Episodes

I was not sure what sort of comedy this was going to be. I have only just seen the first episode and as it turns out it is a little dark, uncomfortable, subtle, at times quirky and pokes fun. I found it amusing, with moments that made me laugh out loud. Some of the characters (particularly the 'Head of Comedy') are well cast and very funny.

There is no canned laughter, the pace is not breakneck, it doesn't feel like the script has been re-written and re-written until people laugh and jokes and gags are not shouted loudly so you cant miss them. This is not spoon-fed comedy TV.

It is very British in style and therefore I suspect it will not be a hit with an American audience. I am, however, looking forward to the next episode.

This show is very clever doing what it does. The only reason some people don't like it is because their sense of humor is skewed. I never expected the humor to be like friends because of Matt or David Crane. I expected the same commitment from Matt though. He pours his self in the character, since he is playing an extravagant fictional version of himself and creates excellent scenes between the two British writers. Sure it is dark and very hard to get into in the first episode, but after episode 2 I was sold. Episode 3 was even better as there was more Matt to go around!! His interactions with Beverly, their sniping at each other and fighting felt genuine and was extremely funny! Give the show a chance and try to expand your comical vocabulary!

While the first episode wasn't the greatest, it set up the story of the show and the second episode was great from start to finish. The humour is dry and is a mix of British and US humour, but it's definitely heavier with the British humour. The head of comedy was brilliant. The head of comedy is one of those blonde bimbo's you see on TV that just say "that's so funny" instead of actually laughing.

To the people that say that the main characters have no chemistry, have you ever seen any married couple on UK TV. That's how they act. Married couples have their ups and downs, they act realistically. Do you want them to act like they have just met and they are so in love. Married life contains struggles and compromise. I think they conveyed this perfectly.

After watching the show, I do worry that most Americans will struggle to get the humour, which in reality is what this show is all about. Showcasing the difference in humour and the difficulty in creating a show that is brilliant in one country, but completely lost in another.

I really feel confused. There seems to be an overwhelming sense of animosity toward this show.In a world where HOT IN CLEVELAND is a hit, it makes me sad that so many people don't seem to appreciate the nuance and detail that have gone into this show. There are some reviews here that don't even make much sense.They're just plain angry. (One review actually criticized the hair color of one of the actors!) I say, relax people. If you don't find it to your liking don't watch. But for those of us that do, (it's already a hit in the UK as well as on SHOWTIME) it is a subtle and sophisticated pleasure that doesn't pander to it's audience. This show is about a married couple and their relationship. It's set in the world of television but the TV aspect is secondary. I hadn't seen the two British leads before but I totally love their chemistry. It feels much more honest than most TV relationships. Both actors are subtle and complicated and I can totally buy the fact that they're married. I thought the first episode did exactly what it had to do which is introduce a whole lot of characters plus set up this couple's journey. As for not being funny, I am at a complete loss. John Pankow established "Merc Lapides" in twenty seconds. How could you not laugh at his references to his bigoted New Jersey grandmother, his alcohol addiction, his cancer? And "Carol Rance", the network exec, made me laugh at just about everything she said. Ditto the head of comedy who with just a few grimaces and groans created a hysterical and memorable character. I feel that this is not a show for the masses. It was clearly never meant to be. It's a small gem of a show that respects it's audience and has it's own very unique voice. Thank You SHOWTIME for presenting it.

I don't know what the other reviewer was thinking, it's the perfect blend of American and British comedy that the Office couldn't achieve - they have British people doing British humour. And yes, it is only the first two episodes but it has shown great promise. I think it is a perfect mix of British and American humour because they don't mix them together to form some weird half-breed, but they separate them and have them interact as two different entities. Matt LeBlanc is hilarious, and they way he pokes fun at Joey is something we haven't seen since Julia Roberts in Oceans 13.

Give this show a chance, you'll probably like it!