The BritBox Spitting Image Problem
American Networks decided no to Spitting Image out of
“ Nervousness “ ( aka probably out of fear of being sued ) .
What’s interesting is how 3 Spitting Image specials for NBC
were shown in the 1980s made by the original crew for the most part,
especially the original writers. Eventually NBC replaced any future deals
with Spitting Image with D.C. Follies
because the humor was more American and not as harsh as Spitting Image.
BritBox Spitting Image according to what I can see
from the first episode seems Pro-Liberal.
So if this says something, it says America would want
Spitting Image to be more like D.C. Follies.
I have reviewed the promo videos for BritBox Spitting Image
and after seeing the trailer and the first episode,
my opinion hasn’t change all that much.
BritBox Spitting Image is a disappointment, it’s commodified and Americanized.
Instead of being Leftist leaning like Spitting Image and even Les Guignols De L’info, the show is strongly pro-liberalism.
BritBox Spitting Image is like 1990s Spitting Image except commodified and Americanized for whatever is
acceptable on mainstream media now a days. So it doesn’t matter that it’s exclusively for a streaming platform.
Familiar caricatures from the past seem different from how they appeared in the original series.
All the characterizations seem to be more silly and cautious observations rather than harsh and truthful.
Even the Prince Andrew situation is being treated rather cautiously.
In fact, the opening sketch with Andy in the first episode closely resembles the running gag sketches of
Piers Morgan on Headcases where Piers would be talking towards the camera and then something painful happens to him.
Like 1990s Spitting Image, it focuses more on being a parody comedy show rather than a political satire. Even to the point of shock
and gross out gags for the sake of it and even punching down ( as far as Liberalism would allow ).
The politicians are just seen as ignorant people who are bad at their job rather than being rich bastards who’s only job
is lying and making sure they don’t get caught.
The sketches are more extended in length and the humor isn’t fast pace, filled with puns and word play, and
not much confrontation in a Punch and Judy fashion like the original.
In fact the slapstick in BritBox Spitting Image seems to be coming more from a certain character doing something
ignorant usually toward themselves for the most part.
It does seem like a lot of the comedy is very cautious and very pro-liberalism instead of Leftist leaning which
Spitting Image used to be known for as well as Les Guignols De L’info.
Stock puppets are slightly modeled after previous puppets from the series but slightly redesigned probably out
of fear of being sued for not going credit to the original artists for certain designs.
Another way to describe BritBox Spitting Image is that the humor is very mild and cautious,
especially with it’s slapstick comedy.
I’ll admit that seeing the silly moments do have potential of being funny,
but they seem very mild.
So again, it does feel commodified because 1980s Spitting Image
had several kinds of humor happening harmoniously and it was more fast pace.
The only way I can really describe the blandness is that it’s commodified and Americanized.
And it’s different compared to the 1980s original.
1990s Spitting Image also seems closer to the 1980s in comparison to
BritBox Spitting Image which is like 1990s Spitting Image but MORE distant from the original.
And like the 1990s, BritBox Spitting Image seems to be making the same mistakes.
It’s not just Spitting Image, this kind of commodified rebooting / reviving
happens ALL THE TIME in the entertainment industry.
But there’s always something wonderful about the originals that’s never present in the
remakes which are more often then not made by new teams of people with
different motives.
BritBox Spitting Image is not the rebellious pro-Leftist political satire
that worked within the system like it used to be but instead this liberal commodified
clone that closely resembles 1990s Spitting Image but humor is similar to current
popular adult animation that isn’t very clever like Family Guy.
If there’s anything good to say about it, it would be the puppets but I can already
see by the quality of the show itself that the budget is very low.
If there’s any similarity to the original 1980s Spitting Image, it would just be the caricatured puppets,
caricature design style, familiar looking stock puppets, and the name of the show.
THAT’S ALL !
Spitting Image was much more than that.
Check out the video version right here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jD5VbW68p8&t=6s
( Fair Use / Fandom expressed opinion / educational historic purposes )
BritBox Spitting Image Promo Video Essay :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Babs1NXmTo
What made the original 1980s Spitting Image special video essay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Briy6FApKWs
What caused Spitting Image to decline and get cancelled in the 1990s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks7rahFTWkQ
Leftist Politics & Spitting Image blog video
https://youtu.be/xG0Z1Jvt00M
Original review of BritBox Spitting Image Series 1, Episode 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xL2ekfdyg0
Review version 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azkmEcWylkE
#SpittingImage #RogerLaw #BritBox #SpittingImagePuppets
#popculturereviews #puppetry #satire #britishcomedy #popculture
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