# Vic Reeves' Big Night Out



## purves grundy (Jan 23, 2007)

In retrospect, was it any good? Or was it alternative-comedy-meets-music-hall up their own collective arse? I find myself watching plenty of comedy that was made decades ago (The Young Ones, Alexei Sayle, Fawlty Towers even), but I've never felt like watching this again, even though I enjoyed it at the time. Or maybe I didn't, maybe I said I enjoyed all those catchphrases and characters just to stay in with me mates. 

"What's on the end of the stick, Vic?"


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## i_hate_beckham (Jan 23, 2007)

I always thought it was fucking shit and surreal and on the back of it the surrealism in The Young Ones runied an otherwise awesome programme.

I'm not against surrealism, the best comedy of the last 10 years is the League of Gentlemen, but when you watch Vic and Bob as part of The Big Night Out tour in Canada bomb beyond belief you realise just how shit i and the rest of the world thought it was.


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## The Groke (Jan 23, 2007)

Hello little bird, would you like some salt?


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## souljacker (Jan 23, 2007)

What do we want?
JUSTICE!
What are the chances?
NEGLIGIBLE!


Some great bits, some utter toilet.


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## tarannau (Jan 23, 2007)

However good Vic and Bob may have been , I could rarely get past the obsessive knobcheeses repeating the same old 'wacky' catch phrases again and again.

Those two were just about alright - I'd even warmed to them by Shooting Stars - but the succession of people constantly jutting in with 'you wouldn't let it lie'  made the whole programme deeply irritating in reality.


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## Dubversion (Jan 23, 2007)

doesn't matter if it's good in retrospect. It's whether it was good then. and yes, it was. Damn fucking funny.

Retrospect involves taking into account what's happened since - what else they've done, tarannau's catchphrase-reciting wankers, shifts in UK comedy etc. 

I just remember it being one of the funniest things I've ever seen at the time.


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## LM17 (Jan 23, 2007)

I loved Vic Reeves Big Night Out when it was first on TV - not all of it stands the test of time but it's great to be reminded of Les, Wavey Davey and the rest every now and then. I still have a tape of Vic's album "I Will Cure You" somewhere.


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## Dhimmi (Jan 23, 2007)

I liked it, and the weekenders, and even shooting stars, but everything since has been very miss for me.


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## Belushi (Jan 23, 2007)

Didnt like it, not my type of humour, quite liked Shooting Stars.


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## goldenecitrone (Jan 23, 2007)

I thought it was sublime. I remember when I was teaching in Spain and a student had somehow managed to get hold of a Big Night Out annual. I was pissing myself laughing and then trying to explain why these absurd words put together in such a way were making me laugh. An impossible task.


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## Juice Terry (Jan 23, 2007)

Big night out was class, it was the perfect comedy for getting back from the pub on a friday night, sparking up a big spliff and laughing your tits off.

Novelty island with Lister was genius.

"Reeves, you workshy fop"


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## tarannau (Jan 23, 2007)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> doesn't matter if it's good in retrospect. It's whether it was good then. and yes, it was. Damn fucking funny.
> 
> Retrospect involves taking into account what's happened since - what else they've done, tarannau's catchphrase-reciting wankers, shifts in UK comedy etc.
> 
> I just remember it being one of the funniest things I've ever seen at the time.



TBH, I wasn't talking in retrospect - those catchphrase people were fucking irritating at the time of the programme itself.

I may be slightly biased admittedly - I spent one of the worst NYE's I can remember round someone's house with Vic & Bob in the background, whilst possibly the most annoying man in the world kept on shouting 'you wouldn't let it lie' at frustratingly super-regular intervals. Dull cunt.

I consoled myself with a catering size bottle of red Le Piat a Dor., drunk away from the house with a splinter faction escaping from catchphrase boy. It was cold, much swigging occurred.The headache had started long before I had got drunk. And when I projectile upchucked, classily behind a bus stop no less, the headache cleared as if by magic.

I indirectly blamed Vic and Bob for that dull twazzock and his tiresome catchphrases for many a year. They drove me to the Piat a Dor, I'm telling you.


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## Kenny Vermouth (Jan 23, 2007)

souljacker said:
			
		

> Some great bits, some utter toilet.


Seconded. It's probably quite teenage humour as well. I remember wetting myself when I was about 14, but can't believe I would now.

I watched last year again some time and did snigger at Bob Mortimer grating carrot over a plastic toy tractor at the beginning.


