Aussies axe Ben Elton's new comedy series after 3 episodes

[Jonno]

BBC News - Ben Eltons Australian comedy series axed

Who said the Aussies have no idea about comedy? What were they even doing commissioning such a show though? Hope it doesn't mean he'll be appearing on BBC screens again.

Perhaps he can now go back to writing cringeworthy musicals with other conservative artists such as Andrew Lloyd-Weber and Queen (broke the cultural embargo on apartheid SA) .

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I've always wondered how much input he actually had to Blackadder, because I have never understood how someone that bad, could be associated with something so good.

 

[Jonno]

Yeah me too but Richard Curtis also wrote it and look at some of the absolute dross films he's been churning out over recent years!
Some people just stop being funny, often with a vengeance, John Cleese being a good case in point.

 

[dannyboy]

ben elton was probably the best stand up back in the 80's

 

[dannyboy]

hes turd now of course

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Yeah me too but Richard Curtis also wrote it and look at some of the absolute dross films he's been churning out over recent years!
Some people just stop being funny, often with a vengeance, John Cleese being a good case in point.

Reasonable point, but I would say that Curtis is good at what he does. If you like the sort of film that Notting Hill is, then it's an ok film - not usually my cup of tea, but it's not badly written. I can't think of anything BE has done, Blackadder aside, that could be classed as quality at all. Cleese I would agree, was legend for a couple of decades, but now doing rubbish (AA Ads ).

 

[keaton]

Reasonable point, but I would say that Curtis is good at what he does. If you like the sort of film that Notting Hill is, then it's an ok film - not usually my cup of tea, but it's not badly written. I can't think of anything BE has done, Blackadder aside, that could be classed as quality at all. Cleese I would agree, was legend for a couple of decades, but now doing rubbish (AA Ads ).

His stand-up was brilliant. His books were pretty good as well.

Notting Hill is gubbins

 

[Tricky Dicky]

His stand-up was brilliant. His books were pretty good as well.

Notting Hill is gubbins

I differ then - I thought his stand up was appalling, was reasonable in the eighties when all he did was moan about Thatcher, but that's about it. I started one of his books once, and didn't get very far. I don't say I like notting Hill, but it's not badly written - a world away from Blackadder though.

 

[Jonno]

Love Actually is a crime against humanity

 

[Pavilionaire]

Has anybody seen any of the show to which this thread refers?

He's been a best-selling author, writer, stand-up for the best part of 30 years and he's got more talent in his little finger than any of the young modern "Russell" comedians.

 

[16bha]

ben elton was probably the best stand up back in the 80's

Sorry, disagree. He always seemed to come over as public schoolboy trying to be too 'right on' talented writer, but better backstage

 

[The Modfather]

Reasonable point, but I would say that Curtis is good at what he does. If you like the sort of film that Notting Hill is, then it's an ok film - not usually my cup of tea, but it's not badly written. I can't think of anything BE has done, Blackadder aside, that could be classed as quality at all. Cleese I would agree, was legend for a couple of decades, but now doing rubbish (AA Ads ).

He co-wrote The Young Ones.

 

[The Peanut Roaster]

Wha about that hilarious, side splitting, cleverly written The thin blue line?

Genius.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

He co-wrote The Young Ones.

Exactly, and that was genius. Credit to Lise Mayer of course

 

[16bha]

Wha about that hilarious, side splitting, cleverly written The thin blue line?

Genius.

Absolutely agree, and even better, he wasn't on it!

 

[South Yarra Seagull]

Made the 'news' here, too
Ben Elton Live From Planet Earth axed after three weeks - report | Herald Sun
189,000 viewers for the 3rd Episode!

 

[brakespear]

I've always wondered how much input he actually had to Blackadder, because I have never understood how someone that bad, could be associated with something so good.

Well. in my opinion, Blackadder series 1 and 4 were the best and the ones Richard Curtis had input on....also Richard Curtis wrote pretty much the only decent episode from the last Dr Who series so...

 

[sjamesb3466]

Well. in my opinion, Blackadder series 1 and 4 were the best and the ones Richard Curtis had input on....also Richard Curtis wrote pretty much the only decent episode from the last Dr Who series so...

Series 1 are you shitting me?? I love Blackadder (who doesn't?!?) but the first series is utterly cringeworthy yet this is the only series that Elton didn't write on. Personally I think his series (ie The Young Ones, Blackadder and the Thin Blue Line) show how good a writer Elton can be. How many other writers have such success? Plus his books are sublime, even his first attempt at a novel, 'The First Casualty', a brilliant WWI look at status and roles in society cannot be ignored. However I know its fashionable to hate him so I know I'm falling on deaf ears.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

I haven't seen it (like most of Australia it seems), but I believe this show was meant to be a showcase of Australian comedic talent. Unfortunately Australian comedy is cringeworthy, talentless tripe. Ben Elton has written some masterpieces in his time, but you can't polish a turd

 

[So.CalGull]

Series 1 are you shitting me?? I love Blackadder (who doesn't?!?) but the first series is utterly cringeworthy yet this is the only series that Elton didn't write on.

I had a conversation just the other day about the first series, the base of the discussion was Edmund. The fella I was talking to claimed that Edmund was the same throughout all the Blackadders (witty and sharp), my argument leaned towards the first series portraying him as a bumbling idiot, bullied constantly by the loud bearded bloke (King?) and picked on heavily, very different to the sharp witted latter Edmund, am I mistaken...