Return of Republic of Telly

JP Liz V1

icdg wrote: »

Nobody knows how to count the seasons of Republic of Telly, as they've all been split series. However, to answer the question, Kevin McGahern from the Hardy Bucks is the new presenter of the Republic of Telly.

http://www.rte.ie/about/en/press-office/press-releases/2013/0808/467094-rte-television-launches-new-season/

Kevin didn't do too bad as presenter better than I expected tbh

I_smell_fear

There's nothing wrong with Kevin personally, he spoke over the applause a few times but he'll only get better, it seems a fairly lax presenting job.

The problem with the show is that it's still shovelling material from the same pile of shíte as ever. The intro takes some easy shots at TV shows that are just as sloppy as their own, it's hardly eyebrow raising but I can let that slide on a show that's clearly not aiming to high anyway. The most pathetic aspect is the boringly unoriginal "irishism" sketches made straight for YouTube to keep the show hip-hop cool daddy-o on the internetz.

The Rubberbandits seem to have free licence to produce sketches at their discretion, and although I wasn't overly impressed last week, they have plenty of goodwill with me from previous material.

el diablo

el diablo wrote: »

Because he's not a sixteen year old schoolboy.

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

their ch4 show contained quantum physics, a song about the chaos theory and some existentialism ...so if that's what the 16 year olds are into these days then fair play to them!

This is the only video I've seen of them. And it is ****.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vpqKfX3Rzk

hufpc8w3adnk65

I liked the Bear Grylls skit too. Was a little long but funny none the less.

Go Harvey Go

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

I don't see why this thread can't be merged with:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055828709

Well, the two threads have been merged now. Belated cheers, mods.


<RANT>

I'm afraid to say that I have to disagree with those who found any bit of the opening episode of this series brilliant...

I don't think Kevin's that much different to Dermot in any way. And Jennifer and Bernard certainly haven't changed for the better.

The Rubberbandits were just wasting their time, while I agree with silverdolphin that Bernard's parody of the Graham Norton Show was uncalled for.

It feels like these YouTubey sketches are taking up a greater proportion of the show than before. And the one at the start, where Kevin turns up for his first day on the show, was about as original as melting butter in the microwave - even the bit where he "throws up" on Bláthnaid's top.

As for the studio audience - with all due respect, either their standards in comedy are remarkably low, or they're boozed up beforehand. Or, indeed, both... :rolleyes:

</RANT>

Soft Falling Rain

Watching it now and don't get it for the most part, but I did enjoy their evisceration of Martin King and Lucy Kennedy.

homerjay2005

little bit disappointing IMO, its not the same without Dermot.

NoClues

Edward Hurley hands was funny, and this taking the piss out of the ghost prog is decent enough too. In general it very hit or miss

Soft Falling Rain

Wait, this **** is real!? WTF

Realt Dearg Sec

Just watching this as I type...I just dunno...

I agree with other posters, if you're going to devote most of your show to ripping into other shows, that's all cool, but your material better be good. I could very easily picture Charlie Brooker (whose approach this show started out by fairly blatantly and badly ripping off IMO) ripping into this on Screenwipe.

The presenters have all been...fine...but they just aren't particularly good at delivering their lines but ultimately this just boils down to the simple fact that those lines aint funny. It's tough, I know, this probably has a tiny budget and no writers and it's on weekly, but it leans heavily on lazy old jokes about Coppers and people from the countryside whenever they're stuck for something. No problem with that, it's not about being offended. But you have to be funny...

Jennifer isn't funny, the guy who's stupid (seems to be the entirety of his act) isn't funny, the sketches aren't funny. You see what I'm getting at...

And I like the Rubberbandits and Hardy Bucks and this show has had its moments in terms of debuting some of their short-form stuff. But some awful misses in the meantime. Tonight's Edward Hurleyhands is a great case in point. At the start of the show they mentioned this. Then they showed it. But that's the joke: it's Edward Scissorhands (honestly, Edward f***ing Scissorhands?! We must have hopped into a pop-cultural time-machine) but with hurls. If there was any advance on that premise during the sketch I didn't see it.