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## Chairman Meow (Jan 23, 2007)

Oh god, I was a student when it came out, and just hated it. It was everywhere, every Student Grant type twassock shouting 'You wouldn't like it lie.' I don't know what was worse about my student days, being inflicted with Vic and Bob and their stupid catchprases, or having my ears gouged by U2 everywhere.


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## Idaho (Jan 23, 2007)

It was great. I think it continued a long British tradition of surreal humour - Milligan, Pythons, even the Goodies (at times). And yeah the catchphrases are grating, but they are also a central feature of comedy - repetition.

A man in a gorrilla suit thrashing a bmx with a bucket. What's not to love.

Personally I never like Shooting Stars. It all got a bit in crowd by then.


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## nightowl (Jan 23, 2007)

i always thought it was a mixed bag at the time - some bits hilarious and some utter toss. have seen the dvd in the shops and thought about buying it once of twice but it's one of those programmes where you're not sure whether it'll all seem pants looking back on it a few years down the line. think their high point was the smell of reeves and mortimer on bbc2


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## zoooo (Jan 23, 2007)

It was great then, and thankfully, it's great now.
I've been watching the dvd.


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## Cerberus (Jan 23, 2007)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> doesn't matter if it's good in retrospect. It's whether it was good then. and yes, it was. Damn fucking funny.
> 
> Retrospect involves taking into account what's happened since - what else they've done, tarannau's catchphrase-reciting wankers, shifts in UK comedy etc.
> 
> I just remember it being one of the funniest things I've ever seen at the time.



Seconded.

Its very rare that any comedy stands the test of time. I enjoyed it at the time, probably wouldn`t watch it now. I think it gave quite a welcome kick up the arse to a fairly staid and drab British comedy scene at the time

Morrissey the consumer monkey - class


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## El Sueno (Jan 23, 2007)

Chairman Meow said:
			
		

> Oh god, I was a student when it came out, and just hated it. It was everywhere, every Student Grant type twassock shouting 'You wouldn't like it lie.' I don't know what was worse about my student days, being inflicted with Vic and Bob and their stupid catchprases, or having my ears gouged by U2 everywhere.



As per usual it was the unfunny catchphrasey stuff which caught on in student unions up and down the country. However being a fan at the time, I recently revisited this and I can confirm there are moments of sheer, absolute genius.

Novelty Island - 'Bra or Pond?'    

Say no more. But if you need convincing, 'Talc n' Turnips'. Bedlam. Tears streaming down my stupid face.


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## Kenny Vermouth (Jan 24, 2007)

I did like Graham Lister's entries on Novelty Island: "Reeves, I am going to push lard through the holes cut in this cardboard."

"I know doctors and dentists, Reeves."


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## Fullyplumped (Jan 24, 2007)

And people with letters after ther name.


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## Utopia (Jan 24, 2007)

"You wouldn't let it lie"

Vic & Bob are geniuses IMO, such an inspiration for modern comics.


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## nino_savatte (Jan 24, 2007)

Big Night Out began in a pub in New Cross (the name of which I have forgotten). 

Vic and Bob and their mates/hangers on would go to the Rub a Dub Club at The Greyhound in Sydenham and talk (loudly) throughout the entire show as if it was their space and someone had set up a cabaret club around them, rather than the other way around.

That's a true showbiz story.


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## El Sueno (Jan 24, 2007)

I thought it was The Goldsmiths Tavern in New Cross (I played a gig there with my old punk band Loophole)?

There'd be no Mighty Boosh without Big Night Out.


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## Biffo (Jan 24, 2007)

Loved it. I was probably guilty of over-quoting back then though  Think I might watch some for old time's sake. 

I was in the studio audience of the 1st episode of the 2nd series and had a chat with Les in the pub after. At the time it was a particularly exciting night in my young life.

I think Vic is a cock now but still really like Bob.


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## El Sueno (Jan 24, 2007)

Yeah Vic's turned out a bit wrong aint he.


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## nino_savatte (Jan 24, 2007)

El Sueno said:
			
		

> I thought it was The Goldsmiths Tavern in New Cross (I played a gig there with my old punk band Loophole)?
> 
> There'd be no Mighty Boosh without Big Night Out.



Aye, that's it: The Goldsmiths Tavern...around the corner(ish) from The Amersham Arms, which was also once home to the Rub A Dub Club.


