I think this show as great potential, and the cast is certainly brilliant on all fronts. It makes me feel very good about the future of acting and comedy in the UK.
But, I do agree that the writing got a bit lazy at times. Though there are some characters, like Leonard Lizard, who for me, expressed deep pathos. The man (Will Poulter) for all his wealth, power, and privilege broke my heart every time he was on the screen.
And the 'Two Men in the Van' sketches absolutely cracked me up.
The basic premise is not just kids playing adults, but playing their view of adults, with all the irrationality, banality, and crudeness in tact. Does it go a bit over the top, yes.
But let me remind you that there is also a British comedy in which an adult plays and skews an adult's view of what kids are like. It is equally absurd, and in this case, just painful to watch. Who in their right mind thinks it's a good idea for someone in their 40's to play a kid?
But absurdity is the point, because from the view of a neutral outsider, adults are irrational nut cases who are not fit to be in charge of the world.
So, the underlying point is not that they are playing adults, but that they are playing a kid's view of how completely out of it adults are.
Further, the UK has something of a tradition of quirky, oddball, off center comedy. Think Monty Python, Mr. Bean, and Benny Hill. I think School of Comedy fits very nicely into this off kilter tradition of British Comedy.
Yes, the sketches can be crude, but adults can be crude as well, and frequently it is the seemly respected reputable adults that can be the crudest of all. However, in most sketches, as I've implied, I feel the underlying pathos. And as I've also said, the Will Poulter character Leonard Lizard never failed to break my heart.
Various sketches can be found on Internet video sites, the largest of which shall remain nameless, but they are not complete episodes. None the less, they do demonstrate the tremendous pool of young talent that is being drawn on in these sketches.
I think the entire cast is brilliantly talented, even if lazy, too obvious writing sometime doesn't bring out their best. Given their ages, I see bright futures for all of them in both comedy and drama.
Far more than being a brilliantly funny sketch show, School of Comedy is a showcase for brilliant young talent.
But, I do agree that the writing got a bit lazy at times. Though there are some characters, like Leonard Lizard, who for me, expressed deep pathos. The man (Will Poulter) for all his wealth, power, and privilege broke my heart every time he was on the screen.
And the 'Two Men in the Van' sketches absolutely cracked me up.
The basic premise is not just kids playing adults, but playing their view of adults, with all the irrationality, banality, and crudeness in tact. Does it go a bit over the top, yes.
But let me remind you that there is also a British comedy in which an adult plays and skews an adult's view of what kids are like. It is equally absurd, and in this case, just painful to watch. Who in their right mind thinks it's a good idea for someone in their 40's to play a kid?
But absurdity is the point, because from the view of a neutral outsider, adults are irrational nut cases who are not fit to be in charge of the world.
So, the underlying point is not that they are playing adults, but that they are playing a kid's view of how completely out of it adults are.
Further, the UK has something of a tradition of quirky, oddball, off center comedy. Think Monty Python, Mr. Bean, and Benny Hill. I think School of Comedy fits very nicely into this off kilter tradition of British Comedy.
Yes, the sketches can be crude, but adults can be crude as well, and frequently it is the seemly respected reputable adults that can be the crudest of all. However, in most sketches, as I've implied, I feel the underlying pathos. And as I've also said, the Will Poulter character Leonard Lizard never failed to break my heart.
Various sketches can be found on Internet video sites, the largest of which shall remain nameless, but they are not complete episodes. None the less, they do demonstrate the tremendous pool of young talent that is being drawn on in these sketches.
I think the entire cast is brilliantly talented, even if lazy, too obvious writing sometime doesn't bring out their best. Given their ages, I see bright futures for all of them in both comedy and drama.
Far more than being a brilliantly funny sketch show, School of Comedy is a showcase for brilliant young talent.