Hello Ladies (HBO TV series)

Anybody else watching this? Season One wraps up this upcoming Sunday.

I like it a lot.

The last episode was one of my favorites and it closed with a Roxy Music song which just put me over the edge.

 

Very funny and can only get better. You cringe with embarrassment at times for Merchant.

 

Could have sworn there was already a thread on this, but I don't see it. I really like the show. Very funny. I especially enjoy the Jenny Slate character and the way Christine is tormented by her.

 

-and Jessica! Great, great show, what a pleasure to see Merchant out from Gervais' shadow. Terrific music too-- does anyone know who's responsible for that?

 

I agree. Very understated, great writing and smartly acted and produced. I hope it gets the recognition it deserves.

 

Wow it's ending this Sunday? Bummer- I 'm thoroughly enjoying it and will miss it.

 

I like it a lot, but they will hopefully let Merchant's character learn from his mistakes and grow a little bit... but not too much. Very funny series!

 

It's pretty funny, but it's kind of hit or miss. With that said, it's must-watch tv in my house.

 

My favorite new show of 2013.

 

It came up in the general new shows thread started by Vidiot.

I've watched each episode, but find it very poor relative to The Office, Extras, etc. It just strikes me as a typical example of everything that can go wrong when US TV executives try to do a comedy-vehicle with a Brit. (see Billy Connolly, Tracey Ullman, etc.). The main character is essentially another David Brent, but the writing and acting are not up to the high level of The Office.

 

Hmm. I've seen Extras, and it's one of my favorite shows. I've actually never seen The Office (British). What do you think are the show's issues because of people from the States making it, out of curiosity? I think it's very well-written and well-acted. And that's every actor or actress in the show, as well.

 

It makes me laugh,I like it.

 

If you don't like it, blame Merchant-- it's his baby, top to bottom. But I think you're in the minority

 

I agree that it's not at the level of The Office or Extras but nothing that Gervais has done since has come close to that high bar. I'm enjoying this show of Stephen 's more than anything they've done after those shows.

 

I've enjoyed it. Merchant makes a likeable lead and while it does have a lot of crossovers with his work with Gervais (how can it not) it stands well alongside it. HBO have a real double whammy with that and the latest season of Eastbound and Down (which IMO is a complete return to form).

 

I like it a lot. Reminds me so much of the coyote in the road runner movies he gets so close but always winds up alone with the women....

Eastbound has been very good this season..

 

I do wish his buddy from Extras, Shaun Williamson, would do a guest shot on Hello, Ladies. They were pretty funny together.

 

"It's only Barry, off Eastenders."

I agree! Would love to see Shaun make an appearance.

 

I was cringing a little too much until the episode this past weekend. Finally there was a little warmth and some heart to the story. I'm glad I stuck with it and hope it continues to evolve.

 

Absolutely. I was a huge fan of the first season of Eastbound And Down and then I thought the second season was almost a complete 180. I thought it was mostly shock value. I didn't even bother watching the third season of it. I happened to catch one of the episodes of the fourth season (this season) and now I've watched all of the episodes from it.

You're 100% right. A return to form. And my is it welcome.

Hilarious.

 

And just in time, too. Series finale Sunday

 

I think this season of Eastbound and Down sucks. The neighbors are a terrible addition to the show, as are his kids. The third season was bad and this is worse. I'm hoping it redeems itself Sunday night for the finale.

 

I don't think the neighbors serve any other purpose than to be targets for Kenny. The kids aren't terribly important either. Again, they serve a purpose for Kenny's character and for Kenny and April's relationship. However, I think there's been some good stuff with the son.

Dakota

 

It strikes me as dumbed down, and there are too many obvious jokes. The gay/black part of the jacuzzi scene was particularly bad. It's big budget (by UK standards) and, I sense, like all US shows it is too eager to go to Season Infinity (compare The Office UK to The Office US, the former done in two seasons, the latter dragged out for many more).

I also think that they have covered the same themes better before, compare Gervais' David Brent character, Ashley Jensen's role in Extras to Christine Woods', and even Warwick Davis' scheming ways in Life's Too Short. There's too little character development, and too much 'meeting models at parties'.

Given how good his previous shows have been, I have to wonder whether he has caved to (financial) pressure to Americanize the show. He is not the sole writer nor sole producer, so the question then is how much is down to outside influence, and how much to the lack of Gervais? Having seen the disasters that were created for Connolly, etc., I'm inclined to blame the US producers (I saw the same thing in the US Office and US Life On Mars).

 

Merchant hand picked the co-creator/exec producer/ writing team of Stupnitsky and Eisenberg, co-wrote six of the eight episodes, directed five, and shares exec producer duties-- it's his show.