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## Mrs Bradley (Jan 24, 2007)

I loved Les and the chive/spirit level thing


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## kakuma (Jan 24, 2007)

when big night out was on tv some of the sketches just had me rolling about on the floor, i'd probably still laugh if i saw them again

the stuff they did after shooting stars was pretty bad tho


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## El Sueno (Jan 24, 2007)

nino_savatte said:
			
		

> Aye, that's it: The Goldsmiths Tavern...around the corner(ish) from The Amersham Arms, which was also once home to the Rub A Dub Club.



Funny ol' place that. When we were soundchecking, there was this weird gyspy family prancing around doing all that majorettes marching stuff. They soon cleared out when we started our sweary punk antics.


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## gentlegreen (Jan 24, 2007)

A different show, but I had more than a giggle over this the other day :-

masterchef :-



I love Youtube 

farting :-



even more farting :-

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=le+corbussier+et+papin

loads more :-

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=vic+reeves


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## HarrisonSlade (Jan 28, 2007)

Whatever your views on Vic Reeves, it still stands today that "Big Night Out" was the most important comedy show since Python, and nothing has yet surpassed it as being anywhere near as influential in the UK since it was aired. 

Unsubstantially extreme I know, but I have really thought about comedy since 1974, and there has never been anything that has revolutionised the way we think about comedy more than the Big Night Out.

Anarchy in comedy always had to come with blatant satire, childrens ITV style gags or jokes no one would find alien in Working Men's Clubs. "Big Night Out" gave us, for the first time, pure bullshit without any purpose in a Friday Night comedy show, and it was the best thing ever. The cast made up the spine of the Fast Show, and heavily influenced a wide variety of shows looking for substance. 

From the Big Night Out came Absolutely (Naked Video but actually funny), Paul Merton - The Series and The Mary Whitehouse Experience. 

It also gave the 90s a new fashion, allowing a revival of Easy Listening, and the wearing of suits and Velvet, of which the Madchester lot had deemed unfashionable before. 

"Big Night Out" remains the most important work TV has aired for decades, and has remained, even though not my favourite show, the reason why I wanted to watch and get into entertainment. ANd for that I thank Vic and Bob.


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## Urbane Worrier (Jan 28, 2007)

The first time I saw the show I thought it was fucking ACE. 
The next week was the same as the first 
and again 
and again 
and again.


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## Brother Mouzone (Jan 28, 2007)

tarannau said:
			
		

> However good Vic and Bob may have been , I could rarely get past the obsessive knobcheeses repeating the same old 'wacky' catch phrases again and again.
> 
> Those two were just about alright - I'd even warmed to them by Shooting Stars - but the succession of people constantly jutting in with 'you wouldn't let it lie'  made the whole programme deeply irritating in reality.



YOU WOULDN'T LET IT IT LIE!


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## stavros (Dec 29, 2017)

An eleven-year revive to notify everyone that they've got a new one-off special of this tonight, retitled to include Bob's name.


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## xenon (Dec 29, 2017)

Iranu
Uvarvu
Meh. Wacky is over.


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## mwgdrwg (Dec 29, 2017)

stavros said:


> An eleven-year revive to notify everyone that they've got a new one-off special of this tonight, retitled to include Bob's name.



Eleven years?

You wouldn't let it lie.


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## danny la rouge (Dec 29, 2017)

Idris Elba: he got his kestrels wet.


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## binka (Dec 29, 2017)

I love Reeves and Mortimer. Unfortunately that was terrible.


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## mwgdrwg (Dec 30, 2017)

binka said:


> I love Reeves and Mortimer. Unfortunately that was terrible.



Yeah, it was bad, such a shame.


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## stavros (Dec 30, 2017)

I liked it. It may not have been as good as their best stuff; it still seems to come from a totally different direction to pretty much any other TV comedy.


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## binka (Dec 30, 2017)

stavros said:


> I liked it. It may not have been as good as their best stuff; it still seems to come from a totally different direction to pretty much any other TV comedy.


With the benefit of 24 hours I still think it was very disappointing.

To be fair I don't think the audience helped much - they were pretty lacklustre and weren't really getting into it. Need more booze so it sounds like a big night out not a recording of QI. When I saw them in Stoke everyone in the audience was shit faced and loving it.


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## mwgdrwg (Dec 30, 2017)

stavros said:


> I liked it. It may not have been as good as their best stuff; it still seems to come from a totally different direction to pretty much any other TV comedy.



Yeah, but they did it better in 1990.


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## stavros (Jan 1, 2018)

It'd be nice if the Beeb or C4 gave them licence to do something new. The return of Shooting Stars was cancelled far too early, as was House of Fools, which I really liked.

Both actions gave me a face like a neglected radish.


