Don't Even Bother........ (11 O'Clock Show)

Member Name: Peakly

Product:	11 O'Clock Show
Date:	10/12/00 (125 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Bulla

Disadvantages: The New Presenters, The New Script, Two-Thirds Of The New Characters, The Dreadful 'Windsor Tapestrey'...

Channel 4 decided not to tell us about the arrival of their two new presenters, rather to spring them on us unaware at the start of this latest series. Almost as if they were hoping we wouldn't notice, don't you think?

In the beginning, I really enjoyed this show. Ian Lee was one of the few people I had seen pull off the vulgar style comedy since Kenny from South Park, and Dasie Donavan balanced the show wonderfully with her wide-eyed, 'zany' mannerisms. Yes, the good old days, with Ali G fronting the sub-character line up, and the writing still of a fairly satirical standard.

Then, I'm afraid, things started to go wrong. First left Ali G, then Ricky Gervase, and then the two stars - Ian and Dasie. So what was Channel 4's solution? To treat the viewers as idiots, and introduce a whole new cast without such much as a whisper. Same formula, just not as reactive...

The two new presenters, to their credit, have a hard task filling the boots of Ian and Dasie, who left the show just in time to maintain their dignity. The problem is, instead of allowing their own personalities and styles to develop, the two new stars are trying to replica their predecessors. The blonde lady copies Dasies 'wide-eyed stare' and goofy style, and the gentleman attempts the same vulgar jokery as Ian Lee, only with less success. Channel 4 have obviously hoped to carry on as if nothing ever changed - no such luck, if they had treat their audience with any kind of intelligence they would have realised that settling for 2nd-class replicas isn't acceptable. The new presenters should have been promoted as individuals, and their arrival announced before the airing of the new series. Simple as that.

But it is not only the presenting that has taken a turn for the worse. In the early days, The 11 O Clock Show was a decent mixture of satirical and school-boy humour. Now however, the whole thing seems to have deteriorated
into joke after joke of 'shocking' one-liners - no intelligence at all. Now, currents events are mentioned only as formats for the appalling set-pieces, and just when you think an intelligent reference will be made - in comes another lame sexual innuendo or swear word. I'm not prudish, but swearing and being vulgar is only funny if done intelligently - the current script is a blatant cash-in on the recent trend in vulgarity.

That bring us nicely to the sub-characters. From the genius that was Ricky Gervase and the (somewhat over-milked) Ali G, we now have the 'Bulla', 'The Style Wankers' and 'Posh Boy Will'.

Bulla, I have to say, is excellent. Personally, the only high-light of the entire show is Bulla's 5 minutes. Bulla is a prisoner who offers his views on current events, adopting an aggressive and unpredictable style that, while not exactly original, is amusing. Although Bulla will never be the star that Ali G became, he is a light in an otherwise bleak show.
The Style Wankers, on the other hand, are just about the least funny double act I have ever seen. Basically, two men base a scene loosely around a trend or fashion item, and the roll of catch-phrases like 'wank' and 'wankerish'. Not big, and not clever. The Style Wankers are actually a pain to watch, and comparing their section to the likes of Ricky Gervase is painful.
Posh Boy Will, is only mildly better, simply because he is less annoying. This is basically just a guy who visits various events and interviews various people, whilst trying to pull off the same one-liner jokes. Each interview Will steers the conversation towards a public figure, then mentions how his Father says that particular person is 'enormously well-hung'. It may sound so crazy it could be funny, but really, it isn't.

Channel 4 should have quit when they were ahead. Instead, they have released a further series of a res
pected comedy show, and slyly introduced a set of second-rate script writers and performers. The presenters lack individuality and shall never walk outside the shadows of the original pair, the comedy characters vary from mildly amusing to simply irritating, and the script has turned from intelligent, to pathetic. The worst part? Channel 4 knew exactly what they were doing - hence why we had no warning of the changes at foot. The 11 O Clock Show is no longer worth a look.

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