Pussy in Flashback

• 30 Apr, 2024
• Paisley P. Peinforte
• Hits count 1218

So, because I will eventually just eliminate my Twitter account (or the site will die) I have been bringing over some of my Twitter Moments™ (Remember those?) and one of them was my reaction to the Are you Being Served? remake from 2016. This is, as Twitter is wont to be, very Stream of consciousness. 

(This thread was originally done 18 February 2017.) 

Old theme. Good. Set is spot on.

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New Mr. Humphries. I... what. Shakespearian to pastiche of John Inman in .05 seconds.

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CAPTAIN PEACOCK LOOKS LIKE A CRANKY BULGARIAN FARMER WAS MADE TO WEAR A SUIT AND IS VERY CROSS

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I can't... no disrespect to the actors, who am I am sure are giving it their best... but every time a new face pops up it feels wrong...

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Like when the Americans tried to redo Red Dwarf. It feels like a parodical attempt, not a remake. They should've made new staff members.

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Same store, new generation. It would have felt appropriate.

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NO NO NO NO NO New Mrs Slocombe has the hair of a 60 year old and the face of a 35 year old. IT DOES NOT WORK Y U DO THIS

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And Ms. Brahms with the Beehive... I... Oh god. This is... I'm sorry I'm a literate person normally but ASDASDASDASDASDASGFFGSD

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THE MANNEQUIN LOOKS MORE CORRECT THAN THESE TWO

(I have no idea why Twitter put a warning on this photo? Maybe an AI thought the mannequin was nude?)

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I do like the laugh track. I'm used to it with this show. I have seen the 1977 movie without the track and that felt wrong.

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"Grace Brothers should move with the times." Yes it-- WAIT THIS IS SET IN 1988?! I WAS *BORN* IN 1988! WHO IS SUPPOSED TO WATCH THIS?

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I mean I grew up on old telly so I GET IT but contemporary audiences will just look at this agog. It's a STUPID DECISION.

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Also Mr Humphries... his appearance... lnman's cherubic appearance made even cutting lines cute. Here, recast, they are more haughty.

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Young Mr. Grace is pleased as punch he's not present in this pathetic pantomime.

 

(Okay, now I really have no idea why there's a warning. Maybe the face of the original Mr. Grace terrifies them so).

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I like the new Rumbold actually, despite the lack of jowls. He seems genuinely clueless in the Rumbold way without over-imitating.

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I do like the references to Mr. Lucas. But that's just pandering... Mr. Harmon just looks like a bitter TV Detective.

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......................... Mister.... Grace...............

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Mr. Grace looks like he's a wet behind the ears Mafioso....

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LOL Granger came back to spend less time with his wife. All right some of the jokes are good, I'll grant.

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So some of these people (Brahms) are supposed to be older than before, but the reality is some like Slocombe look younger...

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I have no issue with the set being the same. REAL retail is very slow to update fixtures, and Grace Bros. was cheap to start.

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But then how did Rumbold get that window in his office?

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"Did he say he was going to kill one of us?" LOL

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LOL Grainger telling Conway to pull himself together after the plethora of pussy jokes.

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All right. Overall take. Jokes somewhat recycled but on the whole good. Got lost in the comedy after a bit. Recasting hurts. May get over it

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I wonder what someone who never saw the original thinks. I think an all new set of characters would be good if they continue.

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Also, later I discovered that the Americans (as they tended to do at the time) actually commissioned a pilot to bring the show over. I watched it. It was surreal. 

AND there was an Australian series that was actually somewhat canon in that Mr. Humphries goes down under and encounters a bizarrely similar set of retail circumstances and workers. I haven't watched the programme, but it's on my list.

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