Catastrophe: Episode 1
June 20, 2015 12:04 PM - Season 1, Episode 1 - Subscribe
Rob (Rob Delaney of Twitter fame) and Sharon (Sharon Horgan of Pulling fame) have a wild week of virtually anonymous sex while he's in London. Months later, she calls him out of the blue to tell him she's pregnant. He moves across the Atlantic to raise the baby with her.
Sharon and Rob know so little about each other that she's in his phone as "Sharon (London Sex)", and she meets him at the airport with a sign that says "Rob ?", and only then do they tell each other their last names. His is Norris, hers is Morris.
The two go to dinner with her friends Fran and Chris, who provide a horrible example of marriage (Mark Bonnar's eyes as he describes the trap he's in are absolutely insane).
Catastrophe aired in England earlier this year on Channel 4 (which ordered a second season* after two episodes had aired), and is now available on Amazon Prime Instant Video.
* -- Or a second series, if you will.
Sharon and Rob know so little about each other that she's in his phone as "Sharon (London Sex)", and she meets him at the airport with a sign that says "Rob ?", and only then do they tell each other their last names. His is Norris, hers is Morris.
The two go to dinner with her friends Fran and Chris, who provide a horrible example of marriage (Mark Bonnar's eyes as he describes the trap he's in are absolutely insane).
Catastrophe aired in England earlier this year on Channel 4 (which ordered a second season* after two episodes had aired), and is now available on Amazon Prime Instant Video.
* -- Or a second series, if you will.
I enjoyed the first few episodes ( I fell away from the second half of the series through no fault of the programme itself). Funny and quite 'grown-up'.
It is this grown-up-ness I find noticeable, and sort of disturbing. By grown-up I don't mean "adult" as in ribald (though it does have that) but the fact there is emotional depth and responses other than just comedy. Along the same lines as the recent comedy 'The Walshes', there is a sweetness and elicitations of sympathy and warm-fuzziness that used not to be up my street. My question is, am I getting old/soft and my tastes changing, or does Catastrophe (and The Walshes) represent the fact that good comedy does not need to be heartless a la my previous favourites such as 'Always Sunny' or 'Seinfeld'?
posted by Gratishades at 4:46 AM on June 22, 2015
It is this grown-up-ness I find noticeable, and sort of disturbing. By grown-up I don't mean "adult" as in ribald (though it does have that) but the fact there is emotional depth and responses other than just comedy. Along the same lines as the recent comedy 'The Walshes', there is a sweetness and elicitations of sympathy and warm-fuzziness that used not to be up my street. My question is, am I getting old/soft and my tastes changing, or does Catastrophe (and The Walshes) represent the fact that good comedy does not need to be heartless a la my previous favourites such as 'Always Sunny' or 'Seinfeld'?
posted by Gratishades at 4:46 AM on June 22, 2015
My wife and I loved this show. Ridiculously good adult humor. (Same caveat as above).
Also, way too many bits hit really close to home for us. (Met in our mid 30s. Had a 'scare', then another.. now married)
posted by DigDoug at 10:59 AM on July 6, 2015
Also, way too many bits hit really close to home for us. (Met in our mid 30s. Had a 'scare', then another.. now married)
posted by DigDoug at 10:59 AM on July 6, 2015
Some of the one-liners in this are just great. My wife and I died at "They told my brother he had polio when he was ten, but it turned out he just was clumsy!"
Like Gratishades noted above, I really appreciate the complex adult tone of the show in between the silliness. Episode 4 is a real standout with regard to this.
I'm glad that it's not trying to overmine the material, but the traditional 6-episode British series format does mean it's over almost as soon as it started.
posted by JauntyFedora at 11:30 AM on July 6, 2015
Like Gratishades noted above, I really appreciate the complex adult tone of the show in between the silliness. Episode 4 is a real standout with regard to this.
I'm glad that it's not trying to overmine the material, but the traditional 6-episode British series format does mean it's over almost as soon as it started.
posted by JauntyFedora at 11:30 AM on July 6, 2015
i adore this show! yes, grownup. it just feels so real and raw, but also tender and sweet.
posted by nadawi at 7:33 PM on November 12, 2015
posted by nadawi at 7:33 PM on November 12, 2015
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posted by EndsOfInvention at 7:05 AM on June 21, 2015