What Didn't You Like About SHH?

Come on, no show is perfect, even Chris's.

You learn from your mistakes so lets let him know what we didn't really like/enjoy about SHH.

I think all of the character's stories have a little bit of a drag mid series. It's not really noticeable if you watch the episodes separately but when I pretty much watched them all in a day I could feel it.

This isn't so much a problem but I loved Ja'mie's mum in We Can Be Heroes and the arguments Ja'mie had with her and I would have loved to have seen more of that this series. It would have also been great to see the home life of Mr. G and Jonah (especially Jonah because his dad is so funny).

And again, I don't really know if this is a bad thing... but the three characters kinda feel like they go to three different schools. I wouldn't have liked to have seen the characters meet each other but maybe just a glimpse of Mr. G yawning in Ja'mie's assembly or something.

Watching SHH before WCBH, i thought maybe he kept them all separate because it would be hard for him to have the characters meet...

but now that i've watched wcbh and they were able to blend the 2 twins in the same scene together, there's no reason why they couldn't have tried that with shh...at least pass through the halls together.

off the top of my head, i can't think of anything different he could have done. I will probably end up watching shh again, and usually you can pick up on the things that you missed the first time around.

Now that I think of it, i never did watch the first episode...

The first episode's one of my favourites. Mr. G is hilarious as he struggles for power under the head of drama Meredith. And Ja'mie arrives at the school and is given a tour and then does a talk in assembly. The video from Hilford School is really funny as well.

I love the continuity from both series, how they filmed Hillford at the same place.

I believe making fun of disabled people is wrong. No ifs or buts.

Its different mocking a sexual orientation or even a race because they can defend themselves, disabled people can't.

I used to work with disabled kids who suffered from Down syndrome and Asbergs Syndrome (my mums best friends daughter has Asbergs) and they were the most beautiful and nicest kids ever and to see them being made fun of and discriminated against isn't funny.

I'm not blaming Chris or think any less of him because he is portraying a character who unfortunately thinks and feels that way about certain people. Unfortunately i have dealt with selfish, shallow people like Mr G in the past so i understand where Chris is coming from, I just don't like having to be reminded of them in the show.

Niccicola wrote:Watching SHH before WCBH, i thought maybe he kept them all separate because it would be hard for him to have the characters meet...

but now that i've watched wcbh and they were able to blend the 2 twins in the same scene together, there's no reason why they couldn't have tried that with shh...at least pass through the halls together.

off the top of my head, i can't think of anything different he could have done. I will probably end up watching shh again, and usually you can pick up on the things that you missed the first time around.

Now that I think of it, i never did watch the first episode...

You must see it.

Jonah, Ben, Ranga = 'nuff said.

I can see where you're coming from. I always assumed that by showing a character like Mr. G be the way he is Chris was showing the public how far society has come that we laugh at him and not the people. Of course, there are sure to be those watching doing the opposite. But yes, it is still uncomfortable to watch. But you can really see that (for example) Toby is a great guy. And Nathan in WCBH is brilliant too. But yes... it's something that's been covered and doesn't necessarily need to be covered again.

This is a little off topic but do any of you guys know who Mark Wutton is? If you don't please You Tube him for his shows 'My New Best Friend' and 'High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman'. They're great examples of improvised character comedy. My New Best Friend is sort of a gameshow where contestants must spend a weekend with one of Mark's characters (although they don't know he's a 'character') and try to pass him off as a genuine friend. It's one of the funniest things I've ever seen. 'High Spirits' is a spoof of paranormal 'talking to the dead' studio shows where the people in the audience don't know that he's not a real physic.

I mention these shows because like Chris Lilley, he pushed boundaries with his characters. For example, Shirley Ghostman contacted the 'dead famous' and channeled them. So he channeled the spirits of Princess Diana, Freddy Mercury, Colonel Sanders and even 'Adam from Adam and Eve. Don't laugh!'

However he was on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in character as Shirley Ghostman and after the BBC received loads of complaints for some of the stuff he said relating to gay people and black people they canceled his second series and he has done stuff for the BBC till this year (a so-so sketch show). It was so upsetting. Britain has a very complainy population - I'm not sure about Australia. But could this one day happen to Chris? Could something he says be taken the wrong way?

I started watching SHH from the second episode when it started in the UK. The first episode was up on youtube so I watched the first after I watched a couple of episodes on TV and I agree it's definitely a must see! So many classic moments are in it.

When it comes to things I didn't necessarily like about SHH, I thought that episodes 6 and 7 kinda dipped in quality because they weren't as strong and funny as the other episodes but that's just my opinion. They still had great moments like 'Being A Poly' and Mr. G's resignation etc. Also I appreciate the fact that a good percentage of it was improvised and Ja'mie and her friends were chatting like normal teenage girls but there were times when they were all talking at the same time and it was kinda hard to figure out what each of them were saying on some occasions. Again, just my opinion!

Yeah there will always be quite mixed feelings when it comes to the work of comedians who like to push the boundaries. I see where you guys are coming from when it comes to handling certain issues like disability and stuff like that and loads of things can be taken out of context which is why there can be public outrage once the media latches on to it. I do see where you're coming from Violet about being reminded about people who think that way about disabled people. Admittedly, I was kind of shocked when I first saw that scene between Mr G and Rodney talking about special education kids especially when he said "They've had a life of not being good enough, surely they know it by now" and wondered how he could get away with saying something like that on screen but then quickly realised that Chris is merely pointing out horrible people like that in the world and he's mocking them, not disabled people.

