Going Forward: It won't make you laugh, but it might make you cry

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Going Forward: It won't make you laugh, but it might make you cry

June 11, 2016 - 11:53
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Average: 3 (1 vote)
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Comedy has become a rather serious matter on the BBC of late, as the Beeb seems to have decided that laughs don't seem to matter anymore, better to leave the audience looking for a noose to tie around the landing stairs and jump!

Going Forward

By Llwynog45

Comedy has become a rather serious matter on the BBC of late, as the Beeb seems to have decided that laughs don't seem to matter anymore, better to leave the audience looking for a noose to tie around the landing stairs and jump!

This is the story of a family who have put their own lives on hold for others. Centred around Kim (Jo Brand) who' s an ex nurse now working for independent healthcare providers Buccaneer 2000. This truly is grim stuff. Filmed and edited in a very natural way, at first glance this doesn't even feel scripted, as not a lot happens. It's one of those 'natural' comedies, you know the type, when everyone talks across each other and nothing is really said or understood.

However, this does have one other plus point. If the writers of this are trying to make the point of how hard and unfair life is in modern Britain then they have succeeded all the way. You feel for these people, you feel for their plights, and you certainly feel for the elderly that Kim visits as part of her low paid job. It won't make you laugh, but it may well make you cry.

I'm not sure why certain programmes on the Beeb are labelled as 'comedy' these days, it may be that series like this and the excellent Mum are forced into a pigeon hole that says 'sitcom' but neither of them are. Was Abigail's Party labelled as a comedy when first aired in the seventies. I doubt it. Give BBC4's 'Going Forward' a watch, but be warned you may find yourselves googling 'clinics in Switzerland' shortly after.

There are 2 Comments

Llwynog45's picture

Thanks for publishing my reviews Kev. It's cool to see my words in print - well virtual print at least.

Kevin O'Sullivan's picture

Thank you for your great reviews. You've been very busy this weekend. I hope we've corrected the typos.