Just watched Jennifer interviewing Dylan McGrath. Not funny, just painful. Painful is fine if it's funny. This was just insulting and made me want to change the channel. But instead I just typed louder and faster.

Please God RTE, just once, could you develop a comedy show without A) gloming onto something that was popular on the internet first that you then proceed to destroy by rushing into without understanding in the least what made it funny re-hashing some old concept and doing it less effectively (The Fear is on right now) or C) generally creating the impression that the whole show was just an offhand idea that you never expected to work anyway so who gives a s*** and f*** you...it's a sad indictment of their Monday night line-up of comedy that the best thing on it, by a long long way, is a sit com that's almost twenty years old, the makers of which are on record as saying that they would never in a million years have worked with RTE to make their show.

Go Harvey Go

<mod snip>

NoClues wrote: »

In general it very hit or miss

It's far more miss than hit, though.

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

I could very easily picture Charlie Brooker (whose approach this show started out by fairly blatantly and badly ripping off IMO) ripping into this on Screenwipe.

I wonder what Charlie would have to say about Jennifer - Apprentice contestant turned perennially unfunny comedienne...

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Please God RTE, just once, could you develop a comedy show without A) gloming onto something that was popular on the internet first that you then proceed to destroy by rushing into without understanding in the least what made it funny re-hashing some old concept and doing it less effectively (The Fear is on right now) or C) generally creating the impression that the whole show was just an offhand idea that you never expected to work anyway so who gives a sh1t and fcuk you...it's a sad indictment of their Monday night line-up of comedy that the best thing on it, by a long long way, is a sit com that's almost twenty years old, the makers of which are on record as saying that they would never in a million years have worked with RTE to make their show.

Well said.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

I thought it was better this week. It's a bit of craic. It was always meant to be a bit of craic. Yeah, it's not gonna be winning any awards or anything, but for Monday night telly, it ticks the boxes.
It's not like anyone is being forced to watch it - there's like a million other tv stations out there plus Netflix or whatever. The way some people go on, you'd swear someone was holding a gun to their head and making them through sit it every week.

Realt Dearg Sec

CaptainNegative wrote: »

I thought it was better this week. It's a bit of craic. It was always meant to be a bit of craic. Yeah, it's not gonna be winning any awards or anything, but for Monday night telly, it ticks the boxes.
It's not like anyone is being forced to watch it - there's like a million other tv stations out there plus Netflix or whatever. The way some people go on, you'd swear someone was holding a gun to their head and making them through sit it every week.

Translation: it'll do. If any criticism is not valid because it's just a bit of craic and you can put on Netflix, then why have a thread at all? I would like to see more good Irish comedy. Netflix is not going to provide that. The republic of telly clearly sees that as its remit. So I think criticism on that front is valid and Netflix isn't a legit alternative. If you're happy enough with it then fine, but that "it'll do" attitude is exactly why people are turning off rte in their droves these days.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Translation: it'll do. If any criticism is not valid because it's just a bit of craic and you can put on Netflix, then why have a thread at all? I would like to see more good Irish comedy. Netflix is not going to provide that. The republic of telly clearly sees that as its remit. So I think criticism on that front is valid and Netflix isn't a legit alternative. If you're happy enough with it then fine, but that "it'll do" attitude is exactly why people are turning off rte in their droves these days.

I hate the fact that if you enjoy it, you're not allowed have an opinion, because the people who don't like it just decide that you're wrong.
I don't hold all TV shows in the same regard, is what I wanted to get across in my post. The translation is not, "it'll do". I like the show or else I wouldn't be watching it. While I'm travelling, it's a little slice of home that I like every week.
I'm not telling anyone that hey have to like it, all I was saying is no one's forcing them to watch it. You're trying to imply that I should think a certain way, but I'm entitled to have my own experiences and thoughts and I like it, so back off with the putting words in my mouth.
Grrrr.

