French and Saunders - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Chambers · 06-20-2004, 07:17 PM

This isn't a sitcom...but I don't think many people would know what I'm talking about over at the sketch comedy thread. Did anybody else here love this show?

Pentimento · 06-20-2004, 08:03 PM

Yes. Ever since I heard that there's a 4-disc set of the series available on DVD, I've been thinking about getting it. I haven't seen the show in a couple of years, but I especially liked their film and TV parodies. The Titanic take-off was my favorite. Now, every time I hear that song by Celine Dion, I think of Dawn French.

Also, without French & Saunders, there'd never have been an Ab Fab.

Chambers · 06-20-2004, 08:39 PM

There's a DVD set available??

I need it!

I loved what they did with Titanic too - especially the special effects part!

Pentimento · 06-21-2004, 10:02 AM

Quote:

There's a DVD set available??

I need it!

Yep. The four previously released DVDs (At the Movies; Gentlemen Prefer French & Saunders; Living in a Material World; and The Ingenue Years) came out as one set last September, I think. I rarely buy TV shows on DVD, but since BBC America hasn't shown French & Saunders in a while, I'm beginning to weaken. I already broke down and bought the complete collection of The Vicar of Dibley a few months ago. I've watched it several times already.

Chambers · 06-21-2004, 01:54 PM

The first and (so far) only TV DVD I have bought is Cheers seasons 1-3. But I may have to dish some money out for French and Saunders hehe. I love The Vicar of Dibley and Ab Fab too. I'm glad they were both able to star in successful sitcoms. Both women are hilarious. Have you seen Saunders as the fairy godmother in Shrek 2? I recognized her voice immediately!

Pentimento · 06-21-2004, 05:48 PM

I only have about a half-dozen TV shows on DVD. With nearly every show that hits the 100-episode mark being syndicated (and even some that don't make it that far), I figure I'll always be able to see most of my favorite shows on one channel or another. Mostly, I collect movies.

I haven't seen Shrek 2 yet. I only see movies once they're on DVD or, if they're ones I'm not overly eager to see, I'll wait until they're on cable/satellite TV. I have the first Shrek on DVD and I do want to see the second one once it's released. I saw a clip of Antonio Banderas' cat character attempting to confront Shrek and I thought it was hilarious. I've also heard that Julie Andrews is in it, so that's another selling point for me.

Chambers · 06-21-2004, 05:51 PM

John Cleese is in it too

!!

Pentimento · 06-21-2004, 05:58 PM

Really? He's one of my favorites as well. Now I'm sorry that I'm going to have to wait so long. Too bad it's such a hit -- flops come to DVD quicker.

Chambers · 06-27-2004, 08:54 AM

Do you have a favorite? Dawn or Jennifer?
I tend to like Dawn better - but it's only a teeeeeeensy teensy difference.

Pentimento · 06-27-2004, 12:51 PM

It's odd -- I ordinarily prefer a more subtle comedic style, and if either of the two women could be described as subtle, it would be Jennifer. Still, Dawn is by far my favorite of the two. There's just something about her that can always lighten my mood.

Chambers · 07-14-2004, 04:39 PM

I'd hate to think we're the only people on this board who like this show...Well, their loss

.

Pentimento · 07-16-2004, 10:35 AM

I know. I'd have thought there'd be more fans here. Then again, the whole Britcoms board seems to be something of a ghost town compared to all the others. I don't understand it. I guess we're just weird.

Chambers · 07-16-2004, 07:27 PM

Haha yeah. So how did you start liking Britcoms? I lived in the UK while I was growing up, so it was easy for me to get into them. I'd watch British progams as well as the few US shows they imported such as The Cosby Show, Cheers, Roseanne and a few others. The thing I admire about British TV is that they tend to have very few shows and very few channels, but most of it is high quality. The first time I went to the US and surfed through literally 100 channels of trash, I was stunned.

Pentimento · 07-17-2004, 11:23 AM

While it's not actually a Britcom, I do recall seeing a little of Monty Python's Flying Circus when I was a kid. I thought it was brilliant, but my mother wouldn't allow that "filth" to be viewed in our home so I didn't see it again until I was older. The first true Britcom I saw was Are You Being Served?. It was on PBS, along with a few others: Keeping Up Appearances, One Foot in the Grave, Waiting for God. I was hooked. Then, about eight years ago, I got DirecTV and discovered BBC America. I watch that channel more than any other, and not just for the comedies -- In my opinion, British dramas, mysteries and miniseries are also better than their American equivalents, and I'm sure it's because the focus is on quality and not quantity.

I think the driving theory behind U.S. television is that if the viewers are inundated by a massive amount of mainstream programming, geared to appeal to the lowest common denominator, then everyone will find something to watch for at least several hours each day. We don't sit down to view a single program -- we settle in for hours at a time and graze. Or worse, we switch on the set in the morning, or when we first get home from work or school, and it keeps us company or serves as a backdrop for our home life. Television could have been a wonderful tool with which to bring people closer together but, with the ever-growing glut of mindless programming, it's having an isolating effect. After all, who needs relationships when you've got Friends?

JacintaL72 · 07-19-2004, 06:32 PM

French and Saunders are great! I have some of their DVDs and I love their work. I love the "Witless Silence" sketch. FnS are such great comedy writers!

