21 reviews
2 episodes in I'm finding it intermittently funny but not as laugh out loud as Wrecked which so far it's very similar too, so much so that I thought it was just a UK adaption until I read it was written and created and starring in by the very talented Marc Wootton. (Cyderdelic, My New Best Friend and La La Land series).
Worthless attempt at comedy don't waste your time on this dribble.
- smith-31380
- Aug 8, 2018
- Permalink
Q. What do you do when you are writing a comedy but can't think of any actual jokes or humourous bits?
A.Make characters so ineffably stupid and vapid that their every word and action make you laugh at them, not with them.
I've watched most of the first episode of this 'idiots stranded on an island' comedy and I really dont mind if they all die on that island, humanity would be better off. There seems to be no centre of normality around which the farcical activities can occur, no anchored observer, just.. idiots being .. idiots..
The writer/main actor, Marc Wooton seems to have some experience in writing but it just doesnt seem to show here.
I get that farcical characters means people acting in over the top in farcical ways, but this just takes it to the limit and leaves us with no character to align with. Imagine Fawlty Towers where EVERYONE was as bad as Basil. Or that the reason that Blackadder 2-4 was better than Blackadder 1 was because Edmund himself became the island of sanity surrounded by a sea of morons.
Not this show, its Morons all the way down.
Marc Wooton plays the most ridiculous campiest flight attendant this side of Dick Emery sketch. Harry Peacock is his romantic foil or something. Vikki Pepperdine does her Appallingly Rude Middle Age Harridan schtick, again. And the rest are also morons but have yet to develop their full moronity.
If you secretly browse IMDB.. please put some actually comedy in your next show, don't use this ultimately lazy path.
A.Make characters so ineffably stupid and vapid that their every word and action make you laugh at them, not with them.
I've watched most of the first episode of this 'idiots stranded on an island' comedy and I really dont mind if they all die on that island, humanity would be better off. There seems to be no centre of normality around which the farcical activities can occur, no anchored observer, just.. idiots being .. idiots..
The writer/main actor, Marc Wooton seems to have some experience in writing but it just doesnt seem to show here.
I get that farcical characters means people acting in over the top in farcical ways, but this just takes it to the limit and leaves us with no character to align with. Imagine Fawlty Towers where EVERYONE was as bad as Basil. Or that the reason that Blackadder 2-4 was better than Blackadder 1 was because Edmund himself became the island of sanity surrounded by a sea of morons.
Not this show, its Morons all the way down.
Marc Wooton plays the most ridiculous campiest flight attendant this side of Dick Emery sketch. Harry Peacock is his romantic foil or something. Vikki Pepperdine does her Appallingly Rude Middle Age Harridan schtick, again. And the rest are also morons but have yet to develop their full moronity.
If you secretly browse IMDB.. please put some actually comedy in your next show, don't use this ultimately lazy path.
- paulhfromthedeep
- May 6, 2018
- Permalink
A mirthless sitcom with idiot characters and desperate plot-lines is hardly news. But I am mildly surprised that Channel 4 would commission a deeply homophobic schlock comedy that has the unenlightened sensibilities of a 1960s Carry On film or a lowbrow 1970s sitcom. In High and Dry Marc Wootton plays Brett, an airline "trolly dolly" who could have been a friend of Mr Humphries in Are You Being Served? or one of Dick Emery's cast of stereotypical characters. He's insufferably camp in that too-gay-to-function way that almost no real life person could be. But, worse, there is an underlying pathology to Brett that betrays the homophobia in both the writing and the performance. Brett is the very embodiment of the predatory homo - the kind of pervert we were once warned about - and half the jokes revolve around him trying to seduce straight Douglas and ward off any attempts to interfere with the fantasy of Brett making the island on which they are stranded a paradise for two. Which points to the second strand of homophobia: Brett is not just comedy-crazy, he is psychopathic. Textbook definition psychopathic, actually. And since Brett pretty much drives the action, the nastiness that generates suffuses almost every scene and plot point, to the point where the whole show is one stinking pile of offensive dreck. Best avoided. The two stars are for Vicki Pepperdine, who is talented and has my sympathy.
This review is about the 2018 re-imagining, not the original 2015 idea, which was actually better than the Wrecked idea:
Lost seems to be what this show is based upon just like Wrecked is. I'm also sure Survivor and all the reality shows find homes in the basis as well. After all the comparisons and tributes are quoted, this show is as annoying as the "most annoying sound in the world" from Dumb and Dumber. Just because you can throw feces on a canvas and call it art, doesn't mean everyone should reward the behavior (unless you want all art to be that). I can't find the fifth episode yet, as I was trying to give the show the benefit of the doubt or suspending my disbelief, so I'm thinking even the production company gave up before a full season was completed. There were no standout characterizations as the main character overpowered the senses, and that is not a compliment (owing to the fact that the character was a worn out stereotype of the worst sort and not endearing to anyone or humorous in any way. The only way I would have found value to it was to see him die in the third episode with a powerful plotline twist).
This is a complete ripoff of a US show called Wrecked.... which is done 100% better than this dribble.
