Uma Vida Inteira com Jamie Demetriou

Really interesting and refreshing look at comedy, not for boomers I guess. Not perfect but got lots of potential for a follow up. If you like ITYSL I think you'd like this.

Nice observations of social anxiety, crap TV, vulnerable people and parenting. The slapstick in it is great, and Demetriou is a natural at it. He uses his low vocal range in great comedic ways too.

Definitely not perfect, some of it falls flat (some of the music is beyond so-bad-it's good) and it's not quite as deep as the sketches could have been. It's definitely too weird for some people, but really, that's a good thing.

Sadly, A Whole Lifetime is a really disappointing sketch show. There is only a single funny sketch, Kiss Villa, with the rest being utterly forgettable. Perhaps with a bit more exposure these sketches could develop into something better, but they all feel one-and-done.

The success of Demetriou's previous work comes from the brilliantly developed and instantly endearing characters. Given 5 minutes each, that is not created here. It's silly, no doubting that, but just not enjoyable. Musical elements are thrown in to no great avail, and despite a roster of recognisable actors from the creator's previous shows, no one particularly shines here.

Jamie Demetriou had me in stitches in the wonderful "Stath Lets Flats" but here he barely raised a few smiles amid periods of sheer unfunniness. Some of the ideas were potentially funny and just misfired, others didn't seem to have much purpose at all, and, irritatingly, just once in a while something looked like it might really gel but usually didn't. In other words, this was a big disappointment and I'm wondering why. Maybe it was the format, maybe it was the lack of a truly sympathetic supporting cast (in marked contrast to the spot-on ensemble in "Stath"), maybe it was a result of trying to squeeze too many ideas into too short a time frame. Regardless, this is not the place to see the best of Demetriou.

Demetriou's solo debut for Netflix is a mixed bag but so gloriously entertaining and rammed with star quality that I'll happy hold it. The mixed bag, I mean. I'll hold it until someone wants to pick it up. Did the central premise work? Not really. Did some of the sketches go on about 10% too long? Yes they did. Did I regularly release an audible hoot of such intense magnitude that my ceiling partially collapsed? Yes I did. Look at these names: you've got Silcox in there, the lesser-seen Jonny Sweet, the legendary Katy Wix. I could keep going. This is yes, admittedly, a mixed bag that I am still holding for some reason but I like doing it and I don't intend to stop.

So disappointed in this, I am a massive Stath let's Flats fan and had high hopes for more character comedy genius but was left completely disappointed. The whole thing is a messy mish mash of quite frankly nonsense. The comedy doesn't root itself in anything relatable or funny. It's not even weird in a kooky out there comedy genius way it's just boring predictable nonsense! Jamie is however a brilliant comedy actor and he can pull off such varied characters so well and this showcased his brilliant diversity in acting but really none of his comedic writing skills. I guess it will always be hard to follow up a hit show but sometimes as in this case it's best not to try. I really hope he can find his comedy again and come back with a well put together quirky and most importantly FUNNY show. Sorry Jamie this wasn't it.