It’s frightening what tv bosses think we want to watch on a Saturday pre a drunken and debauched night.
Whilst the BBC gives us a snooker based quiz game, the lottery and the chance to view various surgery up close and personal (though this week as Casualty is off the air we got to see more of the gradual career disintegration of a once fairly amusing comedian) , ITV have to prove their just one step slightly shitter by filling the schedule with forty minutes of people falling over on camera, followed by a variety show of the likes we’d hoped we’d never see again now that Noel Edmonds is no longer in fashion (though be constantly vigilante, as no doubt one day he’ll try to return, and stopping him is clearly of the utmost importance).
Packed with sketches, comedy celeb interviews and a couple of games for the audience to take part in, it’s like watching comic relief without the guilt inducing promo’s, but that’s hardly a hearty recommendation. Basically just a so called adult version of SMTV live, the only real difference is that a few more of the jokes are innuendo laden, and the pretty but pointless Cat Deeley is fortunately absent.
But when you add to this already disastrous mix a fifteen minute Cheers parody, called, no, really, I’m not making this up, ‘Beers’ (which is beyond redundant post-The Simpsons ‘Cheers’ piss take anyway) with ex-soap stars presumably destroying what’s left of their careers by appearing in various cameo roles, the end result is a programme that is almost constantly wince inducing.
After about twenty minutes the only reason I kept watching Slap Bang was for the purposes of this review, which was more painful, and very similar, as spending an evening babysitting small caffeine filled children. Don’t just avoid viewing, but begin campaigning violently for it’s cancellation.
God, The Devil and Bob (22:00, Tuesday 15th May, BBC2)
From the makers of Third Rock from the Sun and starring one of it’s principal cast, French Stewart. Is that enough to put you off yet? Well, then good, as this supposedly controversial animated comedy is about as patronisingly moral as they come.
It's a shame really, as the idea’s good – God’s on the verge of giving up on the human race but decides to give it one more chance if one human being, Bob, can prove to him it’s worth saving. Cue the devil trying to screw things up from time to time.
The problem is is that it’s just so conventional, and surely only considered controversial by religious types who don’t actually view the programmes they criticise. Bob is just a (slightly) more sane version of Stewart’s third rock character Harry, and equally as annoying, God’s an old man with a big fluffy beard, and the Devil has big pointy horns.
Whatever happens in an episode you know it’s going to end with a feel good(ish) moment, and the laughs along the way are few and far between. Sure, there’s been the odd good joke (God admitting that the closest he got to marriage was with Julie Newmar for example) but overall this is piss poor stuff.
Happiness (Series Review, BBC2)
It’s strange how programmes like Trigger Happy tv and the Ali G show can reap awards and praise, as well as high viewing figures, whilst the truly great and innovative comedies of late have gone unnoticed by the general public. Black Books, Jam, and now Happiness fall firmly in to this unfortunate new category, presumably because they refuse to go by established sitcom rules and aren’t afraid to go off on strange or depressing tangents.
As soon as the first episode of Happiness opened at the funeral of the lead character’s wife, you knew you had something special here, and as the weeks went on and the self-loathing of Paul Whitehouse’s character spiralled almost out of control it just got better.
Still without the strength of the supporting cast, this could have been a disaster, but Mark Heap, Clive Owen, Johnny Vegas et al proved they could act as well as do intelligent comedy, and for once this wasn’t just a star vehicle, with the laughs evenly distributed. It’s so rare to find something that actually provokes thought on tv these days, something which doesn’t clearly label the idea’s it’s examining but actually uses subtlety from time to time too.
The only thing which I can’t understand is how Paul Whitehouse can go from this to the fuck-awful ‘Jumpers for Goalposts’, but then because Happiness was so good I’m prepared to let it go just this once.
Alex Finch.
RDA (23:00, repeated 01:00, Monday 16th - Thursday 19th April, BBC Choice)
Back for a second series, this topical comedy show is fronted by the amiable, and articulate Jon Gordillo. It is largely a hit-and-miss affair, but with a difference. When it hits, it hits well enough to have you in stitches; when it misses, it doesn't tend to hamper or hinder the show much.