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## May Kasahara (Jan 2, 2018)

I watched the new one with my kids and they both fucking loved it, so that's a thumbs up from me. In fact, they asked to watch it again this morning.


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## Siouxsie (Jan 2, 2018)

They'll always be workshy fops to me*

* brought to you by Dosser. A Reeves and Mortimer product!


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## Rosemary Jest (Jan 2, 2018)

stavros said:


> It'd be nice if the Beeb or C4 gave them licence to do something new. The return of Shooting Stars was cancelled far too early, as was House of Fools, which I really liked.
> 
> Both actions gave me a face like a neglected radish.



I loved House of Fools, always got time for a bit of Vic and Bob. 

Athletico Mince, the podcast with Bob Mortimer is very funny, worth a listen just for the stories about Steve McLaren.


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## stavros (Jan 3, 2018)

House of Fools, to a certain extent, did successfully what Mrs Brown's Boys tries to do; on a single set with one vaguely normal character (Bob) trying to manage the assorted walk-ons. It was more surreal undoubtedly than MBB.

And, before anyone leaps in, much funnier.


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## Siouxsie (Jan 4, 2018)

I love the way Bob Mortimer thinks. He was excellent on Taskmaster


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## Ralph Llama (Jan 5, 2018)

Pure class IMO. Almost as pleasantly surprising as the Twin Peaks revival.


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## ed marimba (Jan 10, 2018)

It was a lovely series at the time . Still good now but some sadness that they didn't fulfil all the potential they seemed to have. In hindsight the amount of repetition in Big Night Out and lack of development between series 1 & 2 were signals of decline to come. Then again, most comics never make anything nearly as funny as this series, that's maybe a better perspective to take on it.


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## Maggot (Nov 27, 2018)

It's back! (again)

Starts Weds 28th at 10 on BBC4.

Vic & Bob's Big Night Out - S1 - Episode 1


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## andysays (Nov 27, 2018)

They should have let it lie, TBH


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## colacubes (Nov 27, 2018)

I went to the recording of one of the episodes and it was fucking hilarious so I have high hopes


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## Libertad (Nov 28, 2018)

I hope they feature the undisputed king of light entertainment Graham Lister.


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## Maggot (Nov 28, 2018)

I hope Les is on.


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## stavros (Nov 28, 2018)

Graham Lister is in, as is, I hear, "Britain's only gay man" and his pet owl.


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## Mumbles274 (Nov 28, 2018)

Im laughing


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## kalidarkone (Nov 28, 2018)

Mumbles274 said:


> Im laughing


Nah I'm not. It's dreadful imo.


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## Libertad (Nov 28, 2018)

Lister was robbed.


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## Mumbles274 (Nov 28, 2018)

kalidarkone said:


> Nah I'm not. It's dreadful imo.


I've loved vic and Bob for 20 years. Each to their own. It was a ridiculous and nonsense as it should be

BTW. The prog that followed was very good


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## not-bono-ever (Nov 29, 2018)

house of fools was comedy gold but the dark malevolance of catterick is a forgotten gem.


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## Dead Cat Bounce (Nov 29, 2018)

Started to watch it on the way to work this morning but had to give up at Bob's confessional. The 'good luck flumps' pegged to the Turin Shroud caused me to laugh so much my fellow commuters looked a bit worried.


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## D'wards (Nov 29, 2018)

The Weekenders pilot for the sitcom that never was is fantastic. 

Can't find it on YouTube now though


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## stavros (Nov 30, 2018)

Mulligan and O'Hare are back next week. I hope Le Corbussier and Papin also show up at some point.

I'm pretty sure Marvin and Otis won't though. I'm amazed they could do that only 25 years ago.


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## Dead Cat Bounce (Nov 30, 2018)

stavros said:


> Mulligan and O'Hare are back next week. I hope Le Corbussier and Papin also show up at some point.
> 
> I'm pretty sure Marvin and Otis won't though. i'm amazed they could do that only 25 years ago.



It was nice to see Bill Decker back, last time I saw him he was impersonating George Michael on Stars In Your Eyes.


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## Libertad (Nov 30, 2018)

I wonder what Les Bubb's up to these days?


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## not-bono-ever (Nov 30, 2018)

it had some good bits- it was oddly reminiscent of the formtive stuff back in NewX last century- ad lib performance sillyness- thank fuck they have dropped the shooting stars  stuff.


