Summer Heights High "Groovy" if you live in Wagga Wagga (1 Viewer)

[JaredR]

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.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=578891

I dedicate this thread to chicky_pie for her deep love and affiliation with Wagga Wagga.

 

[Iron]

Haha, it WAS tired and dated.
Lilley's such a hack

 

[kaz1]

The british don't know what is funny.

 

[sam04u]

Britain is like a country of bogans, honestly.

I was watching this talk show Trisha and laughed so hard at the way they speak.

'e batt'ed me moom! 'e dit'nt even stop wen she staa'ed bleedin! 'es an animul!

 

[sam04u]

The british don't know what is funny.

I find the british to be funny.

 

[boris]

Britain is like a country of bogans, honestly.

I was watching this talk show Trisha and laughed so hard at the way they speak.

'e batt'ed me moom! 'e dit'nt even stop wen she staa'ed bleedin! 'es an animul!

HAHAHAHA Fucking hell, that show makes my eyes water so hard.

She makes Maury Povich and those yanks look classy.

 

[kaz1]

Britain is like a country of bogans, honestly.

I was watching this talk show Trisha and laughed so hard at the way they speak.

'e batt'ed me moom! 'e dit'nt even stop wen she staa'ed bleedin! 'es an animul!

Australian accent is pretty shit as well. Americans and the British probably laugh at us.

 

[Skeeter]

Surely people in Wagga Wagga don't have TV. Hence, the British have a floored thesis.

 

[Born2baplacebo]

I have TV and I have cable.

 

[L-esky]

I remember reading somewhere a couple of months ago that a lot of people reckon summer heights never would have been made/successful in any other country other than Australia. I suppose it must be true, it could be one of those shows that is funny for aussies but no one else.
Although, you've gotta remember that's just what the critics are saying, and often what critics say doesn't reflect the general feeling of the public, so you never know British audiences might actually like it.

 

[chicky_pie]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=578891

I dedicate this thread to chicky_pie for her deep love and affiliation with Wagga Wagga.

As long as Wagga Wagga keeps breeding ugly people like Born2baplacebo...

<3 Wagga Wagga

 

[chicky_pie]

Britain is like a country of bogans, honestly.

I was watching this talk show Trisha and laughed so hard at the way they speak.

'e batt'ed me moom! 'e dit'nt even stop wen she staa'ed bleedin! 'es an animul!

They're all Chavs

 

[A High Way Man]

tbh.. thought the first episode was mediocre.. the few episodes i saw after that were amazing.. from then on couldnt really watch it as parents were hogging the tv.

 

[RohanZ]

As long as Wagga Wagga keeps breeding ugly people like Born2baplacebo...

Jesus Christ, give it a fucking rest, would you?

Summer Heights High had it's amusing bits, although, it had it's weird bits. I didn't like the parts with Jamie in them. xD

 

[chicky_pie]

Jesus Christ, give it a fucking rest, would you?

Summer Heights High had it's amusing bits, although, it had it's weird bits. I didn't like the parts with Jamie in them. xD

Stop quoting me.

 

[RohanZ]

Stop quoting me.

No.