Garth Marenghi's Darkplace

[CaptainAwesome]

Did anyone watch this on the Sci-Fi channel last night? It is probably one of the funniest and most original comedy series I have ever seen. The plot is kind of hard to explain, so Ill let IMDB do the work:


In the 1980s horror writer Garth Marenghi wrote, produced, directed and starred in Darkplace, a groundbreaking series set in a hospital and exploring the depths of the author's imagination. At least that's what Marenghi and his publicist/co-star, Dean Learner, claim in modern-day interviews which both bookend and interrupt the episodes. In fact the show is cheap, chiché'd, full of gaping plot holes and startlingly misogynist. Garth Marenghi is a creation of comedian Matthew Holness, who won a Perrier award with the character at the 2001 Edinburgh festival.

Im still trying to figure out exactly what this show is about, but Im having a great time doing it. Has anyone else seen this? If so, what do you think?

[Royal]

It's so 80's bad, it's funny.

Especially Dr. Sanchez and Thronton Reed.

[Justin D.]

I loved this show. It did a great job of mimicking an 80s show that took on cult status. Although, this went even farther because it plays it up as having cult status only in the eyes of those that were part of the show. Brilliantly bad.

[Captain_Video]

I have been pimping this show, so much over here in England where ironically it only has a cult following at best, good to see it is on a fairly big network over there and keep watching I want a new series dammit.

[DoubleShot]

We laughed and laughed. My favorite part was when the female doctor's eyes turned black. If it's a series I'll definatly be watching it again.

[Tish-the-Scorpion]

i dug it but,i really hate english comedy.i say we hijack it and amercanize it :D

[Ontir]

I clicked on 'cuz I thout it was about porn.

Despite myself, I'm still interested! :p

[blackdragon6]

i started watching thinking it was a real unaired sci-fi horror show.i guess the jokes on my dumb ass.i didn't find it verry funny though i did laugh at some parts.

[Spastic Minnow]

The talking cat
"Are you alright?" to the guy who exploded
Shooting the guy's mother.
Dick Lerner/Thorton Reed alternately shooting a shotgun into nowhere and standing arms crossed looking amused.

Funny stuff.

[Royal]

i started watching thinking it was a real unaired sci-fi horror show.i guess the jokes on my dumb ass.i didn't find it verry funny though i did laugh at some parts.

If you can pick up reception by way of "mental telepathy". look for at least a couple episodes of Sapphire and Steel, Edge of Darkness, Manimal, Automan, anything by Gerry Anderson, Probe....

What else am I missing?

Anyways, try those first.

[CaptainAwesome]

i started watching thinking it was a real unaired sci-fi horror show.i guess the jokes on my dumb ass.i didn't find it verry funny though i did laugh at some parts.
I couldnt figure it out at first either. I think it finally dawned on me that it was all fake when the one guy exploded and the two "producers" talk about it being a very emotional scene. After that I realized that the "producers" who were commenting on it hadn't aged at all since they had filmed the show, and I realized that it was all made up. I laughed for about 5 straight minutes once I got it.

[DDM]

I knew it was not real when the people's 80's hair looked fake. Another red flag is the author himself is an actor??? Right. This show is perfect for The Comedy Channel.

[Donald M.]

After watching Who Wants To Be a Superhero? I left this on because I was intrigued. I did not regret my decision. Had me absolutely in stitches.

[Donald M.]

Also, when did this show air originally?

I couldn't help but get the vibe that this was poking more than a little fun at Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital, which for the record I never watched.

[Gaz]

Also, when did this show air originally?

I couldn't help but get the vibe that this was poking more than a little fun at Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital, which for the record I never watched.
There's the irony, I'm 99% sure it was shown years prior to that show's first airing...

[Donald M.]

There's the irony, I'm 99% sure it was shown years prior to that show's first airing...

I looked it up. Darkplace premiered first, but months before Kingdom aired in the US and no doubt a lot longer before it aired in the UK, if it ever did.

Just one of those cases of similar ideas around the same time I guess, like Swamp Thing and Man-Thing, or the X-Men and the Doom Patrol.

[Gaz]

Or King's run REALLY low on ideas...

[Donald M.]

Or King's run REALLY low on ideas...

Well, Kingdom was inspired by a Danish miniseries.

[meethraa]

King was remaking a Lars Von Trier series from the early nineties.

EDIT: Oops. Donald beat me to it.

[berk]

King was remaking a Lars Von Trier series from the early nineties.Which was outstanding and a must-see for any horror fan. I mean the vonTrier series, not the Amercian one.

[Royal]

Regen > The Kingdom

[Motormouse]

Also, when did this show air originally?

I couldn't help but get the vibe that this was poking more than a little fun at Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital, which for the record I never watched.

I absolutely loved this show. It only ran for one season in the UK on channel 4, and was set in a Romford hospital. Ironically at the time , i was working as a student nurse in the only hospital actually in Romford so i most likely found it funnier than it actually was.:rolleyes:

[DWEarhart]

I am enjoying this show. It has a Police Squad feel to it, only with more vibrant and eccentric characters.

[king mob]

i dug it but,i really hate english comedy.i say we hijack it and amercanize it :D


You can have Richard Ayoade and keep him.

[DWEarhart]

Adult Swim is going to air this in about ten minutes. I can't recall if it's going to be a Friday thing or a nightly thing. I'm really looking forward to it. Not all the episodes are winners, but there are some that happen to be insanely cool, in my opinion.

[Tobias March]

You can have Richard Ayoade and keep him.

Oh you're mean.

Love Darkplace. Also King's adaptation of The Kingdom pissed me off. Lars von Trier had Udo Kier screaming out of orifices, dream zombies and the funniest pisstake of the Masons yet.

Matt Berry's star continues to rise, I saw him in the Peter Serafinowicz (http://youtube.com/watch?v=FYX9VZhHK6M) show there the other night.

[king mob]

I have no idea how Matt Berry manages to get work, especially after his frankly rubbish appearances in the IT Crowd. He also does that voice far too much.

[Tobias March]

I have no idea how Matt Berry manages to get work, especially after his frankly rubbish appearances in the IT Crowd. He also does that voice far too much.

Hey I'll take Matt Berry's voice over Harrison Ford's FINGER OF DOOM any day of the week :p

[drwho]

I thought it was weird that scifi had problems with the shows content. I mean today I just saw a movie on scifi where this trex rips this kids head off and it pretty gory. I dont know why they disliked that show. I liked the episodes I saw.