:rolleyes:

Realt Dearg Sec

CaptainNegative wrote: »

I hate the fact that if you enjoy it, you're not allowed have an opinion, because the people who don't like it just decide that you're wrong.
I don't hold all TV shows in the same regard, is what I wanted to get across in my post. The translation is not, "it'll do". I like the show or else I wouldn't be watching it. While I'm travelling, it's a little slice of home that I like every week.
I'm not telling anyone that hey have to like it, all I was saying is no one's forcing them to watch it. You're trying to imply that I should think a certain way, but I'm entitled to have my own experiences and thoughts and I like it, so back off with the putting words in my mouth.
Grrrr.

:rolleyes:

You're not allowed have an opinion? You're the one that just said if you don't like it switch over. That to my mind is foreclosing on critical discussion. Of course you're allowed to like something, I've said myself they've done things on the show that I've liked. Discuss away but spare me the "if you don't like it don't watch it" spiel, especially if you're going to start playing the victim afterwards.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

You're not allowed have an opinion? You're the one that just said if you don't like it switch over. That to my mind is foreclosing on critical discussion. Of course you're allowed to like something, I've said myself they've done things on the show that I've liked. Discuss away but spare me the "if you don't like it don't watch it" spiel, especially if you're going to start playing the victim afterwards.

Not what I said. May have been someone else. I merely made and observation and pointed out that people had other options. Not once did I tell anyone not to watch it.
And spare me the "victim" stuff... :rolleyes:
C'mon, anyone who thinks they're a victim of message boards, would wanna get their head checked. Like, seriously get their noggin examined...
Gonna stick a kybosh in this though, because it's going a bit off-topic. If you'd like to continue the discussion on internet victims, feel free to PM me - I just don't want to de-rail the thread.

Forgot to mention it earlier, but The Viper's Sound/Not Sound sketch reminded me of Good Idea/Bad Idea sketch from Animaniacs, which I always used to love. Wouldn't mind see him do more of that sorta stuff...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dJOIf4mdus

Rick Rod

What was the Craic with Dylan McGrath? Was he genuinely uncomfortable or what?

Dempsey

CaptainNegative wrote: »

Forgot to mention it earlier, but The Viper's Sound/Not Sound sketch reminded me of Good Idea/Bad Idea sketch from Animaniacs, which I always used to love. Wouldn't mind see him do more of that sorta stuff...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dJOIf4mdus

I thought that myself when I saw it

I_smell_fear

Rick Rod wrote: »

What was the Craic with Dylan McGrath? Was he genuinely uncomfortable or what?

No, I'm sure he was in on the joke. The idea for that segment is a poor imitation of the Between Two Ferns interviews by Zach Galafinakis.

Sometimes I feel that the show has some nice ideas, like the Sound, Unsound/Good Idea, Bad Idea as mentioned above, but they are often poorly executed. I always find myself willing for them to better just a bit better written and shot etc. At the same time though, I imagine that the time and budget contraints they're under are stifling.

Ash.J.Williams

Bernard o'sheas segments are not funny.

ButtersSuki

Watched episode 1 and 2 back to back last night after recording them. Big drop in quality from previous years, seems the joke has worn a little too thin now. I smirked once in 60mins, and that was through the "user-generated" input from the 24hour camera on the street. Too forced, too contrived and generally too scripted.

Must try harder.

Ash.J.Williams

ButtersSuki wrote: »

Watched episode 1 and 2 back to back last night after recording them. Big drop in quality from previous years, seems the joke has worn a little too thin now. I smirked once in 60mins, and that was through the "user-generated" input from the 24hour camera on the street. Too forced, too contrived and generally too scripted.

Must try harder.

I stopped watching last year (thought it got really bad), but i'm back now..seems ok...their sketches (jenny and the thick lad) are awful

Riskymove

ButtersSuki wrote: »

I smirked once in 60mins, and that was through the "user-generated" input from the 24hour camera on the street. Too forced, too contrived and generally too scripted.

Same for me, definitely a bad sign when one witty person on a street in Kilkenny at 2 in the morning makes a funnier sketch than anything the show actually did!

July Rain

Yer man the new presenter just seems like an impostor.

