Game On!

I think this is a forgotten gem. I rewatched it recently and forgot how funny it is, not to mention so many great cameos. Launched so many careers. The characters are perfectly written and perfectly cast. I first thought it should have carried on for more series' but actually it would have become boring and repetitive. The fact that they recast Matt didn't seem to have any detriment whatsoever. Both are equally funny in their own way. The whole show hasn't aged at all and the jokes and situations are all relevant nowadays. Soon, I'm sure someone will remake it which would be great but for the time being I love it. If you haven't seen it I would strongly suggest you check it out.

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!

One of the best British comedies ever. I can't agree that Ben Chaplin was the only good Matthew, in fact I rather liked Neil Stuke as his "double-hard bastard" routine was even funnier than it was with Chaplin who looks like he could actually be hard if he tried. I can hardly wait for seasons 2 and 3 to come out on DVD. Does anyone know when they are supposed to be released? I'd be very grateful for any information.

If you tell him I will spank you, I will spank you like a bad, bad donkey, OK?

"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.

I bought the box set recently, and was happy to realise that the show is still really funny. Matthew Cottle is hilarious as Martin, the subservient saddo, who has a funny fascination with women. Samantha Janus/Womack is perfectly cast, as she is very sexy and beautiful, so she drives the guys crazy with lust. Her character(Mandy) also has issues and quirks, so she's also fun to watch. Then you have the character Matt, played in the first series by Ben Chaplin, and in the second and third.. by Neil Stuke. Ben Chaplin did a great job, and I thought he was better in some ways than Stuke, simply because you could believe he used to be a girl magnet, because he's good looking and pretty cool, whereas Stuke doesn't look like the kind of guy who'd have women swooning over him.

Chaplin's character was more serious, but I'd say more believable and in some ways funnier. Stuke plays Matt as more madcap and much dimmer, and he definitely doesn't have the authoritative air that Chaplin gave the character. Stuke still did a great job, and changed the Matt character a lot, but I can forget about Chaplin, and just enjoy what Stuke delivers.

Overall, the series is a true '90s gem, that is still worth owning and enjoying.