flibberty gibbet
A tutor - Miss Tightclench tells her pupil's mother; "She will be starched to rigidity!". If like me, you find this clever and amusing then you will enjoy The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff. If you don't, then you won't.I loved the referencing, the visual imagery, the casting to a man, I found the diction especially enjoyable - I've never read any Dickens but if the general opinion that this is a nod to him is anything to go by, I am sorely tempted.My only criticism would be that the writers held back a little, maybe thinking their comedy wasn't mainstream enough. If they make any more then hopefully they will really let rip!Joyfully disregarding the lowest common denominator. Give me more.
Jackson Booth-Millard
I was at first not sure whether I would want to watch this, but at the same time it had a great cast, and I heard that it wasn't based on any one particular story from the famous writer, so I did eventually watch it. Basically this is a spoof of many of the stories from the famous Victorian period writer Charles Dickens, taking bits and pieces from his finest and most revered works, and turning it on its head, the title drawing on Bleak House and The Old Curiosity Shop. Basically Jedrington Secret-Past (Robert Webb) is the owner of The Old Shop of Stuff, selling random knickknacks and things you won't find anywhere else, and he has a happy life with his family, wife Conceptiva (The IT Crowd's Katherine Parkinson) and their children Victor (Finley Christie) and Victoria (Ambra Lily Keegan). However their happiness is to be taken away from the by lawyer Skulkingworm (Stephen Fry), who is apparently representing a client, and Jedrington owes lots in debts that he inherited from missing relatives. Looking unable to pay this debt, and his children and wife taken away from him as his property, Jedrington tries to find a way to raise the money he badly needs. The children are being watched upon by Jolliforth Jollington (David Mitchell), who despite working for the villain is willing to help the children, he also has the habit to swell thinking happy things, but deflate when depressed. Conceptiva is being indulged into the overpowering taste of treacle and binging on it thanks to the persuasive and fiendish crone Maggoty (Father Ted's Pauline McLynn). Jedrington does get some help in the form of pickpockets and street living people, like The Artful Codger (Johnny Vegas), and he eventually finds out that he is owed a fortune, being the long lost son of never married Miss Christmasham (Celia Imrie), separated from husband to be Martin Christmasham (Terrence Hardiman). So Skulkington has his plan foiled by the marriage, and Jedrington is able to buy back his shop and his family and all things in general can return to the way they were before. Also starring Joshua McGuire as Fearshiver, Richard Johnson as Uncle Writes Prompt Thank You Cards, Worzel Gummidge's Una Stubbs as Aunt Good Spelling, Judy Parfitt as Aunt Chastity, Phyllida Law as Aunt Sobriety, Calum MacPherson as Lumbering Geoff, Jude Wright as Archie and Dave Lamb as Ghost of Christmas Past. Webb is fantastic as the upbeat but downtrodden everyman, Fry is good as a mean money grabbing and bully like villain, and other cast members do really well also. It is knowingly silly, it reminds you of the stupidity of characters in films like Airplane! You can definitely recognise the obvious references to the best Dickens tales as well, such as The Old Curiosity Shop, Bleak House, David Copperfield, (The Life and Adventures of) Martin Chuzzlewit, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol, it was broadcast at Christmas, quite appropriately, it is something all the family can enjoy, if you like old fashioned costume period programmes, or a mock up of them, then this is a fine choice, a funny Dickensian style comedy. Very good!
Blubius Gishroom
I thought it a smashing success in so far as it managed to uncover our expectations towards these oldy-timey-feely Christmas programs and build up a not-altogether-unpleasant-to-the-eye caricature or formula of the whole business. In our silly and trusting ways, we incline towards taking that, which is portrayed in a more serious manner, as trustworthy representation of actual fact, or indeed merely more likely to convey 'the way it really-really was', the selling of dodo-crisps or what have you is perfect in so far as it exposes the core of the genre (and of the entire medium, while we're on the subject) as something that is wholly constructed and artificial. One wasn't 'sucked in' as with films that are more tightly woven, but the characters, albeit superficial, were still entirely charming on an as-is basis and as the unnaturalness disturbed the viewer, it also set off a thought process thereby also including the them, which is something that these mini-holidays usually don't succeed in doing. So nods to Messrs Mitchell, Webb and Fry.
Wednesday_Next
I don't know if it's just the vast wasteland of American TV that makes my opinion so different from the last two reviewers, but I thought this was pretty gently funny and fairly clever. The cgi effects were lovely, the actors may be old hat to the Brits, but are delightful for those of us across the pond to watch. And I just love Stephen Fry. I found it family entertainment for anyone whose kids have passed 9th grade English. It was a lot like the recent Terry Pratchett specials (Color of Magic and Hogfather). Not hilarious, not award- winning writing, but an enjoyable effort, and well worth a cup of hot chocolate and a few laughs.