Realt Dearg Sec

July Rain wrote: »

Yer man the new presenter just seems like an impostor.

Am I right in saying he is the same guy who has been in a few ads the last few years. He was in one ad rattling on about how great Ireland is...it was possibly an ad for airport terminal 2 (why they felt the need to advertise a terminal isn't his problem of course). He was in another for a phone or something, at one point picking his fantasy football team as he walked down the street. And then another where he was possibly explaining the ins and outs of a referendum?

I don't have a point here, just want to clarify if it's the same guy. But in terms of picking a presenter it's an odd choice since people overexposed on ads tend to grind people's gears. He seems an alrightlad to be fair but not very funny and no comic timing. He might improve over time though.

mikom

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Am I right in saying he is the same guy who has been in a few ads the last few years. He was in one ad rattling on about how great Ireland is...it was possibly an ad for airport terminal 2 (why they felt the need to advertise a terminal isn't his problem of course). He was in another for a phone or something, at one point picking his fantasy football team as he walked down the street. And then another where he was possibly explaining the ins and outs of a referendum?

I don't have a point here, just want to clarify if it's the same guy. But in terms of picking a presenter it's an odd choice since people overexposed on ads tend to grind people's gears. He seems an alrightlad to be fair but not very funny and no comic timing. He might improve over time though.

Simcard........... "Any Sthuff.

Realt Dearg Sec

July Rain wrote: »

Yer man the new presenter just seems like an impostor.

Am I right in saying he is the same guy who has been in a few ads the last few years. He was in one ad rattling on about how great Ireland is...it was possibly an ad for airport terminal 2 (why they felt the need to advertise a terminal isn't his problem of course). He was in another for a phone or something, at one point picking his fantasy football team as he walked down the street. And then another where he was possibly explaining the ins and outs of a referendum?

I don't have a point here, just want to clarify if it's the same guy. But in terms of picking a presenter it's an odd choice since people overexposed on ads tend to grind people's gears. He seems an alrightlad to be fair but not very funny and no comic timing. He might improve over time though.

I_smell_fear

He also played the "guy who slipped on the ice" in the "guy who slipped on the ice" parody video

Also Starring LeVar Burton

I_smell_fear wrote: »

He also played the "guy who slipped on the ice" in the "guy who slipped on the ice" parody video

If you haven't seen the video, check it out. It's very funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ukp1dwISkT4

I've met Kevin a good few times while we were both gigging on the comedy circuit in Dublin. Sound lad, and his stand up is very funny. I think he's doing a good job so far and will get more comfortable over time. I didn't think Dermot was great when he started presenting, but got much better as time went on.

jjf1974

Danny you appear to be a rubberbandits fan by the amount of posts you have about them.

NoClues

Dannyriver, they haven't done anything funny since horse outside, get over it.

AnonoBoy

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Am I right in saying he is the same guy who has been in a few ads the last few years. He was in one ad rattling on about how great Ireland is...it was possibly an ad for airport terminal 2 (why they felt the need to advertise a terminal isn't his problem of course). He was in another for a phone or something, at one point picking his fantasy football team as he walked down the street. And then another where he was possibly explaining the ins and outs of a referendum?

He's in the phone ad. Think he was in an 'advertise on RTE' ad too.

He certainly wasn't the dude in the Terminal 2 ads - that guy is older. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdjLBXlieI0

Dannyriver

jjf1974 wrote: »

Danny you appear to be a rubberbandits fan by the amount of posts you have about them.

Correct I m a big fan.

Dannyriver

People should go easy on the new guy in rep of telly...people in general find change difficult. He s just a comedian who has been given a break he s entitled to a period of time to prove himself without being dismissed after a few weeks.

Realt Dearg Sec

Dannyriver wrote: »

People should go easy on the new guy in rep of telly...people in general find change difficult. He s just a comedian who has been given a break he s entitled to a period of time to prove himself without being dismissed after a few weeks.

I fully agree, and as it happens I think he's better than the previous two presenters and could get to being very funny. As I said, he seems likable which is a rare commodity in a tv presenter if you think about it. I just don't think they have good enough material to sustain the show in its current format.