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## wiskey (Nov 30, 2018)

I'm not convinced I'm going to to get past the first 10 minutes


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## binka (Dec 1, 2018)

I watched it on iPlayer last night and thought it was loads better than the one off from last Christmas. Afterwards i ended up on YouTube for a couple of hours watching old big night out / bang bang / smell of clips. It was all so fucking good and is still just as funny now as it was then


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## weltweit (Dec 1, 2018)

I know Mortimer can be hilarious, as he is for example on WILTY, but I have never got the humour in these Vic & Bob shows. Perhaps it would help to be stoned ?


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## colacubes (Dec 1, 2018)

weltweit said:


> I know Mortimer can be hilarious, as he is for example on WILTY, but I have never got the humour in these Vic & Bob shows. Perhaps it would help to be stoned ?



Or perhaps you just have a different sense of humour?


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## weltweit (Dec 1, 2018)

colacubes said:


> Or perhaps you just have a different sense of humour?


Yes, quite possible ..


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## wiskey (Dec 1, 2018)

weltweit said:


> I know Mortimer can be hilarious, as he is for example on WILTY, but I have never got the humour in these Vic & Bob shows. Perhaps it would help to be stoned ?


I was stoned, I turned it off. 

I think both of them are funny but that show just left me feeling a bit confused .


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## krtek a houby (Dec 1, 2018)

weltweit said:


> I know Mortimer can be hilarious, as he is for example on WILTY, but I have never got the humour in these Vic & Bob shows. Perhaps it would help to be stoned ?



Possibly. I enjoyed the original series both straight and stoned. I remember back in the day we'd a weekend long party where there was lots of booze and stuff and we all ended up watching about 3 hours of Vic & Bob into the wee hours ...


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## stavros (Dec 1, 2018)

not-bono-ever said:


> thank fuck they have dropped the shooting stars  stuff.



Did you not like Shooting Stars at all? I think I have a slight bias towards it, as I was coming of age in terms of comedy when it first came out, and it was my first exposure to Vic and Bob.


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## not-bono-ever (Dec 1, 2018)

sadly Ulrika J grated and I couldnt watch it


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## not-bono-ever (Dec 1, 2018)

mrs NBE loves it - apparently reminds her of derek and clive- they are both feeding each other openings and struggling to stop chortling as they do it


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## stavros (Dec 2, 2018)

not-bono-ever said:


> sadly Ulrika J grated and I couldnt watch it



What I always loved about Shooting Stars was that, regardless of who was on, Vic and Bob were always the focal points. Ulrika, Lamarr, Vegas and Jack, with his face like a needless comment, were essentially just props.


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## D'wards (Dec 3, 2018)

Always nice to see Bill Decker the Murderer


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## YouSir (Dec 5, 2018)

I enjoyed it and glad to see them back. Prefer Bob on Athletico Mince atm though, bit more world building than he seems to be able to do with Vic.


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## ebay sex moomin (Dec 5, 2018)

D'wards said:


> The Weekenders pilot for the sitcom that never was is fantastic.
> 
> Can't find it on YouTube now though



You can watch it on the C4 site-
The Weekenders - On Demand - All 4


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## Rosemary Jest (Dec 6, 2018)

YouSir said:


> I enjoyed it and glad to see them back. Prefer Bob on Athletico Mince atm though, bit more world building than he seems to be able to do with Vic.



Athletico Mince is the best podcast I have ever listened to. It's funny as anything. I think Bob is the brains behind much of Vic and Bob but is stilted by Vic in many ways.

You can tell a lot of the bizarreness in shooting stars came from Bob.

Loved Catterick too, would recommend for anyone who hasn't seen it.


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## Sprocket. (Dec 7, 2018)

Andrew Neil, My Benidorm Bender!
A proper stocking filler?


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## stavros (Dec 8, 2018)

That was the highlight of this week for me too. Who knew of Neil's history?


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## Sprocket. (Dec 14, 2018)

Vic as a ghost hunter getting possessed by the spirit of Bruce Forsyth!


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## Mumbles274 (Dec 14, 2018)

Sprocket. said:


> Vic as a ghost hunter getting possessed by the spirit of Bruce Forsyth!


I missed the start, turned over and saw that bit, was in tears of laughter and decided to save it for later when i can watch it all


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## butchersapron (Dec 14, 2018)

See proper w/c surrealism always wins.


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## stavros (Dec 15, 2018)

The free running bit was the best of this week's, I thought.

I believe both the Stotts and The Man With The Stick are in the last episode next week.


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## stavros (Dec 20, 2018)

The free runners deserve their own series. They were painfully funny.


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