TiVo Community Forums Archives - 10/23 Coupling

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10/23 Coupling - Original US Ep.
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Posted by: mrs-j

I'm surprised I haven't seen a discussion of this here yet. Did anyone get a chance to watch? Did you like it?

I watched it last night and found it was one of the funniest ones so far. So did my husband. He suspects it was funnier because they don't have to fit into the British-style script.

The main jarring problem for me now is that Jeff is simply not Jeff. He's a wiseass and all, but he's not Jeff. :(

Liked the car talk though, and the "stalker" :D

Posted by: kimsan

quote:
Originally posted by mrs-j
...He suspects it was funnier because they don't have to fit into the British-style script.

The main jarring problem for me now is that Jeff is simply not Jeff. He's a wiseass and all, but he's not Jeff. :(

Liked the car talk though, and the "stalker" :D

I'd agree on all points. "Jane" was once again the best of the bunch. "Patrick" was amusing, though BBC Patrick never seems self-conscious enough to harbor image doubts. "Steve and Susan" were really okay. "Sally" was simply some lines coming from a nondescript character.

Sadly the "Jeff" we love (he of neuroses and compellingly bizarre theories of life) was still absent. :(

The SP lives on hope for another week.

Posted by: rtype

I don't really get the whole comparing this show to the original thing. If you just want the original, watch that instead.

I liked the ep, but I do think NBC is going to kill the show.

Posted by: vman41

I think each set of characters should be allowed to develop on their own.

About this week's episode, isn't the Steve character a little too young to be a Kansas fan?

Posted by: edc

quote:
Originally posted by kimsan
The SP lives on hope for another week.

...or four, since NBC has pulled it for sweeps :(

With regards to the thread, no doubt this was the best of the bunch so far. I've heard good things about the other originals. Let's just hope we get a chance to see them...

Posted by: scott408

Also did they hint that Steve's job has something to do with music? I thought he was a writer?

Posted by: edc

quote:
Originally posted by scott408
Also did they hint that Steve's job has something to do with music? I thought he was a writer?

Steve (US) is a music critic, which (IMHO) qualifies as being a writer.

Steve (UK) has never had his job mentioned on the show. His lack of regular hours, casual dress, and hints from Steven Moffat have led to the conclusion he is "a writer." He *may* be a music critic.

Both versions have lots of CDs and a guitar strewn about their respective apartments.

Posted by: ClutchBrake

I thought the script was good but, again, the acting was poor. It was much easier to enjoy because I couldn't compare it to the original.

Posted by: Unbeliever

quote:
Originally posted by edc

Steve (UK) has never had his job mentioned on the show. His lack of regular hours, casual dress, and hints from Steven Moffat have led to the conclusion he is "a writer." He *may* be a music critic.

Hmm. That might be some backstory on how Steve met Jeff. Jeff(UK) seems to have been a DJ, or at least as a side-hobby. He has a pair of turntables, a mixer, headphones, lots of milk crates and a wall full of vinyl in his apartment and was seen using them.

--Carlos V.

Posted by: mrs-j

I don't think Steve is too young to be a Kansas fan. He's about my age and we definitely knew of (but perhaps didn't follow) Kansas. :)

Posted by: Steveknj

quote:
Originally posted by mrs-j
I don't think Steve is too young to be a Kansas fan. He's about my age and we definitely knew of (but perhaps didn't follow) Kansas. :)

How old are the charachters supposed to be? I assumed late 20s, early 30s. If that's the case, then he would probably be too young to be a Kansas fan who remembers when Dust in the Wind came out and went to concerts when they were popular which I believe had been mentioned. Kansas' height of popularity was the mid 70s, which would be just about when these characters were born. If they are in their late 30s or early 40s, then they are VERY well preserved!!

Posted by: magaggie

I actually enjoyed the episode and laughed quite a bit. I got the impression that since it was an original episode, the actors didn't feel like they had to "mimic" their British counterparts, and could just work the script. Sally, for example, was definitely not the same character as BritishSally, but I didn't think that she was bad, just different. Even Patrick and Jeff didn't feel quite as wrong when I didn't have the British cast to compare them to.

I think maybe that's what feels wrong about USCoupling - they're trying to be exactly the same as UKCoupling, when American humor and timing aren't the same as British humor. I think I'll continue to like the "non-duplicate" episodes better.

Posted by: mrs-j

I think the characters are supposed to be between 30 and 35. I'm 33 myself. I was indeed too young to go to Kansas concerts in the mid-70's, but I listened to the music on the radio a lot. I know all the lyrics to "Dust in the Wind" and a few others. (I am ashamed of this. ;) ) I don't think its outside the realm of possibility that he could be a die-hard fan.

I am a die-hard Beatles fan. I wasn't even around for most of their reign. I could have never possibly made it to a concert. Still, I own every album and know every song by heart.