This is largely due to the 'live' setup, the under-produced structure of the show, the fact that all news is current, and topical gags must be thought up on the day. Characters sketches are thought up in advance, but there is that element of error and ad-libbing from all, especially Gordillo, that keeps the show moving and makes it funnier than if the ad-libbing was not there.
Personal Highlights include Cosmos (Alan) Transmutazoid, the Multiple choice question, and the Fax setup with John Morrice is very amusing when filmed at strange locations.
Special guests have either been willing (Trude Mostue) or unwilling (Anna Nolan or Vanessa Feltz) to contribute in a participatory fashion, and I think more characters need to be generated that are as funny as Cosmos and Jon's Mum (who would not have been out of place in the Lilt ladies TV ad).
Recommended watch, just to see when it is good.
Craig Aston.
(nobleandsilver): GET OFF ME (23:10, Monday 16th, Tuesday 17th, Wednesday 18th April, E4)
Now this is scary. Odd in the oddest sense, but in a good way, as finally a digital channel has shown something truly original. And almost very good too. It’s something which can’t be trusted in any conventional way to make sense all of the time, but something that is truly captivating as well.
Based vaguely around comedians Noble and Silver’s attempts to get a programme made, this is about as unconventional as tv comedy gets, as in each show they mess around with a comedy genre whilst constantly pulling back to reveal what’s happening behind the scenes.
But it was the second episode that changed the flavour of this review from a ‘flawed but cute’ to ‘really rather good’ taste. One continual take which begins with the boys being interviewed by Sue Cook, to various London street scenes and camera exchanges before we see the boys once again being interviewed by Cook, it’s a comedy version of ‘Run, Lola, Run’ but with a real anarchical sense of humour thrown in. For once you’re not waiting for the next joke, but just to see where they’re going to take the audience next, and that just makes such a nice change.
Okay, so it’s occasionally too ambitious for it’s own good - the third episode parodied your average twenty-something flatshare comedy with mixed effect, but as a whole it’s just so refreshing to see something innovative, especially on a digital channel.
Lee Evans: So What Now? (Series Review, BBC1)
It's like twenty years of comedy has never happened, and we're back to the days when piss poor slapstick and terrible scripts were considered the peak of comedy.
Instantly all the respect I ever had for Lee Evans has been destroyed when I saw the first episode of this comedy, but it somehow managed to get just worse and worse over it's six week run. Even watching repeats of the godawful Some Mother Do Have Them (of which this is a virtual remake) would be more entertaining.
If you have any friends who liked this, end all social contact with them now. And persuade them to seek some kind of help. The worst comedy the Beeb's shown, at least during my lifetime.
Chained (Series Review, E4)
They Think It’s All Over (21:30, Friday 18th May, BBC2)
Jonathon Ross + Nick Hancock + Rory McGrath = never ending bowel wrenchingly painful tv. Why, why oh why, do the BBC insist upon forcing this on us week after week? Surely they can't hate the viewing public that much?
The Secret Rulers of the World (21:00, Sunday 13th May, C4)
Investigative journalism at it's most bizarre, but fascinating viewing nonetheless. Making David Icke seem credible is akin to persuading people that dogs can fly, but Jon Ronson managed it flawlessly. I don't believe a word of Icke's bizarre world view, but you can't deny that things are so much more interesting with people like him proudly presenting their idiosyncracities on tv.
Spaced (Series Review, C4)
The first couple of episodes got me worried due to the increased budget and number of guest stars, but it soon found it's pace and became just as enjoyable as the first series. Effortlesly cool and nearly always unpredictable, this is as good as comedy gets. Expect a third series, but not anytime soon.
Teachers (22:00, Wednesdays, C4)
So teachers are over worked, immature, borderline alcoholics, who feel restrained by the rules, frustrated by the girls and bored by the work. Thank God C4 spent so much in letting us know this. Watchable, but only on the dullest nights.
