RTE: The Savage Eye

RoryORiordan

Irl_Rob wrote: »

Has anyone watched HardyBucks? One of the competitors in last years storyland competition. well worth looking up on youtube http://www.youtube.com/hardbucks

I've seen that, some of it is excellent. I hope RTE give them a shot.
"Howya love, are ya into pints or movies or what?"

Irl_Rob

really down to earth guys aswel, we mailed the viper a while back about our own internet comedy series, and unlike most big names he took the time out to take a look at us and tell us what he thought

Wyndman

RoryORiordan wrote: »

I've seen that, some of it is excellent. I hope RTE give them a shot.
"Howya love, are ya into pints or movies or what?"

RTE did give them a shot, and 48,000 euro and they got worse instead of better. Their recent, very lazy Christmas episode proves that the low budget is the least of Hardy Bucks problems. Handing them a show before they're ready (or have anything actaully written) would just result in another Roaring Twenties debacle.

I may be harsh on the Bucks (mainly because I think they're way over-praised) but they deserve better than a rush job, and way better than RTE.

RoryORiordan

Wyndman wrote: »

RTE did give them a shot, and 48,000 euro and they got worse instead of better. Their recent, very lazy Christmas episode proves that the low budget is the least of Hardy Bucks problems. Handing them a show before they're ready (or have anything actaully written) would just result in another Roaring Twenties debacle.

I may be harsh on the Bucks (mainly because I think they're way over-praised) but they deserve better than a rush job, and way better than RTE.

They do seem down to earth and maybe thats the big appeal of the show. Its not contrived which is something that RTE comedies suffer terrribly from.
Maybe if you were to offer them a budget that enabled them to produce a slicker more rehearsed version the show would lose its appeal. Maybe?

Its hard to image that they pumped the 48k into that christmas special. I know its not a whole lot in production terms but it shows no sign of having a budget. Did RTE screen it do you know?

AnonoBoy

RoryORiordan wrote: »

Its hard to image that they pumped the 48k into that christmas special. I know its not a whole lot in production terms but it shows no sign of having a budget. Did RTE screen it do you know?

RTE gave them money as part of the Storyland series - viewable here: http://www.rte.ie/storyland/finalists/hardybucks.html

They funded 6 episodes.

The Christmas special didn't have any RTE money behind it as far as I know.

aliocroc

Black Magic wrote: »

It was a fantastic series. Hope their will be a second. Well done Dave.

I'll second that! Absolutely quality series-loved it! In my apartment we have 4 guys-2 of us loved it and the two didnt really get it so its a mixed bag! The episode about the houses was halarious-esp the song at the end "Make friends with a little Thai boy...and rent him out!!" That and the stuff about the priests along with the Joe Duffy/nipple clamps!! I think he was original and pushed the boundaries-i would have thought it well outside RTE's comfort zone! Fair props to ya Dave, bring on the second!!

Eros_Panties

Was bored and flicking round boards when I came across this little thread here.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=206279

It's from way back in 04.

McSavage got into a rage dump on this thread which was essentially calling him a twat

anyway long story short he replies with something almost prophetic.

"Yeah,
What can you say about the Liffey Laughs, a few semi-succesful Irish comedians, big sweeping camera shots over the audience, a few ridiculous interviews.
I look at my life as a work in Progress, and so I'm bound to make mistakes along the way, As a stand-up Comedian, when you walk out on stage, likeability is quite an important thing, and no matter how funny you are, if someone doesnt like you, then its going to be hard for them to enjoy anything that comes out of your mouth.
In this country we have this in-built raging Irish jealousy/begrudgery thing going on, Im full of it myself. When Des Bishop hit it big with his living on minimum wage doco, a part of me died.
People need to laugh, the jokes don't have to be that funny, so I've been making a living as a performer for 15 years, and I can feel myself improving all the time, so I'm just saying, you ought to prepare yourselves for the possibility of me, David McSavage being really succesfull, stranger things have happened.
Anyway, I'm going to turn this computer off now, and I'm going to lie in my King-Size futon, and think about you guys geeking out, at the possibility of me being a star, and I'm going to **** myself so hard.
Much Love,
David "

I guess his act hasn't changed much.
On a side note I actually like The Savage Eye but, the man himself seems like an irredeemable w@nker... conversely I think I like that too.

SHREDDER

I found the priests episode was very very funny. I actually thought to myself, Wow! Finally something funny to come on to our Screens.

Hardy Bucks is another great show. The christmas Episode was a little shoddy. I imagine there wasn't much in the kitty, they more than likely drank all the RTE money, while on Coke binges with high class hookers in Mayo.
I heard on the radio, that they were supposed to be on The Craic House.
Was that supposed to be a joke?

ScumLord

SHREDDER wrote: »

Hardy Bucks is another great show. The christmas Episode was a little shoddy. I imagine there wasn't much in the kitty,

How much money do they need to write and act out the thing. It's done on fairly basic equipment and there's nothing even approaching special effects. I don't understand why it would cost so much to do something so simple.

I thought the Christmas special seemed like more of a catch up thing just so we didn't completely forget about them.

