Game-On

Just watched an episode of this recently almost ten years after it was first broadcast. Then watched another....then another....then another!

Now have checked it out on the internet as a result of four stunning episodes of this underrated 90s classic. Its obvious parallel is Men Behaving Badly, but this is much better in my opinion. It's deeper, darker, more three-dimensional and more interesting.

I vaguely remember the second and third series, but from watching these episodes of the first series I have to say Ben Chaplin is out-of-this-world as Matthew, I very much doubt the other guy was as good. His performance as the highly deluded landlord is perfect, he should be totally unlikeable as he talks nothing but rubbish...but still you can sort of feel sorry and grudging admiration for him and his warped imagination as he constantly struggles to entertain himself. Particularly funny was the moment he sneaked into Mandy's bed and wore her panties!

The relationship between Matthew and Martin is the stuff of all the comedy classics: I can see elements of Del and Rodney in their relationship (loudmouthed but deluded "elder brother" figure and slightly gormless "younger brother" figure who idolises him and despairs of him at the same time); also Lister and Rimmer from Red Dwarf (two mismatched figures who are trapped together under the same roof and who reluctantly need each other despite wanting to punch each other's lights out). There's elements of Blackadder and Baldrick (sadistic, greedy, devious master/landlord with eager-to-please "servant" figure). There's also a definite hint of homoeroticism in Matthew's attitude to Martin, the way he loves to get physical with him and gets so upset when he wants to leave.

As for Mandy, granted Samantha Janus ain't the most sophisticated actress in the world, but she does what she needs to do perfectly, ie glides about ultra-sexily, taunting the guys by being so near but so far! Her relationship with the two of them is complex and poses various questions. There's definitely somethign going on mentally between her and Matthew, the way she sometimes looks at him...but then he'll do something so crass and stupid that she ends up ridiculing him.

The story lines and jokes themselves are not particularly strong or memorable, but they provide a framework for the characterisations. I actually found myself laughing most at some of the quieter, more obscure dialogue rather than the obvious crowd-pleasing gags. It's the facial expressions and unspoken body language that intrigued me and made me laugh uneasily, in the same sort of awkward style as The Office or elements of The Fast Show, particularly Ted and Ralph, and the latter's unspoken feelings towards the former.

Finally, for what it's worth, every episode featured some genuinely funny taboo-breaking scenarios that could have backfired but didn't. There's funny gags about paedophilia, bedwetting, racism, agoraphobia, parents dying, bullying....these could have been heavy-handed and contrived ("let's be controversial to boost our ratings!") however they come across as genuine, touching and resonant. It's clear the scriptwriters have had some personal experience of these issues and aren't just making cheap gags, they're actually writing from the heart.

All in all, I think this show was a standout comedy that is still worth watching today. If you like edgy humour about freakish losers then you'll love it; if you prefer more cosy, cuddly humour then you're better off with Men Behaving Badly. This is more like Men Beahving Sadly...and I prefer it like that, it makes it funnier!

Watching in December 2019 in hope that it holds up...

It totally does!

"Game On" stands the test of time and really feels like a little turning point into the twentysomething sitcoms that pretty much dominate these days. I must confess to basing the vast majority of my opinion on Series One alone. Ben Chaplin, I feel, gave the show a bit more of an edge in that he was actually a very convincing bully and there was darkness in his issues that made the show really buzz. Equal credit should go to Matt Cottle and Samantha Janus. All of them nail the lines perfectly. The comedy from just the audio delivery of words like "shag" is fantastic on a simple level but the character depth boils on a consistent level as well. Game On was dark stuff and rarely resolved cheerfully, but in terms of biting character stuff it's as good as the format got.

My knowledge of the later series is a bit sketchy but I seem to remember it feeling slightly less relevant and slightly more daft. However the show was always visually convincing despite being studio audience based (everything was in 1994). I think that the show has aged really well, I have fond memories of watching it at the age of 14 and it being brilliant and it still is.

One of the UK's funniest comedies of late. Superb, sneering performances from the new (and arguably improved) Matt Malone (aka Neil Stuke), combined with hilarious, although silly storylines make this sitcom one you won't want to miss!

Being a real lover of good comedy series like Blackadder, Fawlty Towers, a.s.o. I must say that none of those has ever made me laugh as much as this one did/does.

First of all let me say that I have never seen the first series (with Ben Chaplin) so I can't judge if this is better or worse. But what I do know is that if you can't laugh with the humour on 'Game On' you should really wonder if you have any sense of humour at all...

Neil "Double-hard Bastard" Stuke (Matt Malone) and Matthew "Ginger tosser" Cottle (Martin Henson) couldn't have been better cast for their parts. They are the absolute stars of the show. Samantha Janus is a little disappointing, compared to them, but good enough. She doesn't ruin it, but it is obvious why she doesn't get bigger and better roles...

To be brief: the stories are original (homosexuality, marriage, friendship), the dialogues are hilarious, the acting is good,... and in the end you get a GREAT comedy, believe me.

I give it a 9 out of 10.

PS: If you disagree with my opinion feel free to let me know...