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- PBS
- Apr 29, 2013
- PBS
- Apr 29, 2013
Summary Freddie Thornhill (Ian McKellen) and Stuart Bixby (Derek Jacobi) have been living in their flat together for nearly 50 years, and now spend their days entertaining guests, arguing and taking care of their old dog Balthazar.
Created By: Gary Janetti, Mark Ravenhill
- PBS
- Apr 29, 2013
- PBS
- Apr 29, 2013
Summary Freddie Thornhill (Ian McKellen) and Stuart Bixby (Derek Jacobi) have been living in their flat together for nearly 50 years, and now spend their days entertaining guests, arguing and taking care of their old dog Balthazar.
Created By: Gary Janetti, Mark Ravenhill
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 14 Critic Reviews
63
57% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
29% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
14% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
Metascore
Generally Favorable
Based on 14 Critic Reviews
63
57% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
29% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
14% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
This sitcom is simply infectious. [4 Jul 2014, p.60]
It’s like watching old episodes of “Served” or “Keeping Up Appearances” or “Allo Allo”: slightly horrifying, like a slow-motion train wreck, but also, every few minutes, convulsingly funny. This has everything to do with Mr. Jacobi and Mr. McKellen.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 19 User Ratings
7.6
79% Positive
15 Ratings
15 Ratings
16% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
5% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 19 User Ratings
7.6
79% Positive
15 Ratings
15 Ratings
16% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
5% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Vicious is a bloody brilliant sitcom, terrible that a third series is not being made. For years I have watched the quality of sitcoms here in the US decline into abysmally unfunny rubbish, Vicious has been a bright comedy amongst a deteriorating American television landscape with funny characters, solid stories, and very well acted - it's full of humor keeping me laughing! It can only be hoped the series will be resurrected to preserve good sitcom television!
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SEASON 1
McKellen and Jacobi, who are, of course, giants of their profession, are clearly having a lark with Vicious, and you'd be foolish not to want in on the fun.
Sounding like an old married couple, the interplay between the two is, at times, bitingly and laugh-out-loud funny. But it also becomes tedious.
The mean-spirited (if ultimately loving) nature of the series could easily be a turn-off for some. Others will simply wish the writing was as consistently clever as McKellen’s line readings.
McKellen and Jacobi seem to have a fun time slinging the insults, but before long, the show starts repeating itself, almost as if it’s going senile right before our eyes.
The show is, essentially, three dated, clichéd jokes told over and over again.
I wouldn't disagree if you were to knock Vicious and say it's hit and miss, but there's something appealing about it (most likely the stellar cast) and you can always grin and bear the jokes that don't stick to the wall of funny. Derek and Ian make an adorable couple.
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SEASON 1
containing not an ounce of originality or real wit this old fashioned styled sitcom forces good actors to resort to desperate mugging, and they still fail to elicit laughs. To say that this is misconceived is an under statement. It would barely have worked in the seventies. Dismally leaden and unfunny.
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SEASON 1
Great actors delivering mediocre lines. I suspect a number of **** people will find this show to be a bit offensive. I happen to be an old, straight person and I found much of the humor to be offensive. Let's replace "offensive" with simply "not funny". There were maybe two or three genuinely funny lines in the entire 23 minutes of show time.
One thing is clear. British TV producers have no better idea than do those in the US of how to effectively use a recorded laugh track. The pseudo-studio-audience of this show found every single line to be hilarious. One of the worst laugh tracks on television.
Damn! Love the cast -- pretty much hate the show.
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SEASON 1
This would be better for me if it were on stage, where the overacting and exaggerated lines would be more appropriate. The raucous laughter whenever there was a mildly amusing wry line, no matter how well delivered, was annoying, so I'd like to see the intrusive and inappropriate laugh track gone.
Love the actors and the premise of the show, but I won't watch again. Disappointed.
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SEASON 1