Celebrity Big Brother (Series Review, C4)
With the C-list celebrities on display, who'd have thought this would be unmissable tv. But seeing the celebs taking it all too seriously, forced in to performing cheesy tasks and getting drunk every single night made fot great tv. And of course there was Vanessa's breakdown. The only truly funny thing associated with Comic Relief.
Ally McBeal (21:00, Mondays, E4)
I can't cope with the whining anymore. I can't cope with the self indulgent ego nonsense, the topic of the week related scripts, and I just don't care about any of the characters anymore. A very clear indication of why some tv shouldn't last more than two seasons.
The Mark Thomas Product (23:15, Wednesday 10th Jan, C4)
Some tv is beyond criticism, and TMTP falls strictly in to this category, mainly due to it's hosts ongoing crusade against all that is wrong and corrupt in Britain. Plus it's very, very funny too. And what more could you want from a tv show?
Streetmate (20:30, Friday 5th Jan, C4)
Another programme that should be reasonably terrible, but made far far better than it has any right to be by the strength of Ms. McCall’s presentation. It’s her cheap(ish) asides, sarcasm and general sassiiness that makes this so much fun. Not worth staying in for on a Friday night by any means, but certainly worth videoing to help you recover from the inevitable Saturday morning hangover.
The Larry Sanders Show (21:00,Sunday 7th Jan, UK Play)
Treated hideously by the BBC when first shown, shoved away in constantly obscure timeslots, you’ve now got the chance to catch the entire series on UK Play, every night at 11pm. So do so, safe in the knowledge that there’s nothing better on tv at the moment. Or else. Okay?
I know I that I wasn’t alone in wishing that Melanie Hill would never haunt our tv screens again. But out of all of the former Big Brother participants, she’s appeared in the best programme so far, though that’s partly due to the fact that she only pops up for all of three or four minutes per forty-five minute show.
That she’s already forgotten her obvious gripes with reality tv only serves to amuse more and I have to say that I’d prefer to see her front the show than, say, evictees from Celebrity Big Brother Anthea Turner and Vanessa Feltz.
One person was evicted each day until there’s only a chance of romance between the final couple.So whilst all we many have got is a little bitchy comedy, ridiculous arguments, a few supposedly sexy moments, it was a fairly revealing look in to the way twenty-somethings live their lives, and thanks to a sarcastic voice-over and choice editing, it was pretty amusing stuff all in all.
The other three weeks of the show presented us with five guys one girl, six bi-sexuals and then six lesbians all chained together, and whilst it did get all a bit similar it is at the very least an interesting insight in to sexuality, though if you’re expecting any groundbreaking sociological discoveries then you’d be very disappointed. They were all young, they all wanted (mostly) to drink as much as possible, and sex is no longer a taboo subject to anyone. Nothing intellectually challenging then, but it wasn’t meant to be anyway.
Complaints? Yeah I’ve got a few. That this tries to sell itself as dating programme whereas clearly it’s just a poor relative of Big Brother annoys, and also that we learn so little about the final couple at the end of the show, but in general this is pretty fine (trash) tv.
Alex Finch.
Previously an acclaimed hit on everyone's favourite cult channel BBC Choice, this original offering from mathematically trained comedian Dave Gorman is one of the highlights of the weekly viewing.
Based around a bet made between Danny and his flatmate (whilst drunk), this has become an adventure of hilarious proportions, and joins "Attention Scum" with the prestigious title of 'Best comedy show of the week'.
Arguably weird, but preferably interesting.
Craig Aston.
Comic Relief (19:00, Friday 16th March, BBC1)
Let’s get the pleasantries out of the way first, shall we? Okay, it’s all for charity, people’s lives will be changed for the better by the donations made, and all who donated money can pat themselves on the back for making a difference. But this is a tv review column, and so the question has to be asked whether or not this made for an entertaining evening’s viewing.
And it didn’t. Not even close. Because it just wasn’t that funny. Far too many of the sketches relied on celebrity appearances in an attempt to make them amusing, nearly all the presenters (bar, Graham Norton and Ant and Dec) were pretty inadequate, and Lenny Henry, well christ, he hasn’t been funny since the eighties but now comes across as being almost as out of touch as your grandparents.
