UK News

OPINION: In Defence Of Vicious

This week sitcom writer Barry Cryer labelling the ITV comedy vicious as homophobic in an article in the Radio Times. His main complaint seems to be that the main humour of the show is based around insults. <a href="http://www.thegayuk.com/BarryHeap">by Barry Heap</a> | 20th June 2013 <img src="http://www.thegayuk.com/communities/8/004/009/928/388/images/4594274186.png" width="460" height="313" alt="Ian McKellan and Derek Jacobi in Vicious" title="Ian McKellan and Derek Jacobi in Vicious"/> He feels that the portrayal of the characters made “John Inman look restrained”. It seems a strange comment to label at the show which is fronted by two openly gay actors, Sir Ian Mckellen and Derek Jacobi.While it is true that the show relies on stereotypes however these stereotypes do exist and endure. The show was originally entitled “vicious old queens” and that is the area of the gay community that is being shown. It was changed as Sir Ian Mckellen objected to the word old so it was rechristened vicious. If the show was “hurly burley bears” it would be a very different show and would still be argued that it dealt with the stereotypes of the more hirsute man within the gay community.Comedy to a certain extent relies on stereotyping, the eccentric vicar, the old busy body, the loveable rogue but it uses this as a starting point. I would argue that vicious does the same but in a much different way. It shows a married couple who have been together 40 years who bicker and snipe at each other’s foibles but deep down love each other deeply, we all know a couple like this and I suspect for my generation it may remind them of their parents or grandparents. What Vicious does is subvert that by having them as a gay couple, it isn't preachy and it isn't issue led. It relies on the classical set up of 4 people carrying on with their lives, facing conflict and tension. It's situational comedy with a barbed tongue In his article, Barry Cryer also goes on to argue that the best sitcoms are where people are trapped for example porridge is set in a prison, only fools and horses is the struggle to escape poverty. Vicious also uses this device, the entire series is set within the confines of Stuart's flat, the windows are closed and the curtains drawn, they are cut off from the outside world. This adds to the characters frustrations. Furthermore there is a running joke about Derek Jacobi’s character still not coming out to his ageing mother and thinking that the two characters are flat mates for the most of the first series. There is a tension to the comedy that the characters are unable to escape the confines of both the confines of the flat and also the life they have found themselves in.Is the series perfect? No, far from it. I think it sticks far too close to the traditional sitcom formula of a camera set up in front of a studio audience. For me, comedy has moved on from this and can execute very similar concepts and stories in a more sophisticated way. Some of the scripts rely far too much on co-incidences and contrivances that seem telegraphed a mile off. That being said, I kept coming back week after week and loved the characters. As a massive Sci Fi geek there is a particulate joy of seeing Gandalf shacked up with the master. I’m over joyed that a sitcom about a couple who happened to be gay was produced and shown of mainstream television. There is a Christmas special in the works; however a second series has yet to be commissioned as yet. Barry Cryer ends his article by praising “Miranda” as a great sitcom, and quite frankly if I want to laugh at somebody falling over for 22 minutes, I’ll stick to “you’ve been framed” thank you very much.Related Stories:<a href="http://www.thegayuk.com/magazine/4574334751/6-Of-The-Best-Gay-Icons-Of-Film/5755028">6 Of The Best Gay Icons Of Film</a><a href="http://www.thegayuk.com/#/magazine/4574334751/GAY-CHARACTERS-WHO'VE-BAGGED-THE-ACTOR-AN-OSCAR-NOMINATION/5000037">GAY CHARACTERS WHO'VE BAGGED THE ACTOR AN OSCAR NOMINATION</a><a href="http://www.thegayuk.com/#/magazine/4574334751/PRIDE-IN-LONDON-Sir-Ian-Sir-Elton-David-Furnish-and-Martina-Navratilova/5943513">PRIDE IN LONDON: Sir Ian, Sir Elton, David Furnish and Martina Navratilova</a>

This week sitcom writer Barry Cryer labelling the ITV comedy vicious as homophobic in an article in the Radio Times. His main complaint seems to be that the main humour of the show is based around insults.

by Barry Heap | 20th June 2013

Ian McKellan and Derek Jacobi in Vicious

He feels that the portrayal of the characters made “John Inman look restrained”. It seems a strange comment to label at the show which is fronted by two openly gay actors, Sir Ian Mckellen and Derek Jacobi.

While it is true that the show relies on stereotypes however these stereotypes do exist and endure. The show was originally entitled “vicious old queens” and that is the area of the gay community that is being shown. It was changed as Sir Ian Mckellen objected to the word old so it was rechristened vicious. If the show was “hurly burley bears” it would be a very different show and would still be argued that it dealt with the stereotypes of the more hirsute man within the gay community.

Comedy to a certain extent relies on stereotyping, the eccentric vicar, the old busy body, the loveable rogue but it uses this as a starting point. I would argue that vicious does the same but in a much different way. It shows a married couple who have been together 40 years who bicker and snipe at each other’s foibles but deep down love each other deeply, we all know a couple like this and I suspect for my generation it may remind them of their parents or grandparents.

What Vicious does is subvert that by having them as a gay couple, it isn't preachy and it isn't issue led. It relies on the classical set up of 4 people carrying on with their lives, facing conflict and tension. It's situational comedy with a barbed tongue In his article, Barry Cryer also goes on to argue that the best sitcoms are where people are trapped for example porridge is set in a prison, only fools and horses is the struggle to escape poverty. Vicious also uses this device, the entire series is set within the confines of Stuart's flat, the windows are closed and the curtains drawn, they are cut off from the outside world. This adds to the characters frustrations. Furthermore there is a running joke about Derek Jacobi’s character still not coming out to his ageing mother and thinking that the two characters are flat mates for the most of the first series. There is a tension to the comedy that the characters are unable to escape the confines of both the confines of the flat and also the life they have found themselves in.

Is the series perfect? No, far from it. I think it sticks far too close to the traditional sitcom formula of a camera set up in front of a studio audience. For me, comedy has moved on from this and can execute very similar concepts and stories in a more sophisticated way. Some of the scripts rely far too much on co-incidences and contrivances that seem telegraphed a mile off.

That being said, I kept coming back week after week and loved the characters. As a massive Sci Fi geek there is a particulate joy of seeing Gandalf shacked up with the master. I’m over joyed that a sitcom about a couple who happened to be gay was produced and shown of mainstream television. There is a Christmas special in the works; however a second series has yet to be commissioned as yet. Barry Cryer ends his article by praising “Miranda” as a great sitcom, and quite frankly if I want to laugh at somebody falling over for 22 minutes, I’ll stick to “you’ve been framed” thank you very much.