Posted by: LlamaLarry

I am so not a fan of the US version and if this episode will charcterize the rest of their original efforts I may not make it. :(

I did notice the intro change which was so short they should have skipped it all together. I have noticed a lot of NBC shows seem to be fans of the quickie title intro, as if we neeed 15 more seconds of their laugh track.

I would have enjoyed a US version of "Inferno" to see how they handle it with US censors. The UK one with the Hebrew speaking gal would be an interesting one to try over here as well.

Posted by: Demandred

I thought it was awesome. Gives me hope for the rest of the original scripts, and also kinda makes me wish they would not re-do British scripts.

The best part was Jeff's "Foreplay bank" theory.

Posted by: GDG76

What a bunch of crap this show is. It's like Friends only worse. I didn't think it was possible.

No one talks like they do. No one has relationships like they do. No one goes out and buys cars like that. It seems like they took the stupid stuff from Maxim and build a script around it.

Even with a new script it seems like they are still in a high school play.

Baleeted!

drew

Posted by: Steveknj

quote:
Originally posted by mrs-j
I think the characters are supposed to be between 30 and 35. I'm 33 myself. I was indeed too young to go to Kansas concerts in the mid-70's, but I listened to the music on the radio a lot. I know all the lyrics to "Dust in the Wind" and a few others. (I am ashamed of this. ;) ) I don't think its outside the realm of possibility that he could be a die-hard fan.

I am a die-hard Beatles fan. I wasn't even around for most of their reign. I could have never possibly made it to a concert. Still, I own every album and know every song by heart.

That's true, he could be a fan, but if I recall, he mentioned something about buying the album or listening to the song when it first came out or going to a concert. I think the script writers are probably older than the characters ;) Now if he had picked some lame 80's band, it would have seemed a bit more in sync with their age group.

Posted by: rtype

quote:
Originally posted by mrs-j
I think the characters are supposed to be between 30 and 35. I'm 33 myself. I was indeed too young to go to Kansas concerts in the mid-70's, but I listened to the music on the radio a lot.

I'm younger than you and saw Kansas live in 89. They are a staple of classic rock radio, which I think spans multiple demographics.

And you guys are nit-picky as hell, by the way.

Posted by: Dawnathan

According to the official Kansas website , their first album was released in 1974 - too early for anyone currently in the 30-35 age group to have much awareness. BUT "Best of Kansas" was released in 1984, with 9 albums in between. Kansas is actually *currently* on tour, so it is not unreasonable that they were on tour in the early-mid 80's. I went to my first concert in 1984 myself - chaperoned (I was 14), and I will never forget it. I'm still a fan of that performer, even though my musical tastes have changed. So it's not inconceivable that Steve could be a big Kansas fan, and have gone to a concert or two in his youth. Remember, also, that Bill & Ted (who are in the same age group, having been seniors in high school in 1989) were Kansas fans (Dust... Wind... Dude...).

Dawn

Posted by: Steveknj

quote:
Originally posted by Dawnathan
According to the official Kansas website , their first album was released in 1974 - too early for anyone currently in the 30-35 age group to have much awareness. BUT "Best of Kansas" was released in 1984, with 9 albums in between. Kansas is actually *currently* on tour, so it is not unreasonable that they were on tour in the early-mid 80's. I went to my first concert in 1984 myself - chaperoned (I was 14), and I will never forget it. I'm still a fan of that performer, even though my musical tastes have changed. So it's not inconceivable that Steve could be a big Kansas fan, and have gone to a concert or two in his youth. Remember, also, that Bill & Ted (who are in the same age group, having been seniors in high school in 1989) were Kansas fans (Dust... Wind... Dude...).

Dawn

Not to be nit-picky, I kind of recall (I already deleted the show from my TiVO) that he mentioned something about "when Dust in the Wind came out". Maybe I heard it wrong.

Posted by: rtype

quote:
Originally posted by Steveknj
Not to be nit-picky, I kind of recall (I already deleted the show from my TiVO) that he mentioned something about "when Dust in the Wind came out". Maybe I heard it wrong.

"Dust in the Wind" came out in 78 and I remember when it came out too. Same year as "Runnin With The Devil," "Renegade," and "Fat Bottom Girls" and not long after "Detroit Rock City." Some of us were into music when we were kids--it's not THAT unusual. Jeez.

Posted by: vman41

quote:
Originally posted by Steveknj
Not to be nit-picky, I kind of recall (I already deleted the show from my TiVO) that he mentioned something about "when Dust in the Wind came out". Maybe I heard it wrong.

I remember him mentioning the "Point of Know Return" album in relation to disco era, but no specific mention of "Dust in the Wind" specifically. BTW, DitW was far from the best song on that album, in the same way that "Heart of Gold" was far from the best song on Neil Young's "Harvest" release.