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15 Storeys High : Complete BBC Series 1 & 2
RRP: £24.99
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Editorial
DVD Description
Two very different blokes. One small flat. One huge apartment block. It's bound to go wrong, isn't it? Especially when one is morose, sullen and mean-spirited and the other is a bright-eyed innocent with a lot to learn about life. Far from expressing the depressing and futile existence commonly associated with high-rises, 15 Storeys High reveals the many idiosyncrasies and hilarious antics of the diverse residents. There's the man who uses his pitbull as a dumbell, the table-tennis obsessed brothers, the over-the-hill punks and the country and western poet who also fixes washing machines. And of course there's South London's very own answer to the Odd couple, Vince and Errol: a match truly made in heaven.
Editorial
Synopsis
One of the BBC's cult TV comedies, this sharp and quirky series is written by and stars British Comedy Award winner Sean Lock. He's locked in a high-rise flatshare with another bloke on a South London council estate. But he's the landlord and his lodger Errol (Wong) is making his life a misery. What's more there are other hilarious oddball occupants in the block to contend with, from the wife-swappers and bible-bashers to the guy with a lodger of his own, a horse! Contains all six episodes from Series 1: ‘The Sofa’, ‘Pool Kids’, ‘Blue Rat’, The Model’, ‘Ice Queen’ and ‘Dead Swan’.
Bland
Review date: 2008-08-29 Rating: 4 out of 10
Having only seen the first episode of this series, I'm prepared to write the whole thing off. It didn't get a laugh out of me. The characters are boring and the situations they inhabit bland. There is simply not enough wit to the script to sustain the deadpan style employed. The dreary tower block setting and minimalist direction don't help.
The action is closely focused around the character of Vince (Sean Lock). He's a finicky misanthrope but doesn't have the gleeful unpredictability that makes Bernard Black (Dylan Moran in Black Books) so much more likeable by comparison. If you don't like Vince, you won't like this show, because there's no one else to attach your affections too. Vince's flatmate Errol (Benedict Wong) is a cipher. He's meant to be the straight guy, but Vince is pretty straight too, so their repartee falls woefully flat.
There doesn't seem to be any point to Vince and Errol's existence, which is a big problem. Because they don't have any desires or designs beyond acquiring a bigger couch, we simply don't care what happens to them. There is no narrative frisson.
I'm an Australian, but much of my favourite comedy is from the UK. So that you can measure your tastes against mine, some of my favourite UK sitcoms include Black Adder, Black Books, Father Ted, Teachers, and The Office.
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Reviews
Oy!
Review date: 2008-05-16 Rating: 10 out of 10
These 2 series sits up there with Spaced, Black Books, & Father Ted.
The characters, locations, direction, and stories are in a class of their own. Never has so much funniness/humour/ been wrung out of such a gloomy, desolate, hopeless bunch of losers.
Quite simply the best comedy that has come out of the UK in the last five years....If you missed it - and most of us did.. buy it
On the ledge
Review date: 2007-10-10 Rating: 10 out of 10
I warmly recommend 15 Storeys High.
One thing, admittedly, irritates me about it: it is all filmed with wide angle in wide shots, and with only available light, mostly in small apartments. Which means that 90% of the time you only have the foggiest notion of what the characters actually look like. I'm not kidding.
But on the other hand it's brilliantly written and acted. It's actually unlike any other comedy I've seen. And very funny indeed, I often laughed out loud, very loud.
Nothing short of Brilliant
Review date: 2007-08-23 Rating: 10 out of 10
I absolutely love 15 Storeys High and was one of the many people who wrote in to the BBC demanding the release of series 2 on DVD.
As opposed to Catherine Tate 'in your face' style comedy, this is a gentle but hilarious work which you'll want to watch again and again.
Scenes from the first series still make me laugh now on a daily basis.
I'd agree that if you like The Mighty Boosh, The Office, QI and such like then you will love this.
I'd also agree that both series are as good as, if not funnier than, The Office, and are similar in their subtle understated style.
These series were enough to convince me that Sean Lock is the funniest man on television today and I'm yet to be convinced otherwise.
If it's your sort of show you'll love it!
Review date: 2007-07-14 Rating: 10 out of 10
I own the first series of Fifteen Storeys High on DVD and have seen all of series 2, it is one of my favourite comedies and I am greatly dismayed by the BBC (allegedly) not allowing Sean Lock to make a third series (or another different show for that matter), for he is a great talent and I can't imagine why he doesn't have a larger TV/Radio presence on the BBC.
I can understand if some people may not enjoy this show, but they can not deny the quality of the writing and the unique, quite dark feel that Sean Lock has produced.
This show is the complete antithesis of the Little Britain/Catherine Tate-style of comedy that relies on repetition. These shows leave you knowing what is coming up and boring you, unless the writers actually develop the characters or have enough characters, which helps keep them fresher for longer(the Fast Show).
I personally rate this show 5 out of 5, but it is really a cult masterpiece that some will love, some will not get and others will hate and if you have an "alternative" sense of humour like me and don't like Little Britain, Catherine Tate or Two Pints of Lager you will probably like this, a show which has it's own identity, an individual quality and some great laughs from one of Britain's premiere stand-ups.
To give you an idea of what comedies I like, so you can see how likely it is you will enjoy Fifteen Storeys High, my favourite shows are the Mighty Boosh, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Alan Partridge, the Office and QI: Quite Interesting and anything involving Jeremy Hardy, Mark Steel and the late, great Lind Smith R.I.P.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Sean Lock
Benedict Wong
Felix Dexter
Creators:
Sean Lock (Primary Contributor)
Felix Dexter (Primary Contributor)
Recording label: 2 Entertain Video
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
EAN: 5014503232221
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 2
Format: Anamorphic, PAL,
Release date: 2007-02-19
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 521 minutes
Language: English (Original Language)