Megz Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Summer Heights High is a great show in Australia - If you haven't heard of it... don't let this scare you off. British critics pan Summer Heights High 12:00 AEST Thu Jun 12 2008 7 hours 59 minutes ago It seems Britain is not quite as ready as Australia to embrace the quirky humour of Chris Lilley's Logie award-winning TV hit Summer Heights High. BBC aired the first episode of the popular ABC series last night, after buying the local rights in May. But many British TV critics have already canned the show. In a scathing review, The Daily Express critic Matt Baylis labelled the show's "mockumentary" style tired and dated, with the humour "coming from another century". "It pretends to be a documentary, a trick that probably looks groovy if you happen to live in Wagga Wagga. However, it's been doing the rounds of the rest of the world since This is Spinal Tap in 1984," Baylis wrote. The program's controversial reputation gave it more credibility than was deserved, he said. "The only thing controversial about this is the BBC's decision to spend our licence money on it and slap it on the schedules." Despite the BBC enthusiastically billing Summer Heights High as a favourite program of Kylie Minogue and gossip blogger Perez Hilton, the show was given the low-profile time slot of 10:30pm on the broadcaster's digital channel BBC3. However, the Aussie show still attracted plenty of attention from British critics who drew largely unfavourable comparisons with their own home-grown comedy hit The Office. While conceding Summer Heights High had its moments, The Times critic Andrew Billen suggested Lilley, who stars as the show's main characters — teacher Mr G, snobby schoolgirl Ja'mie and naughty schoolboy Jonah — should stop casting himself in all the "plum" roles. "It was like seeing [The Office actor] Ricky Gervais play Brent, Gareth and Dawn. Virtuosity is good, Chris. Funny is even better," Billen wrote. Some critics were a shade kinder to the satirical series, however, with a few predictions the show, described as "chucking Molotov cocktails at the barriers of bad taste", could become cult viewing. Lilley has not yet responded to ninemsn's request for a comment on the reviews. How could the people who gave us Monty Python be against this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arnah Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Because the people who gave us Monty Python also gave us The Bill. Thats why. This show is fantastic. "I thunk yew o me dahd un uppo-low-gi" fantastic. BEIN A POLY... OH MY GOLLY Fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the division of joy Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Because the people who gave us Monty Python also gave us The Bill. Thats why. and benny hill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jables Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 ... And the Carry on series. :( But seriously, the girls nailed it. The generation that gave us some of the finest tv & cinema would have embraced this show for the satire it is. This generation of brits'd only pay attention if Jonah's last name was potter & Mr G turned out to be a resurrected Voldemort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alive she cried Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 ... And the Carry on series. :( But seriously, the girls nailed it. The generation that gave us some of the finest tv & cinema would have embraced this show for the satire it is. This generation of brits'd only pay attention if Jonah's last name was potter & Mr G turned out to be a resurrected Voldemort. i have'nt see this show yet, but britain still does make the best comedy shows. that said, the critics have'nt. so i'll give it a chance. you wanna link us with some good youtube clips and move this to movies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archangel Posted June 18, 2008 Share Posted June 18, 2008 you've gotta watch it from the beginning. It's hysterical Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megz Posted June 19, 2008 Author Share Posted June 19, 2008 Heres some clips if you wanna go to these ones ... they won't ruin any of the ending. Ja' mie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5UbKXyYOCw...feature=related Jona http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIAZx2lpb4M...feature=related Mr G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iambaytor Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 How could the people who gave us Monty Python be against this? It's inevitable that once a country starts cranking out hit comedy their going to be so stuck up their own ass that anything funny from anywhere else will be insulting to them. Don't believe me, try finding a Brit and reminding them that one of the members of Monty Python was an American. They'll either A) Claim he wasn't a real member, B) Deny it, C) Claim he wasn't a real American, or D) Slap you in the face. (Or be accepting, and the two of you can have a nice chat about comedy in general and how our countries forms of comedy both have their own benefits and aren't terribly different but I like to assume the worst of people.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The NZA Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 this....im thinking this goes in movies/tv. objections? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megz Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 nope no objection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The NZA Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Angry Boys, from Chris Lilley, responsible for Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes (?). thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jables Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 We deny you whatever we can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La Lindsay Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 if it makes you feel any better, kertins and i met a guy this past weekend and after talking to us for a little bit, he asked us if we had ever seen summer heights high. there was a lot of excited indecipherable high-pitched screaming coming from kertins and me because it's such an obscure reference for americans. so there's that. a shared moment of comedy bonding between americans thanks to your show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jables Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Well it's not my show. But once 5 Americans know about it and one of them is a jew holywood producer it'll invariably get a US adaption. I still haven't watched this trailer for Angry Boys yet, but have high hopes regardless. We can Be heroes was alright. Not as good as Summer Heights High, but probably had more heart, and would have been more controversial if it had been popular(Asian nerd annexing Aboriginal culture for musical theatre? Yes please). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jables Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Watched the first ep last night, it's okay but doesn't break any ground not already broken by the likes of John Safran or Lilley's earlier work. Can already tell he's trying to stir for trouble by dropping the word 'faggot' like five times in the one ep. Anyone watching it & more importantly liking it should definitely check out We can be Heroes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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