Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Telly addicts

Related: Film discussion forum.

Original poster

Did anybody else watch Ab Fab Xmas Special and think it was disappointing crap?

43 replies

RaPaPaPumPumBootyMum · 28/12/2011 11:26

I just expected so much more.

The jokes were lame and the laugh track inappropriate.

I mean the characters would just stand there doing something banal like smoking a cigarette and the canned audience would laugh hysterically Xmas Hmm

I ended up switching off about half way through, I think it was when the ditzy PA was doing some manic schtick which was meant to be highly amusing. Well the audience seemed to think so anyway!

Did anyone else see it and what did you think?

OP posts:
happynew2012 · 28/12/2011 11:28

Was it a one off or the start of a new series?
I wished they'd done a royle family special
Or Gavin & Stacey, there Xmas special was great

Original poster
RaPaPaPumPumBootyMum · 28/12/2011 11:33

I think it was a one of?

But not sure.

OP posts:
fuzzypeach1750 · 28/12/2011 11:34

We sky+ it, watched it yesterday. God it was dull. So disappointing Sad

FlossieFromCrapstonVillas · 28/12/2011 11:36

I knew it'd be crap. Bubbles does not work as a late 40 yr old. Cringe.

TheOriginalNutcracker · 28/12/2011 11:40

There is one more on nye, or nyd.

I thought it was ok, but not great.

limitedperiodonly · 28/12/2011 12:01

The laughter track was desperate

HollyGoDroopy · 28/12/2011 12:03

It was crap. Didn't know why she had been in prison either, does anyone else?

ChippingInLovesChristmasLights · 28/12/2011 12:07

It was crap. I was really disappointed - expectred so much more. I think Bubbles could still work - but her part in this, as with the othersm was just pathetic, Epic fail.

No, no idea why she'd been in prison & so out of character it wasn't a good start.

Original poster
RaPaPaPumPumBootyMum · 28/12/2011 12:34

I think daughter was in prison over something to do with passport fraud?

But it wasn't really explained and seemed a completely random plot development.

Did not fit the character at all.

OP posts:
tribpot · 28/12/2011 12:40

I think the general gist was she'd been helping refugees and sort of accidentally got sucked in to a passport fraud. It made no sense, really - esp as she'd apparently been top dog in 'pris' but then completely unable to assert herself with the scary prisoner on the outside.

Thumbinnapuddingwitch · 28/12/2011 12:49

Just watched it on iplayer - yes, Saffy had been sucked into passport fraud scheme. The ex-con Barron made sure that Saffy was top dog, because she knew that Saffy was linked to Patsy, although that bit isn't made abundantly clear, it can be inferred from what happens.

I thought there were some funny bits, it's not as good as it used to be but Julia Sawalha still looks so young!

Bubbles' hair was the biggest nightmare - think Kath'n'Kim had too much influence on that!

Original poster
RaPaPaPumPumBootyMum · 28/12/2011 14:40

Yeah, but at least Kath 'n' Kim was funny Xmas Grin

OP posts:
Thumbinnapuddingwitch · 28/12/2011 21:52

True! Although I did think that Bubble having to drink an entire bottle of champers so she didn't spill any of it on the wooden work surfaces was funny - her face was, anyway!

kreechergotstuckupthechimney · 29/12/2011 07:25

I watched this last night. Twas dreadful. So bad in fact that I didn't finish it.

BrigitBigKnickers · 29/12/2011 13:41

Truly truly awful.

They all looked soooooooo old.

tribpot · 29/12/2011 15:48

Well, obviously they can't help looking old. A lot of time has passed! Sticking with the theme of Edina and Patsy refusing to grow old gracefully seems reasonable, if that's what they'd actually done. Instead of some half-arsed drugs plot, yawn.

tribpot · 29/12/2011 18:38

Unfortunately there are two more specials to come.

LineRunner · 29/12/2011 20:53

I'm watching the repeat tonight with DS.

Will hope it's better than you all think!

LineRunner · 30/12/2011 12:03

Oh.

Hmmm.

The laughter track was hideous.

tribpot · 30/12/2011 12:07

Did Ab Fab always have a laughter track? I don't watch enough comedy sit-coms these days to know if it's normal or perhaps a nod to the American market. Mind you, I still (just) remember the day when Beeb 2 accidentally broadcast MAS*H with the laughter track left on - much wailing and gnashing of teeth on Points of View that week. (Nearly as many as when Nelson Mandela's release cut into Antiques Roadshow but I digress).

I suppose one of the most notable things about it was that there was no fashion in it. Why not?

watersign76 · 30/12/2011 13:07

We thought it was dull too.

I did used to watch it, but in addition to it not being that funny, I think it probably doesn't translate as well in 2011.

PR as an industry has been exposed as manipulative and having a darker side (Andy Coulson as an eg), rather than just 'champers & fun' (which I know it wasn't actually but that is the idea that the original series traded on)- and I say all this as somebody that works in comms - and b) in austere times, just not sure it is that funny to see people with loads of money spending it/wasting it/drinking it.

On a superficial note thought they all looked good considering it was a number of years on!

limitedperiodonly · 30/12/2011 14:25

There was fashion in it but it was really self-conscious - Edina and Patsy doing a whirlwind shopping trip with bags from The Kooples and Zadig+Voltaire to show it was still up-to-the-minute.

LineRunner · 30/12/2011 14:47

I thought they all looked slightly uncomfortable, apart from JoLu who was effortless.

LordOfTheFlies · 30/12/2011 18:59

i put the catch-up on to watch holby, but it froze so i had 'ab-fab' on background to bbc1 catch-up.

there was no picture,just sound. tbh ,that was bad enough.

excuse no capitals, guinea-pig has hijacked my arm.

Bunbaker · 30/12/2011 19:11

Yes I watched it, no I wasn't disappointed. I found the last series rather dull and gave up on it, so I had low expectations. This episode was much funnier than the last AB Fab I watched so I wasn't disappointed at all.