And just too much of it fell just sadly flat – Smack the Pony live, Harry Hill dressed as Eminem, The Eastenders Sketch, Gimme Gimme Gimme (which is shit anyway), Kiss Me Kate, Baddiel and Skinner Unpaid et al hardly raised any laughs and the sound of the audience shifting uncomfortably in their seats was all too audible throughout most of it.
Simply put, out of eight long hours of tv, sadly only about half an hour of it was actually worth watching. Ali G interviewing Posh and Becks shone simply because of the dirge it was surrounded by, though he’s fast approaching his sell by date, Billy Connolly’s naked dare amused because it was one of the few moments on the night which wasn’t all too predictable, and the League of Gentlemen, because, well, they’re always funny. But the rest just wasn’t up to scratch.
When you add all those charity appeals to this tedious mix of tv, which were repeated far too often, we were left with an end result which was really rather painful. And something I don't think I'll choose to view again in the future.
Popstars (Series Review, ITV)
So when you sat down in front of your tv what feels already like years ago and witnessed the first Popstars, did you feel that you were watching cutting edge tv which would reveal the truth about manufactured pop? Just another reality tv spin off that would voyeuristically show you just how today’s pop stars tediously live their lives?
Or were you just watching it for the cute girls and their dancing cleavages? Well, for whatever reason, I was disappointed at first, being subjected to the hopeful wannabe’s appalling voices and dance routines for far too long, but since the band has been formed, somewhat surprisingly, Popstars has really fulfilled it’s potential.
Much of the media was ready to crucify the programme once the five band members were announced, but if anything, the show’s just got much better. Sure, seeing the band practice dancing gets a little dull after a while, but the catfighting, the emerging ego’s, and the general pettiness of pop is always a joy to see. And the fact that they seem to think they are producing music which actually means anything makes me smile even more.
So, okay, it’s nowhere near classic tv, and I doubt if anyone will suffer withdrawal symptoms too much now that it’s finished, but then it was never supposed to be - it’s just cheap, tacky, nasty television at it’s best. It hits those voyeuristic buttons full on, which is why, like Big Brother before, it’s inevitably become a huge success, though what this says about the British public is another thing, one too long and tedious to get in to here, but clearly the sight of people crying / shouting / screaming / laughing for real is what really entertains the public.
The problem is that programme’s been made out to be so much more than it is. Far too many column inches have been devoted to the show, and not just in the tabloids where it’s been predictably over-saturated, but in many of the broadsheets too. At the end of the day all it was was just an overlong documentary about people’s desperation to become celebrities, and not anything that special.
When the NME declared that it marks the death of manufactured pop it just made me laugh out loud – kids don’t care whether or not there’s an ounce of originality or talent in the music, as long as the songs are simple enough to sing along too, and the pop-moppets are fanciable, and this type of pap is sadly never going to go away.
Infact we need music like this more than ever, so that today’s angsty indie star’s have something to inspire them, to react against, at least.
The Adam and Joe Show (22:00, Wednesday 24th January, E4)
Far too much tv is just average, and it’s really starting to annoy. I want to get excited about a show again, be irreparably distressed if I ever miss an episode, but this hasn’t happened in far too long. Sure, there are some good, solid programmes out there, such as The Mark Thomas Product and last year’s North Square, but nothing spectacular in the Twin Peaks or Brasseye kind of way.
So I approached the new series of Adam and Joe with few expectations, expecting it to pass the time well enough, but in the knowledge that inevitably I’d be writing a ‘it’s good but not that good’ type of review. And? Well once again my jaded cynical ways weren’t proved wrong. Sure, it was funny, sure, certain segments made me laugh out loud – especially Baaaad Dad Undercover and The Imperial Family animation, but it wasn’t anything the boys haven’t done before, it wasn’t challenging tv, and it never really surprised or intrigued.
