You Have Been Watching

[meganiwish]

This one is just for the Brits, I suppose.  The brilliant comedy writer Jimmy Perry leaves us at the grand age of 93.  It's to be hoped that at the gates of Heaven, when St Peter asks for his name, someone in the queue has the wit to shout out, 'Don't tell him, Jimmy!'

[Shyheels]

I know his shows were iconic, but I just don't get that style of British humour...

[meganiwish]

I refer the honourable gentleman to the remark I made earlier

[Shyheels]

I know, I know...

[CPB]

I've never heard of Jimmy Perry, but being a lover of British humour, I decided to consult that tome of infinite knowledge known as Google. Watched an Episode of Dad's Army & thoroughly enjoyed it. A fine example of British humour. It's a shame to only hear of some one who contributed so much after they've passed away.

[Strumpher]

We still howl at the repeats they show on BBC.

A sad loss as we cane scarcely afford to lose joy makers.

[meganiwish]

Well, he was 93, so perhaps not so sad, but certainly a passing worthy of note.  The thing is for the joymakers to be replaced.

Captain Mainwaring's character shows how good a writer he was.  He can appear to be a figure of fun, made to look ridiculous by his pomposity, but there are numerous occasions when he puts himself in danger rather than his men and hides the fact that he's done so.  Perry understood two things: first, the comedy that comes from loss of dignity is funnier if the victim actually has some dignity and if the viewer has some affection for him; second,  that the British kid themselves that they're big players on the World stage, when all the evidence is to the contrary.  The first point is important because it allows the viewer to get closer to laughing with rather than laughing at, and it feels less unkind.  The second is important because our belief in gallant defeat is vindicated by history.  I'll say no more, because comedy isn't well served by analysis.

[luketheduke8]

you know when I was in the sudan...... dads army is the best comedy, started watching the new movie, had to turn it off

[meganiwish]

I think we're entering the realm of fantasy, Jones

[Shyheels]

Fantasy Jones...any relation to Indy?

[meganiwish]

No, but I went to school with a girl who later used that as a trade name.  She was a solicitor, and did very badly, never got the right sort of client.

[Shyheels]

I am getting a picture of her likely clients, with a trade name like Fantasy Jones, and I am not too surprised she did not make millions

[meganiwish]

No, you can never trust a Jones.  The Pritchards are well-meaning and the Edwards are straight enough, but I wouldn't lend money to a Jones, certainly not a gog Jones.

[Shyheels]

I'm not sure you trust people named Fantasy very far either...