TobyZiegler

Just another person saying I didnt watch this with an open mind as I dislike McSavage from what I've seen of him in the past on tv, on the street in Galway etc.

But I was pleasantly surprised. Very funny. Best RTE comedy in years.

Funsterdelux

I hadnt any preconceptions before I watched The Savage Eye, and I was delightfully surprised. The first time I saw the kid being snatched by a priest in one of the catholic church bits, I nearly wet myself, and that has never happened before watching an RTE produced show. And the lonely farmer who says "ah now" could have been my father!

Sure beats Your Bad Self anyday, which is unfunny the way Lady Googa's Pokerface song, isnt a song!

Vincent Vega

Saw him busking at top of Grafton Street at around 2 yesterday.
Asked him when he finished if this gonna be released on dvd and he replied "...it....might be. not sure when though".
didn't seem too sure of himself

coopersgreen

I hope he dies

supaburger

this is great comedy

**** the haters

fisgon

RTE are repeating this show. Just read some of the earlier posts from the first showing, it's the usual mixture, but also the usual bunch of haters who are only dying to rip the sh1t out of anyone who tries to do anything different or innovative as regards Irish comedy. There is a dismissiveness in the comments that almost see it as a personal insult that an Irish person is trying to be funny on TV and, in their opinion, not succeeding.

My opinion, for what it's worth, is that this is the funniest thing RTE have put out in years. There was one scetch where McSavage was playing the part of a conceited academic out in the bog, he lifts up a sod of turf and there's a writer growing in there, trying out his poetry, using lines from Yeats and twisting them. McSavage puts the sod back and says, 'Almost ready'. The episode's theme is about 'Why are the Irish so good at culture?', but the question isn't serious, there's an attempt to satirise elements of the poe-faced attitude to culture in this country, to undermine the self righteousness of it, it's a satire, a piss-take, with a bit of slapstick thrown in. I didn't like McSavage when i saw him on the Late Late once, but his series is hilarious, and actually really intelligent. Maybe that's what some people on this thread have a problem with.

It's on Friday evening, RTE 2.

ScumLord

fisgon wrote: »

RTE are repeating this show. Just read some of the earlier posts from the first showing, it's the usual mixture, but also the usual bunch of haters who are only dying to rip the sh1t out of anyone who tries to do anything different or even walk down the street. innovative as regards Irish comedy.

Perfect description of Daves street performances.

cursai

Any \word on when the new series will be broadcast. saw him at Vicar street last month. very funny

Mick Daly

Mick "The Bull" Daly is quite a character.

Shea O'Meara

fisgon wrote: »

RTE are repeating this show. Just read some of the earlier posts from the first showing, it's the usual mixture, but also the usual bunch of haters who are only dying to rip the sh1t out of anyone who tries to do anything different or innovative as regards Irish comedy. There is a dismissiveness in the comments that almost see it as a personal insult that an Irish person is trying to be funny on TV and, in their opinion, not succeeding.

My opinion, for what it's worth, is that this is the funniest thing RTE have put out in years. There was one scetch where McSavage was playing the part of a conceited academic out in the bog, he lifts up a sod of turf and there's a writer growing in there, trying out his poetry, using lines from Yeats and twisting them. McSavage puts the sod back and says, 'Almost ready'. The episode's theme is about 'Why are the Irish so good at culture?', but the question isn't serious, there's an attempt to satirise elements of the poe-faced attitude to culture in this country, to undermine the self righteousness of it, it's a satire, a piss-take, with a bit of slapstick thrown in. I didn't like McSavage when i saw him on the Late Late once, but his series is hilarious, and actually really intelligent. Maybe that's what some people on this thread have a problem with.

It's on Friday evening, RTE 2.

Maybe some of us simply don't think he's funny?
You touch on the boring cliched comedy defence of 'If you don't find it funny it's because you're not smart enough/don't get it.' If it's deemed not funny it's simply not funny. No amount of condescension will make it otherwise.

Elmo

Shea O'Meara wrote: »

Maybe some of us simply don't think he's funny?
You touch on the boring cliched comedy defence of 'If you don't find it funny it's because you're not smart enough/don't get it.' If it's deemed not funny it's simply not funny. No amount of condescension will make it otherwise.

Well just don't watch next season :eek:

Shea O'Meara

Elmo wrote: »

Well just don't watch next season :eek:

Obviously

fisgon

Shea O'Meara wrote: »

Maybe some of us simply don't think he's funny?
You touch on the boring cliched comedy defence of 'If you don't find it funny it's because you're not smart enough/don't get it.' If it's deemed not funny it's simply not funny. No amount of condescension will make it otherwise.

This is a pretty predictable response, and one I have heard before. This is not the first time my point has been made, though it is the first time I have made it.

I didn't say that all of the negative posts are down to bitterness and close mindedness and negativity, just that some of them are. Of course there are people who genuinely don't like the programme, after watching it with an open mind and giving it a chance and that is obviously perfectly normal. Some of them have even posted in this thread. But there is that slice of Irish society, many of them posting here, who have decided to hate something before it is even shown. They are motivated by begrudgery, bitterness, a desire to make themselves feel big by dissing something they have only seen one episode of, for the simple fact that someone Irish is trying to be funny, or innovative, or subversive.

