets, cricket and red telephone boxes. Regarded by many as a British institution, the adventures of Del and Rodney are held up as an example of great UK comedy. The problem is it’s just not that funny. People who say they love it always rave about the scene where Del falls through the bar, or the one when the chandelier smashes to the ground. These scenes are so ingrained in people’s minds, they’ve been brainwashed into thinking they’re hilarious. They’ve been on every comedy clip show and are repeated on GOLD every five minutes. But if you sit through a whole episode, you’ll see those moments are few and far between. What you actually get are long, unfunny scenes where Del and Rodney tease an old man about his war memories, with a laughter track to tell you where the jokes are.

And then there’s the Christmas Specials. Each year, one would haunt my festive enjoyment like distant relatives or Brussels sprouts. Forced to watch them by my parents, they were always the same. I’d wait for the one good joke that would remind everyone why they should think it was the greatest comedy ever made, then when it didn’t arrive, go to bed having wasted an hour of my life. Only Fools And Horses? Bah humbug.


Wait. Is he saying he doesn't like crumpets?! FREAK.

Preezy wrote:The "falling over at the bar" scene is funny.


How often do you actually laugh at it though? I think I laughed once and that was it. Same goes with the chandelier bit. The episodes themselves (Yuppy Love and A Touch of Glass) are funny though.

Beans wrote:I found them funny at the time, but a bit like Simpsons and friends, if has been repeated so many times it's hard to laugh anymore.


I stopped watching them years ago as being so familiar with every episode had meant I wasn't finding the show as funny. But I've started watching them again thanks to repeats of the earlier episodes on BBC One and I'm finding them enjoyable again.
They recently had Danger UXD and Chain Gang on :mrgreen: Love those two eps so much. Will be keeping 'em on my Sky+ for a long time to come.

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:41 pm
by Mafro
Preezy wrote:The "falling over at the bar" scene is funny.


Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:45 pm
by Hank Scorpio
It's the old it's really popular so I'll be cool and hate it arguement isn't it.

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:52 pm
by D_C
I was brought up on it, because my Dad's a big fan of it. It still holds its own today I think.

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 1:59 pm
by The People's ElboReformat
Beans wrote:I found them funny at the time, but a bit like Simpsons and friends, if has been repeated so many times it's hard to laugh anymore.

Friends and Classic Simpsons still makes me laugh though. Despite seeing them so many times. :wub:

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 2:03 pm
by DML
Only Fools is perfectly written comdey. I'd give my right arm just to write ONE epsiode up to its calibre.

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 2:04 pm
by Winckle

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 2:07 pm
by Mafro
Winckle has me on ignore :(

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 2:09 pm
by Winckle
Mafro wrote:Winckle has me on ignore :(

I even skim read the thread, argh. :(

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 2:10 pm
by melatonin

Re: Only Fools And Horses isn't funny.

Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2011 2:26 pm
by RogueLeader
Sure, the bar fall scene isn't that funny on its own. But it's not meant to be watched on its own. What about the rest of the carefully crafted John Sullivan script? Del Boy spends the whole episode trying to be a yuppie, schmoozing with a class of people above his station. He's in a fancy bar, trying to look cool and sophisticated, and...there it is.

Sorry to break it down, but that doesn't seem to be mentioned much.