Steptoe And Son

[andy-hughes]

Just caught the tail end of an episode where Harold left Albert to join a holiday ship.

The contrast between Albert's horrible hostility as Harold left, and the instant look of hurt panic on his face when left alone, was a masterpiece of acting.

I have said before, and reminded again, that Steptoe and Son, especially the early ones, were like one-act theatre plays, shot on one camera on one set, with no editing.

The pathos that always lingered beneath the comedy, of to characters manacled together by fear of separation, was perfect.

That's what so much modern comedy lacks, the ability to tread the fine line between laughter and tears.

Must make sure I record the rest - they are on satellite on 'Great TV'.

[Canary42]

Yes, it was a great comedy, but it got a bit repetitive in the end.  And as you said, the funny/sad dichotomy gave it the tension that somehow enhanced the effect.

[Tuvok]

These are epsidoes I haven't seen before!  I've only ever seen the colour ones.

 

[andy-hughes]

Took- They are the best, try and get as many as you can.

[brainiac]

This was one of two programmes (the other was Till Death Do Us Part) that my father would absolutely not allow to be on in our house.  No idea why he had such a virulent dislike of it, but I think I've caught a similar antipathy by some sort of osmosis, and any time a clip comes on TV I too want to turn it off. 

From what I have watched, it's just not funny.

[barry1010]

I remember my wife crying buckets at one episode, I found it a hard watch, too.

[jno]

they were like Tom and Jerry, inventive for half a dozen outings until I realised they were all telling the same story and ending the same way. (Jerry survives, Harold stays.)

[Canary42]

There were some nice little cameo scenes not part of the plot, like the time old Albert kept his socks on in the bath to save having to put them in the laundry. "You dirty old man". 

[Buenchico]

Wrong channel, Andy!

The re-runs of Steptoe and Son are on That's TV (not on Great TV). It's available on Freeview channel 56 in most areas (or on channel 7 or 8 in areas with local TV services on Freeview). It's on channel 171 for Sky customers, 178 for Freesat viewers and 150 for most Virgin Media customers (with some Virgin customers receiving it on channel 179).

I generally prefer my comedy to be 'pure', rather than tinged with pathos.  (For example, I'm not a great fan of Carla Lane's work, such as Bread and Butterflies).  However I do recognise the genius in Galton & Simpson's writing for Steptoe and Son.  (David Renwick achieved a similar balance of comedy, with just an occasional hint of pathos, in One Foot in the Grave, I think).

[tomus42]

But Tom and Jerry* is brilliant, as is Steptoe and son.

*the Fred Quimby ones obviously.

 

[andy-hughes]

Jno - But that's the entire point. 

Any really legendary comedies - Fawlty Towers, Steptoe, One Foot, Hancock, Frazier, Mash, Married With Children, they all have one vital ingredient that they share. 

The main characters are trapped in their situation,  and always hoping to escape from it.

If you look at all their situations, they all share that fatalistic frustration, and watching them deal with it, and never quite make it, is the magic that gives them greatness.

[tomus42]

My last to jno.

[andy-hughes]

Thanks as always Chris for your comprehensive correction.

[andy-hughes]

I did forget Butterflies - a perfect example of my previous post.

[Arksided]

One of my favourite scenes is when escaped convict (Leonard Rossiter) after asking for food etc... points to the skeleton they have and says 'Who's he a lodger'

[jno]

depends how you define comedy, andy. I used to enjoy the Dick Van Dyke Show, Dad's Army, the Likely Lads, Get Smart, The Good Life: nobody was trapped in anything in any of those, though situation comedy does inevitably involve some repetitiveness. I watch comedy to laugh, not to watch people squirm.

[andy-hughes]

Jno - The comedies you list are good, the comedies I listed are great - that's the difference.

[jno]

tomus, not to diss Quimby, but the animators I loved were Tex Avery and Chuck Jones. I even visited the Jones gallery in Santa Fe once - very much Road Runner desert territory, you could imagine Wile E Coyote meeting Georgia O'Keefe there. (I'd hoped to visit her museum too but it was closed for a refurb.)

[tomus42]

All of the shows you've mentioned had moments of moments of pathos jno. Blackadder is another famous example.

If someone said they didn't like the sad bit of any of the above because they just watched comedy to laugh, you'd think they were a bit short sighted surely.

[jno]

The comedies you list are good, the comedies I listed are great

the difference is actually in our opinions. Never mind, I'll survive the shame and heartache.

[jno]

tomus, I don't think "moments" of pathos are what andy is talking about, he wants comedy that has stasis and frustration woven into their very fabric. I do not, that's not what I call comedy, and not what the dictionaries do either.