Alan Partridge is back! Here are the best bits of his BBC return (and what people thought of it)
Alan Partridge made his eagerly awaited return to the small screen last night in BBC1’s This Time.
Just in case you missed it – or if you watched it and wanted to enjoy it again – here are a few of the best bits, courtesy of @BBCComedy.
First up, this is basically the entire show in 60 seconds.
He came. He saw. He gave us chat. Welcome back to the BBC, Alan Partridge! #ThisTime pic.twitter.com/oG2RUGl7RS
— BBC Comedy (@bbccomedy) February 25, 2019
The Fluck/Clunt bit in full.
This has absolutely made my year!!! #alanpartridge #thistime #clunt pic.twitter.com/gPP8WDa3U1
— Rich Fluck (@Richfluck) February 25, 2019
The final bit, about ‘Bedroom-based do-badders known as hacktivists’ was probably our favourite bit. Felt like vintage Alan.
Inside the online life of Alan Partridge. #ThisTime pic.twitter.com/7RIfO8AWjG
— BBC Comedy (@bbccomedy) February 25, 2019
Lots of people enjoyed his hands free train toilet drill.
Alan Partridge’s Hands-Free Train Toilet Drill will revolutionise your life. #AlanPartridge #ThisTime pic.twitter.com/WVTXYPU4AF
— BBC Comedy (@bbccomedy) February 25, 2019
Here are all the awkward silences in one place.
This Time With Alan Partridge but just awkward silences #ThisTime #AlanPartridge pic.twitter.com/bRjiKHDbQC
— Pip (@pipmadeley) February 25, 2019
And it was very reassuring to see the return of his put-upon personal assistant, Lynn.
Lynn peaks. #AlanPartridge #ThisTime pic.twitter.com/F6j2v4WGtI
— BBC Comedy (@bbccomedy) February 25, 2019
It ended about as well as it began.
The beauty of live television. #AlanPartridge #ThisTime pic.twitter.com/iFflH4sqdd
— BBC Comedy (@bbccomedy) February 25, 2019
And this is what people made of it. Not all of them, obviously.
1.
Watched the new Alan Partridge show.
The 1st 2 minutes was funnier than every single episode of The Big Bang Theory— joe heenan (@joeheenan) February 25, 2019
2.
https://twitter.com/ImIncorrigible/status/1100153030664695809
3.
I thought Partridge was brilliant. A lot riding on it and I felt the first 5 minutes were deliberately downbeat. But 10 minutes in we were all laughing a lot. And Christ knows we need laughter.
— Otto English (@Otto_English) February 25, 2019
4.
– #ThisTime – Alan doing a piece on cleaning your hands….
"Hi Jean!"
"Hi".— Matt J. Horn (@MatthewJHorn) February 25, 2019
5.
#ThisTime is making me actually dizzy. Going cross-eyed at the detail. This is on @BBCOne. Comedy rammed with amazing jokes.
— Julia Raeside (@JNRaeside) February 25, 2019
6.
Well that was class. #ThisTime
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) February 25, 2019
7.
The Tim Key bit in Alan Partridge was my highlight, not practising the interactive screen and it going entirely wrong was an excellent touch.
— Paul Groom (@MrPaulGroom) February 25, 2019
8.
The “Fluck/Clunt” mistake is one of the best “do the maths in your head” jokes I’ve ever heard. #ThisTime
— Andrew Ellard (@ellardent) February 25, 2019
9.
Alan Partridge miming how to use the loo without using your hands is possibly the funniest thing that I have ever seen #AlanPartridge #ThisTime
— Ben Redpath (@thebenredpath) February 25, 2019
10.
“Partridge you wanker” and his reaction on the roving report floored me
— Simon from Harlow (@simonfromharlow) February 26, 2019
11.
#ThisTime was bloody brilliant. I love it so much.
— Matt Edmondson (@MattEdmondson) February 25, 2019
12.
“Some viewers may find his appearance alarming” #ThisTime #Neville pic.twitter.com/VQne3gcdai
— TheBear (@TribalGoat) February 25, 2019
13.
Making the sound of footsteps across a studio floor funny, and then doing it again and it being funny again. #Partridge
— Tom Freeman (@SnoozeInBrief) February 25, 2019
But not everyone liked it and we quite liked this little debate that it started.
My problem with Partridge last night was possibly that it was too much like Knowing Me, Knowing You with it’s fake show format whereas the truly genius Partridge is him outside studio environment particularly in the Travel Tavern.
— Rob Burley (@RobBurl) February 26, 2019
Agreed. Sadly, it just didn’t work. And it’s satirising shows like the One Show which is just bland, and GMB, which is unwittingly self-satirical. The format didn’t seem the right vehicle for the humour.
— Guy Walters (@guywalters) February 26, 2019
You’re wrong about this, Guy. You didn’t find it funny, which is a different thing. It wasn’t satirising The One Show. Just a framing device. It’s burrowing into Alan. And brilliantly/horribly. You not liking it is not a sign that it failed, ultimately. I stand firm on this.
— Julia Raeside (@JNRaeside) February 26, 2019
It’s a stale framing device. Seen it all before. Alan is crap at chat shows and it all goes wrong. Yawn. Old-fashioned enough to think that if comedy doesn’t make you laugh, it’s not funny.
— Guy Walters (@guywalters) February 26, 2019
Bad argument. If comedy doesn’t make you laugh but makes lots of other people laugh, it is funny, but your taste is different. Comedy doesn’t work in dismissive absolutes. Mrs Brown’s Boys and Vic and Bob and Fleabag are all funny, though you may not laugh at all of them.
— Joel Morris (@gralefrit) February 26, 2019
For what it’s worth, new AP format allows for KMKY interviews, TDT packages, MMM studio relationships and IAP backstage interactions with Lynn etc. It’s a masterclass in formatting to allow the best of the character’s previous schtick to play. It’s far from stale.
— Joel Morris (@gralefrit) February 26, 2019
You may not have laughed at it, but it’s funny. It’s hard to credit that in your own silent living room, but against an audience full of laughing people, the argument that it “isn’t funny” does no damage to the show but makes you sound like Margo Leadbetter. (Who was very funny.)
— Joel Morris (@gralefrit) February 26, 2019
Audience somewhat more divided than you suggest. Wasn’t the only one with a silent living-room!
— Guy Walters (@guywalters) February 26, 2019
Comedy is divisive. That’s why it’s high risk compared to drama and other forms, and requires sympathetic, bold handling, and also manufacture in broad, large quantities to satisfy many tastes. Which isn’t happening as much as it should, putting more pressure on each show.
— Joel Morris (@gralefrit) February 26, 2019
Yeah, forget all that. Have I got a second series?
— Shaun Dunbabin (@ShaunDun) February 26, 2019
