Love Soup

[My Friend Jack]

Anyone else watching this? I guess it falls into the "comedy drama" genre along with Cold Feet - you know the kind of thing, light drama but not a lot of comedy, easy on the brain, quite enjoyable, not too demanding. Last night, though, contained 2 moments that made me laugh out loud (and that's one more than the whole of "Wimbledon" which we watched a couple of weeks ago!).

The first was the chorus in the TV advert for "Harley's Loo Rolls," sung to the tune of the Hallelujah Chorus. The second was the very last 2 seconds, a wonderful moment which the whole series had been building up to. Faced with dinner with a complete dork, the heroine asks how he is. Her response to his answer and accompanying gesture for her to sit down is, "Good. 'Bye then!" and she walks straight out the door.

As with much comedy, of course, you need to know the characters and setting to appreciate the humour, so don't expect to find my description in the least bit amusing!

Tell me I'm not the only one to have enjoyed those 2 moments.

[Sherman_McCoy]

and that's one more than the whole of "Wimbledon" which we watched a couple of weeks ago

I had the misfortune to watch Wimbledon on a recent plane journey, I think it was the worst film I have ever seen. It's basically the same story as Notting Hill (which was pretty awful itself) but with NO JOKES.

[Deinonychus]

Tim Henman didn't make a surprise appearance, then..?

[excalibur]

Deino, as an appreciator of Tim Henmans' serve-volley game and also of the quality of his tennis, I find that remark cruel and uninformed. I mean, how do you sleep at night? (I tend to go for the classical side-on position myself, but are there any variations on this line?)

(Anyhow ..........I digress) :rolleyes:

[Deinonychus]

I tend to stick on an old video of one of Tim's 'epic struggles'. (Failing that, keep one foot behind the baseline and grunt loads...)

(NB: I've just noticed that you've nicked my old 'reading' gag, you blaggart!)

[excalibur]

Damn! I'd thought I'd covered that eventuality. :mad: (thinks to self) "The change signature icon combusted just as progress was being made"

P.S If that not so discreet thought bubble sounded like a corny Sex and the City voiceover, you have my heartiest of heartfelt apologies. :p

[Deinonychus]

That one is certainly more intriguing, yes..!

[Bill]

Deino's signature read:

Wanted: back issues of 'Woman's Realm' - in particular June 1964 with the over-sugared summer dessert recipes and free hair slide. Can pay in sea monkeys.

Women's Realm is, I believe, a weekly, so you might have to be more specific about which copy from June 1964 you want.

Being a fan of the mighty Royals, I remember your 'Reading: Good bet for promotion' line, which I thought was excellent, and well worth repeating.

Reading: Good bet for promotion.

(Edited - my post crossed over the previous two, making me look like a numpty. Now I'll never know what excalibur's reading joke was, as he's changed his signature now.)

[Deinonychus]

Are you having a bad day?

(Edit: it was just the use of 'reading' itself - which I wouldn't for one second claim as original when I used it anyway...)

[Flingo]

Back on track, MFJ - there has been a bit of discussion about Love Soup on another thread (Did anyone else watch... (http://www.bookgrouponline.com/forum/showthread.html?t=1414&page=4) )

To reassure you, though, I also laughed outloud at that point, also at the references to "Jazz Sex"...

[Bill]

Just watched the Love Soup episode now, to cheer me up after watching the penultimate ever Six Feet Under (surely it can't be just me). The Harley Loo Rolls moment was totally inspired and beautifully disguised, almost as funny as that song sung in the supermarket in Phoenix Nights (anyone?).

The only frustration about the series is that you're always waiting for something to go wrong for them, and the mistaking the taxi driver for the American writer was a bit contrived. Six writers for a sitcom pilot? Hmm, don't think so. Not this side of Martha's Harbour.

I liked the moment in the final two seconds too. More a "Good on you, girl" moment than a funny moment. David Renwick is so good at planting seeds that come to full bloom later when you've almost forgotten (as in One Foot In The Grave), and the man in the hat was a fine example. A lesson for any writer, whether it's of novels, plays, TV drama or comedy. Plant something but don't overemphasise it, then when the audience has almost forgotten - whoosh! - bring it back with a bang.

His now very famous visual joke where Victor Meldrew picks up the small dog instead of the phone is a great example. If we'd not known about the dog, it wouldn't have been as funny. If we'd had the fact that a dog was missing rammed down our throats, it wouldn't have been as funny. However, we knew about the dog in the back of our minds, but only fully remembered at the moment he picks up the dog, making the impact all the greater.

[My Friend Jack]

Excellent post, Bill. You should have a go at comedy writing - you might be quite good at it.


































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