JacintaL
http://www.juliasawalha.net

06-20-2004, 07:17 PM	#1
Chambers The Crane Trinity Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 27, 2004 Location: Where everybody knows a Crane. Posts: 5,427	French and Saunders This isn't a sitcom...but I don't think many people would know what I'm talking about over at the sketch comedy thread. Did anybody else here love this show?
	__________________ Member of the "God, Lilith is so ing cool" Fan Club Where everybody knows your tossed salads and scrambled eggs. FREEDOM OF THOUGHT blank

06-20-2004, 08:03 PM	#2
Pentimento Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 16, 2004 Location: The Big Valley Posts: 606	Yes. Ever since I heard that there's a 4-disc set of the series available on DVD, I've been thinking about getting it. I haven't seen the show in a couple of years, but I especially liked their film and TV parodies. The Titanic take-off was my favorite. Now, every time I hear that song by Celine Dion, I think of Dawn French. Also, without French & Saunders, there'd never have been an Ab Fab.

06-20-2004, 08:39 PM	#3
Chambers The Crane Trinity Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 27, 2004 Location: Where everybody knows a Crane. Posts: 5,427	There's a DVD set available?? I need it! I loved what they did with Titanic too - especially the special effects part!

06-21-2004, 01:54 PM	#5
Chambers The Crane Trinity Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 27, 2004 Location: Where everybody knows a Crane. Posts: 5,427	The first and (so far) only TV DVD I have bought is Cheers seasons 1-3. But I may have to dish some money out for French and Saunders hehe. I love The Vicar of Dibley and Ab Fab too. I'm glad they were both able to star in successful sitcoms. Both women are hilarious. Have you seen Saunders as the fairy godmother in Shrek 2? I recognized her voice immediately!

06-21-2004, 05:48 PM	#6
Pentimento Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 16, 2004 Location: The Big Valley Posts: 606	I only have about a half-dozen TV shows on DVD. With nearly every show that hits the 100-episode mark being syndicated (and even some that don't make it that far), I figure I'll always be able to see most of my favorite shows on one channel or another. Mostly, I collect movies. I haven't seen Shrek 2 yet. I only see movies once they're on DVD or, if they're ones I'm not overly eager to see, I'll wait until they're on cable/satellite TV. I have the first Shrek on DVD and I do want to see the second one once it's released. I saw a clip of Antonio Banderas' cat character attempting to confront Shrek and I thought it was hilarious. I've also heard that Julie Andrews is in it, so that's another selling point for me.

06-21-2004, 05:51 PM	#7
Chambers The Crane Trinity Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 27, 2004 Location: Where everybody knows a Crane. Posts: 5,427	John Cleese is in it too !!

06-21-2004, 05:58 PM	#8
Pentimento Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 16, 2004 Location: The Big Valley Posts: 606	Really? He's one of my favorites as well. Now I'm sorry that I'm going to have to wait so long. Too bad it's such a hit -- flops come to DVD quicker.

06-27-2004, 08:54 AM	#9
Chambers The Crane Trinity Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 27, 2004 Location: Where everybody knows a Crane. Posts: 5,427	Do you have a favorite? Dawn or Jennifer? I tend to like Dawn better - but it's only a teeeeeeensy teensy difference.

06-27-2004, 12:51 PM	#10
Pentimento Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 16, 2004 Location: The Big Valley Posts: 606	It's odd -- I ordinarily prefer a more subtle comedic style, and if either of the two women could be described as subtle, it would be Jennifer. Still, Dawn is by far my favorite of the two. There's just something about her that can always lighten my mood.

07-14-2004, 04:39 PM	#11
Chambers The Crane Trinity Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 27, 2004 Location: Where everybody knows a Crane. Posts: 5,427	I'd hate to think we're the only people on this board who like this show...Well, their loss .

07-16-2004, 10:35 AM	#12
Pentimento Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 16, 2004 Location: The Big Valley Posts: 606	I know. I'd have thought there'd be more fans here. Then again, the whole Britcoms board seems to be something of a ghost town compared to all the others. I don't understand it. I guess we're just weird.

07-16-2004, 07:27 PM	#13
Chambers The Crane Trinity Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 27, 2004 Location: Where everybody knows a Crane. Posts: 5,427	Haha yeah. So how did you start liking Britcoms? I lived in the UK while I was growing up, so it was easy for me to get into them. I'd watch British progams as well as the few US shows they imported such as The Cosby Show, Cheers, Roseanne and a few others. The thing I admire about British TV is that they tend to have very few shows and very few channels, but most of it is high quality. The first time I went to the US and surfed through literally 100 channels of trash, I was stunned.

07-17-2004, 11:23 AM	#14
Pentimento Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 16, 2004 Location: The Big Valley Posts: 606	While it's not actually a Britcom, I do recall seeing a little of Monty Python's Flying Circus when I was a kid. I thought it was brilliant, but my mother wouldn't allow that "filth" to be viewed in our home so I didn't see it again until I was older. The first true Britcom I saw was Are You Being Served?. It was on PBS, along with a few others: Keeping Up Appearances, One Foot in the Grave, Waiting for God. I was hooked. Then, about eight years ago, I got DirecTV and discovered BBC America. I watch that channel more than any other, and not just for the comedies -- In my opinion, British dramas, mysteries and miniseries are also better than their American equivalents, and I'm sure it's because the focus is on quality and not quantity. I think the driving theory behind U.S. television is that if the viewers are inundated by a massive amount of mainstream programming, geared to appeal to the lowest common denominator, then everyone will find something to watch for at least several hours each day. We don't sit down to view a single program -- we settle in for hours at a time and graze. Or worse, we switch on the set in the morning, or when we first get home from work or school, and it keeps us company or serves as a backdrop for our home life. Television could have been a wonderful tool with which to bring people closer together but, with the ever-growing glut of mindless programming, it's having an isolating effect. After all, who needs relationships when you've got Friends?

07-19-2004, 06:32 PM	#15
JacintaL72 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 19, 2004 Location: US Posts: 5	French and Saunders are great! I have some of their DVDs and I love their work. I love the "Witless Silence" sketch. FnS are such great comedy writers! JacintaL http://www.juliasawalha.net