It might work better as a series that they prepare in advance, with time and care going into it and a willingness to trim the fat, rather than a week to week format that forces them to work fast with not enough writers. The show has it's moments but they are wedged in amongst too much poor stuff to be enjoyable.

Kikin

The presenter is not the problem, the absolute rubbish sketches are. How anyone could find some of them even remotely funny is beyond me.

Frank Funk

McGahern is one of the best young comedians playing in Dublin the last few years. Too good for RTE in fact.

But the Republic of Telly has always suffered from terrible, craven, lazy, spineless writing. It's not a show by comedians and writers, like the Daily Show or Screenwipe etc. It's a show by and for humourless hack in-house RTE producers; sneering at TV3 and "skangers" wh

Realt Dearg Sec

Well said, it's that sneering tone that's the problem.

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Mod Note:

Thread cleaned up. All posts insulting other users deleted.

Eoin247

Anybody watching tonight? Far better than the first week so far. Pretty funny this evening, there's hope yet!

smuckers

I want 30mins of my life back, that was awful

Realt Dearg Sec

Did anyone watch tonight? I didn't catch it all but I must say what I saw was quite good. The song/county sketch was funny and the presenter was genuinely way way better than earlier in the season. Jennifer Maguire is still awful (and now she's on the fear being awful), I honestly don't know why she's getting so much airtime (the cynic in me has a theory).

But yeah, much better, the bit taking the mick out of the home and away documentary with that self-absorbed model was crying out to be destroyed, and the presenter/writers nailed it.

jjf1974

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Did anyone watch tonight? I didn't catch it all but I must say what I saw was quite good. The song/county sketch was funny and the presenter was genuinely way way better than earlier in the season. Jennifer Maguire is still awful (and now she's on the fear being awful), I honestly don't know why she's getting so much airtime (the cynic in me has a theory).

But yeah, much better, the bit taking the mick out of the home and away documentary with that self-absorbed model was crying out to be destroyed, and the presenter/writers nailed it.

The first sketch with Eddie hobbs was terrible it was meant to be a take at Love/Hate .I don't know how they get such laughter from the audience.

Realt Dearg Sec

jjf1974 wrote: »

The first sketch with Eddie hobbs was terrible it was meant to be a take at Love/Hate .I don't know how they get such laughter from the audience.

Only caught the very tail of that. Looked ****e (I don't watch love hate) but nothing new in the sketches being ****e. They reek of the tendency of people in rte to think that the people of Ireland are as obsessed with people in rte as the people in rte.

smuckers

The only 2 good sketches in last few weeks have been Sound/ Not Sound, and Every Irish wedding

Go Harvey Go

jjf1974 wrote: »

The first sketch with Eddie hobbs was terrible it was meant to be a take at Love/Hate .I don't know how they get such laughter from the audience.

I've said before that either the audience are boozed up, or they have low standards in comedy, or both.

And no doubt there's a warm-up guy - who himself probably consumes some quantity of alcohol before the show.

Just sayin'.

:rolleyes:

AnonoBoy

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

And no doubt there's a warm-up guy - who himself probably consumes some quantity of alcohol before the show.

What makes you think a warm-up comedian would be drunk while doing his job?

Who does warm up for Republic of Telly actually - anyone ever been to a recording of it?

sok2005

I think it got off to a very slow start to the new season but it's finally finding it's feet now. I had a good few laughs last night! I like the new presenter, he looks like someone it would be fun to get trippy with.

lufties

Go Harvey Go wrote: »

I've said before that either the audience are boozed up, or they have low standards in comedy, or both.

And no doubt there's a warm-up guy - who himself probably consumes some quantity of alcohol before the show.

Just sayin'.

:rolleyes:

Thats quite a strange comment or perhaps I just don't get what you mean.

DyldeBrill

I just don't understand how people enjoy watching this sort of "comedy". Surely there must be better comics out there that could do a better job. The longest I've been able to watch it is 5 mins, anything over that then I'll start to just get annoyed. Pure muck!