Who I'm talking about is the poster whose extremity of reaction is so far out of proportion to the topic that it is obvious that they had made their mind up long ago, before even watching. People who wish that McSavage was dead, for example, or who compare Maeve Higgins to cancer, (both of which I have read here), it's obvious that their opinion is not based on the merits of the show, but on the poster's need to utterly dismiss anything produced by RTE, without question, especially if it involves other Irish people trying something, attempting to be creative, satirical or new. Much easier to utterly reject a show, with complete derision and contempt, than to open your mind, or give something a chance, or pull your finger out and try and do something yourself.

These are the haters I am talking about, and it has nothing to do with being funny or not, their default setting is to slag off, to ward off the panic they feel that someone out there might actually succeed.

Shea O'Meara

fisgon wrote: »

This is a pretty predictable response, and one I have heard before. This is not the first time my point has been made, though it is the first time I have made it.

I didn't say that all of the negative posts are down to bitterness and close mindedness and negativity, just that some of them are. Of course there are people who genuinely don't like the programme, after watching it with an open mind and giving it a chance and that is obviously perfectly normal. Some of them have even posted in this thread. But there is that slice of Irish society, many of them posting here, who have decided to hate something before it is even shown. They are motivated by begrudgery, bitterness, a desire to make themselves feel big by dissing something they have only seen one episode of, for the simple fact that someone Irish is trying to be funny, or innovative, or subversive.

Who I'm talking about is the poster whose extremity of reaction is so far out of proportion to the topic that it is obvious that they had made their mind up long ago, before even watching. People who wish that McSavage was dead, for example, or who compare Maeve Higgins to cancer, (both of which I have read here), it's obvious that their opinion is not based on the merits of the show, but on the poster's need to utterly dismiss anything produced by RTE, without question, especially if it involves other Irish people trying something, attempting to be creative, satirical or new. Much easier to utterly reject a show, with complete derision and contempt, than to open your mind, or give something a chance, or pull your finger out and try and do something yourself.

These are the haters I am talking about, and it has nothing to do with being funny or not, their default setting is to slag off, to ward off the panic they feel that someone out there might actually succeed.

I understand your point. Personally I would love to be surprised by a great new piece of Irish comedy. I respect your point as quoted above, but RTE has a long way to go and I can understand the views of those alluded to above and submit, who are you or I to suggest they are not genuine?

Elmo

Shea O'Meara wrote: »

I understand your point. Personally I would love to be surprised by a great new piece of Irish comedy. I respect your point as quoted above, but RTE has a long way to go and I can understand the views of those alluded to above and submit, who are you or I to suggest they are not genuine?

Wishing someone dead and that someone else is a cancer is not really criticism.

My problem with McSavage is that he takes it too far, if he held back he would be funnier and sharper, but when you go at it the way that he does you often find that the comedian is just there for shock. Shock tactics in comedy can work, but when you relentlessly shock it becomes tame or expected.

I expect more of the same.

Mick Daly

It'll be interesting to see what topics he'll cover in series 2.

amacachi

fisgon wrote: »

RTE are repeating this show. Just read some of the earlier posts from the first showing, it's the usual mixture, but also the usual bunch of haters who are only dying to rip the sh1t out of anyone who tries to do anything different or innovative as regards Irish comedy. There is a dismissiveness in the comments that almost see it as a personal insult that an Irish person is trying to be funny on TV and, in their opinion, not succeeding.

My opinion, for what it's worth, is that this is the funniest thing RTE have put out in years. There was one scetch where McSavage was playing the part of a conceited academic out in the bog, he lifts up a sod of turf and there's a writer growing in there, trying out his poetry, using lines from Yeats and twisting them. McSavage puts the sod back and says, 'Almost ready'. The episode's theme is about 'Why are the Irish so good at culture?', but the question isn't serious, there's an attempt to satirise elements of the poe-faced attitude to culture in this country, to undermine the self righteousness of it, it's a satire, a piss-take, with a bit of slapstick thrown in. I didn't like McSavage when i saw him on the Late Late once, but his series is hilarious, and actually really intelligent. Maybe that's what some people on this thread have a problem with.

It's on Friday evening, RTE 2.

Thanks for explaining all that, a joke tends to be funnier when someone gives a long explanation for it.

smog

Watching now ... absoultely brilliant, didn't know RTE done anything like this in the vain of Apres match. Well played!

jayteecork

Just discovered this.

Pretty fkn hilarious!

cursai

Shea O'Meara wrote: »

Maybe some of us simply don't think he's funny?
You touch on the boring cliched comedy defence of 'If you don't find it funny it's because you're not smart enough/don't get it.' If it's deemed not funny it's simply not funny. No amount of condescension will make it otherwise.

Maybe your just NOT smart enough!!:pac:

John mac

channel hopping tonight and landed on this..

Bloody brilliant. (as Ron would say)

great show, never heard anything about it so completely new to me.