- SpecialEfx
- May 12, 2018
- Permalink
Saw a trailer with Asim C. Big fan of his work so thought give this a watch. But surely this is a massive rip off of the American based sitcom "Wrecked". How has the writer gotten away with this??? The American show is so much better bigger buget better acting better writing. This is shocking
- sanjivkumar3
- May 25, 2018
- Permalink
Such a shame that some of the reviews left for this show have been left by people who admit that they didn't even stay for first half of episode 1. As well as being devilishly funny, High and Dry rewards continued viewing as the characters develop and your take on them shifts as it might do in real life. This is a funny, intelligent and enjoyable show that deserves to be rewarded with a 2nd series Brett Sullivan should be up there with David Brent, Jill Tyrell and Basil Fawlty if TV comedy history gets it right.
- Waxifrade-75
- Jun 24, 2018
- Permalink
- tomdaly-17436
- May 6, 2018
- Permalink
What a pile of c**p does nobody in writing understand what makes a great comedy? It it needs a depth of character. Sad moments along with funny moments. Acting like a prat in stupid character isn't entertaining. Stop writing and watch only fools & Gavin and Stacy. Learn how it's done properly and grow up
What could have been a good comedy is very much British comedy at its worst. I really wanted to like this but the more it went on the worse it got. It just isnt funny !
Such drek. Throwback to 60's and 70's 'naughty' sex romps with all the cliched gay posturing that might have been apprpriate in Kenneth Williams' day, but reeks of homophobia now
And once again we see the gushing reviews of shills that must have either worked on the show or are friends of the producer... You've been an IMDB member for (X) number of years and this is your only review or page you've viewed? Really?
Don't waste your precious time on this unforgiveable drek.
And once again we see the gushing reviews of shills that must have either worked on the show or are friends of the producer... You've been an IMDB member for (X) number of years and this is your only review or page you've viewed? Really?
Don't waste your precious time on this unforgiveable drek.
- digigod-738-671527
- May 18, 2018
- Permalink
- tomdaly-17436
- May 5, 2018
- Permalink
I'm a big fan of La La Land, Marc's previous show for Showtime and My New Best Friend which like High and Dry was also for Channel 4 so was really looking forward to this and it didn't disappoint. Great opening and characters - my stand out so far is Asim Chaudhry but also loving Harry Peacock's (Toast) performance so far. It's early days but I've already been shocked by Asim's character, bewildered at Brett's behaviour and most of all amused at the one-liners and slapstick by Wootton - really looking forward to episode 2 and seeing how it all pans out and develops
- joanblythe
- May 10, 2018
- Permalink
I don't understand what is going on these days with most of the new tv, not all, but most consisting of terrible special effects, and even worse acting. This show is terrible and will most likely be on for 10 seasons, but any show that is worth anyone's time gets booted after 1 season... I just do not quite understand the logic!
- atraughb-51851
- May 18, 2018
- Permalink
Wait, no, there really isn't any. A few dry laughs but it wasn't as funny as I had hoped. Then there was the comedy blah version of it, what on earth is that about?
Save yourself some time and watch something else.
Save yourself some time and watch something else.
- samthejudgeamos
- Oct 22, 2021
- Permalink
This is brilliant it reminds me of the dark humour of nighty nighty. I can't wait for the next series.
- amyrichhaddy
- Jun 9, 2018
- Permalink
Marc Wootton is exceptionally talented and a comedy genius and its about time he had a show aired on TV as its been too long. The cast were brilliant and yes they are a bunch of misfits , but that's the idea its a comedy for Gods sake its not supposed to be serious! Marc is well known for his near the mark style of comedy writing, and thank God for that, its edgy in a good way, Yes Brett is camp and OTT and vile but that's the point, all of these people have flaws, I noticed that there are two reviews on here posted on two separate days with virtually the same negative content, i checked out this persons other reviews and guess what they are all nasty and negative, so its safe to say his reviews are not a well rounded and honest opinion, just an excuse to spout vitriol, and as for the 'deeply homophobic schlock comedy' remark made by another person, what a stupid remark to make, why is it homophobic, and why just focus on the one character. I loved it and yes it made me laugh which is refreshing after some of the awful old dross that's been served up as comedy, ie the dreadful 'Hospital People', would I recommend High and Dry ??? Yes I would if you like original comedy that's funny, but if you like your comedy overly pc and boring like the old cack the BBC has been churning out of late then I would give it a swerve
- ann_elliott_991
- May 8, 2018
- Permalink
Made me laugh so hard, a cross between Benidorm and Lost with a bit of your being served chucked in for good measure. We need more of this channel 4. Marc Wootton is a comedy genius.
- larry_wiltshire
- May 8, 2018
- Permalink
Loving this show. More surprisingly my wife also loves it so it's doing something right. It has a fantastic cameo in episode five and there is also a great pay off from episode four with a significant plot twist that in hindsight I should have seen coming. I really like the series as its a collection of flawed characters each jostling for their place in any entirely impossible environment.
I honestly don't recognize the negative reviews? The show Wrecked never aired in the UK so cannot comment on which is the best desert island show, but its not a unique concept, Swiss Army Man, Cast Away, Lost all the way back to Robinson Crusoe. FWIW Marc Wootton also created a show called La La Land about people trying to make it in LA but add singing + love and the movie version is not called a copied concept.
Brett is meant to be laughed at because of the tropes as much as the lines his delivers, he is not meant to be an actual representation of a realistic gay person anymore than Harriet a realistic head teacher, or Susan an actual religious person, they are funny fictional characters brought to life for our entertainment, and entertain me they did!
- jeromeandrews-60963
- Jun 4, 2018
- Permalink