"Better a fallen rocket than never a burst of light."
~ Tom Stoppard, The Invention of Love

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Getting On: Series 2, Episode 1 (2010)

 
As I continue to watch Getting On, I’m struck by how dissimilar it really is to the Gervais/Merchant projects I previously compared it to.  Its vein of discomfort rings a bell, but in actual fact, there are large sections that I simply don’t find all that funny.  Often, the uncomfortable moments are tense and affecting, and yet they’re not ridiculous.  If I’m going to use The Office comparison, I’d say it’s heavier on “David accuses Dawn of stealing” moments than “Gareth interrogates Donna in the meeting room” moments.  While the show definitely has some comedy, I don’t feel it’s the driving force, and for the most part, it’s not real laugh-out-loud comedy.
 
What’s interesting is that this doesn’t really bother me.  It’s a half-hour program, which nigh-invariably spells “sitcom,” and it has some comedy framework, but it’s a different sort of program.  That’s all right, in my opinion.  I’m appreciating it for what it is.
 
In this, the season 2 premiere, matters pick up where they left off.  Power struggles are greatly featured; Pippa’s orders regarding the ward are inevitably at odds with the decrees of Hilary, the (male) matron of the hospital, and Den and Kim are forever stuck in the middle.  Additionally, Den butts heads with a self-important but clueless med student, and three guesses as to which one Pippa sides with?  I can imagine how aggravating it must be to have your skills/judgment questioned by someone who is obviously far less knowledgeable about the matter than you, especially when they’re significantly younger as well.
 
Not much to say about PC’s direction in this episode.  He has to tackle one of the more difficult states to capture on film or television:  a tremendously foul odor.  A homeless Jane Doe brought to the ward is, apparently, simply “honking,” and it’s up to PC and the writers/performers to convey that.  By and large, I’d say they’re successful, although it veers pretty strongly back to uncomfortable.
 
Warnings
 
Discussion of the above-mentioned odor is pretty gross.

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