There was a favourable review by a British journalist who loved SHH but thought that it wouldn't have been commissioned if it was made in the UK because importing is one thing but a British comedian doing the same thing is another. ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/garethmcleanblog/2008/jul/31/watchingthelastepisodeof ) .We do have quite a lot of edgy comedians who are quite un-PC and like to push the boundaries but there are still limitations and there are always people who are quick to criticize them.

I <3 "Being A Poly"

great song!! even if it's pretend...lol

^Being a fob is mad...because you are good at breakdancing.

Spüne wrote:I can see where you're coming from. I always assumed that by showing a character like Mr. G be the way he is Chris was showing the public how far society has come that we laugh at him and not the people. Of course, there are sure to be those watching doing the opposite. But yes, it is still uncomfortable to watch. But you can really see that (for example) Toby is a great guy. And Nathan in WCBH is brilliant too. But yes... it's something that's been covered and doesn't necessarily need to be covered again.

No it doesn't. Luckily some of the kids haven't picked up on the insults/cheap shots. 2 kids that suffer from Asbergs (well they're 19 and 21, not exactly kids) love SHH. Actually one of them burned the special extras DVD for WCBH for me. Hahaha. I've never asked them what they think of Mr G and his nasty shit but they don't seem to care.....thank god.

I'm just wary of them because you have no idea how many used to come crying to me because some shithead teenagers called them "retards" in the street. I found out that 2 of the bullies, were actually training to be childcare assistants! HA!! I wouldn't trust my children under the supervision of two pathetic, heartless pieces of shit like them.

Spüne wrote:However he was on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross in character as Shirley Ghostman and after the BBC received loads of complaints for some of the stuff he said relating to gay people and black people they canceled his second series and he has done stuff for the BBC till this year (a so-so sketch show). It was so upsetting. Britain has a very complainy population - I'm not sure about Australia. But could this one day happen to Chris? Could something he says be taken the wrong way?

Yep. One of my fave shows, Swift and Shift Couriers (Paul Fenech from Fat Pizza's spin off series) had an episode canned because they were ripping on the Australian Army and a solider who was killed in Iraq last year (he shot himself in the face while cleaning a loaded gun.....say no more....) anyway the family found it offensive so the SBS (the TV channel) had to pull the upcoming episode from the air. Paul Fenech and Russel Gilbert (the comedians in the show) issued an apology and said they didn't mean any offense to it. I don't think they did either TBH. They were mocking the Army, cause the army have known to have fucked up in the past.....some legend aired the banned clip on Youtube a few weeks later so i got to see it.

Racist humour would have to be Australias most popular kind of humor so nothing like that would pulled. Hell Fat Pizza would easily have to be the most racist show ever, but they all mock their own hertiages so its accepted i guess.

SmileAWhile wrote:Yeah there will always be quite mixed feelings when it comes to the work of comedians who like to push the boundaries. I see where you guys are coming from when it comes to handling certain issues like disability and stuff like that and loads of things can be taken out of context which is why there can be public outrage once the media latches on to it. I do see where you're coming from Violet about being reminded about people who think that way about disabled people. Admittedly, I was kind of shocked when I first saw that scene between Mr G and Rodney talking about special education kids especially when he said "They've had a life of not being good enough, surely they know it by now" and wondered how he could get away with saying something like that on screen but then quickly realised that Chris is merely pointing out horrible people like that in the world and he's mocking them, not disabled people.

Not cool.

But yes, people do think like that, but also its not good to ENCOURAGE people to think like that either.


Everyone has a different tolerance level, mine stopped when disabled kids specifically were targeted because i've worked with them and seen how upset they can get with teasing. I mean i continued to watch the show but i just didn't see the humor in it.

I like every episode, some episodes are better then others but theres not a specific episode that i do not like.

the great thing is that we all have something in us that can be made fun of, and many comedians have pointed that out in one way or another. some people are better at hiding it but there will always be someone who calls it out.

Some of my mates were like "gonna get drunk on vodka tonight vi?" because its a stereotype that all Russians drink vodka and get drunk but i just laughed. They meant no harm.

and then drank vodka...lol

the only mixed drink i will have is vodka&cranberry

other than that, my only love is for wine but I have no clue what wines are better. I get the cheap stuff at the convenience store and I'm not above drinking from a box.

I have a bit of everything, except beer, i hate beer. But i'm not a huge drinker, only when i go out to a bar/club i might have a couple with my mates.

Yeah I see what you're saying Violet about not encouraging people to think like that. Obviously we know Chris is trying to show that thinking in that way about disabled people is completely wrong but there will be people out there who will take it out of context and who unfortunately think that way. Oh and yeah I agree about loving each episode, I do as well but as you said, some were stronger than others which happens in all TV shows.

at the end of the final episode of SHH there is a scene when theyre leaving school where all three characters are 'there at the same time' just not in the same shot.
and when i was watching the behind the scenes of that bit they said that it would have been too weird for Ja'mie to have met with Leon and the other islander boys, but i think that would have been so funny! mainly to see their reaction, coz theyre used to Chris being Jonah who is 'tough as' and then he would come prancing along in a dress with a girly voice hahaha, that would have been great!

but yea, i would love to see his characters 'meet' in a scene or two in his future projects

xx