Mrs Brown’s Boys is airing not one but two – TWO – specials this festive season, one on Christmas Day (in case that passed you by) and another on New Year’s Day.
I, for one, won’t be watching either and, frankly, I don’t know who will be.
Mrs Brown’s Boys is the worst ‘comedy’ I’ve seen in years (and I’ve watched a lot).
Therefore, instead of looking forward to watching BBC One on Christmas Day in front of the telly with a turkey and stuffing sandwich, I watched another channel.
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The jokes in Mrs Brown’s Boys aren’t funny
Oh Mrs Brown’s Boys, how many ways can I loathe thee?
The jokes are recycled, old and predictable.
I can pick out where each scene is going, I know what’s coming – and it’s usually a swear word.
It is so scripted. They can proclaim all they like it’s off-the-cuff and the mistakes and muck-ups are really accidents, but I don’t believe it for a second.
It’s like watching a set of school children trying to be funny in their GCSE drama project.
They are playing for laughs, there’s no subtlety to it; they make a joke, pause, and wait for everyone to laugh. I don’t laugh.
The live audience (is it even live any more because it sounds pretty canned to me?) crease with hilarity and it makes me all-the-more determined not to crack a smile.
I get that this originated as a stage show, but for me that doesn’t translate to the television.
It’s dated – aren’t we past this type of comedy?
Have we not moved on from laughing at a man dressed up as a woman, shouting the ‘F’ word every five minutes?
To clarify, I love a sitcom. The Royle Family will forever be etched on my heart as one of the best things on the television. Especially at Christmas.
I could watch repeats of that over and over again and not get bored.
Gavin and Stacey is another one. It’s clever and funny, yet warm and loving.
Mrs Brown’s Boys is none of those things. It is cringeworthy.
It makes me cringe
When he/she talks to the audience, I want to cover my ears and my eyes.
I feel totally uncomfortable – Am I supposed to laugh? I certainly don’t!
Oh, it’s good old-fashioned fun, people say. But it is? Is it really? Or is it just a man in a dress swearing a lot?
It’s a bit like panto, really, except it’s not for kids and that makes it doubly uncomfortable.
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Who actually watches Mrs Brown’s Boys?
I don’t know anyone (apart from my dear departed mother, who thought it was the best thing on TV) who actually watches this show through choice.
I have never spoken to a single person who thinks it’s great. However, it clearly does have a hardcore fan base that ensure it gets commissioned over and over again.
I can’t fathom who or why and also one look through Twitter tells me everything I need to know about the feelings of other viewers.
When the Christmas schedules were announced, one wrote: “Mrs Browns Boys on Christmas Day again, I mean WTAF! Who watches that [bleep]?!”
Another added: “FFS BBC One. What happened to the good days of Christmas Day specials?”
“Mrs Browns Boys, if there’s one wish we all want for Christmas is for this [bleep] to be axed. It’s utterly appalling, whoever commissions this [bleep] should be sacked,” said someone else.
A fourth added: “What is the BBC’s fascination with Mrs Brown’s Boys? Instead of endlessly churning out that tripe why not show some old classics. Proper Funny COMEDIES!”
People must be watching it though, it regularly gets great viewing figures.
Perhaps they’ve lost the remote control and can’t switch over? Or maybe they’ve fallen asleep in front of the telly and have no idea it’s still on?
There must be some reason people are watching it, however, I just can’t figure it out.
Star Brendan O’Carroll told The Sun in 2019 people who don’t like it should: “Change the [bleep] channel.”
Well, that’s exactly what I did on Christmas Day, you bleepin’ eejit.
Mrs Brown’s Boys airs on BBC One on New Year’s Day at 10.pm.
Do you enjoy Mrs Brown’s Boys? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!