Certainly one of the better additions to E4’s schedule, and worth catching if you have spare time on your hands, but, once again, another programme certainly not worth staying in for.
Alex Finch.
Bits (0:30, Friday 12th Jan, C4)
Rapidly becoming a 4later mainstay, this is arguably the best Console/PC based show on TV at present; although the presenters self-confidence is starting to become marginally less alluring. Asthetics aside, if you want up-to-the-minute information on releases, previews, and rumours; this is the show for you.
Vids (01:00, Friday 12th Jan, C4)
In complete contrast, this show appears to be showing virtually no signs of becoming stale. Granted, Nige Buckland obsession with turds may be losing it's novelty humour, but his tirades against various genres, and societal faux-pas are always enjoyable.
Stef Gardiner can also be commended for his insightful opinions, mixed with blatant observation and humour. He clearly is looking less like the straight-man to Nige's over-the-top angst humour. What is always fun to watch, is when Nige disagrees with Stef's opinion of a particular video (Monkey and Battle of the Planets amongst the culprits of the last series).
Not necessarily putting Film 2000 in the shade, but a bloody good alternative.
Oz (22:00, From Friday 19th Jan, E4)
As well as new episodes of ER, Friends, and Ally McBeal, those kind-hearted executives at Channel 4 have sanctioned the showing of the Prison Drama from the Tom Fontana stable from the first season.
Already achieved cult status on 4later, it is hoped that it will gather more appeal as part of the E4 phenomenon, and will probably draw greater success that Fontana's other critically acclaimed, but sadly under-rated show; Homicide: Life on the Street, which is now defunct.
Brutal, uncompromising, unashamed, and not for the easily offended. However, if you want to see a show that is disturbing, yet wonderfully scripted, acted and makes Bad Girls look like play school, watch it. You won't regret it.
Craig Aston.
Attention Scum (01:00, Saturday 6th Jan, BBC Choice)
We’ve been waiting for it for far too long now. Something of reasonably bearable quality debuting on a digital channel, and finally Simon Munnery’s ‘Attention Scum’, a surreal mix of stand up and sketches, delivers.
Infact it’s almost a shame that this didn’t go out on one of the BBC’s main channels, as Munnery deserves recognition far more than, say, Nick Hancock, Jack Docherty or the so called personalities that are thrust upon us each and every Saturday night.
It’s hard to describe the show accurately simply because some of it so twisted, but it’s always grounded by Munnery’s alleged pearls of wisdom such as ‘Why do men die before their women? Is it because they want to?’ and Kombat Opera, where harsh insults are sung in, yep, you guessed it, an opera style. In the hands of less accomplished comedians this could have been a mess, but Munnery’s confidence with such odd material shines throughout, and no doubt soon he’ll be heralded as the next Eddie Izzard.
Backed by such comedy stalwarts as Kevin Eldon, Johnny Vegas and Richard Thomas, and directed by Stewart Lee, if you like you’re comedy cutting, surreal and sometimes downright confusing, there’s no better place to find it on tv at the moment.
Frasier (21:30, Friday 5th Jan, C4)
I’ve got this problem with long running American shows I guess. Recent episodes of The Simpsons, ER, Friends The X-Files et al seem to be fairly entertaining, but when compared to their first few years suffer greatly.
And sadly, Frasier now falls in to this category these days. Only so many tales can be told, but sadly this hasn’t stopped any of these shows from over repeating plots to death. Now the show has gone the way of far too many others and become just another relationship comedy. Sure, fans have wanted to see Niles and Daphne together for years now, but I can’t help but feel that the only reason they have is to give a flagging comedy a reason to continue. Okay, it’s far better than much television broadcast at the moment, but that’s no reason for producers to flog the concept to death.
It’s extremely doubtful that this will be the last season, either, due to it’s success in the states (where it supposedly taught Americans about irony), and it’s hard to imagine that it won’t continue to decline in quality.
Buffy (20:00, Friday 5th Jan, Sky One)
I’m not sure what it says about me when I claim that Buffy and Angel make for good tv viewing. I mean, are they, really anything that special?
Surely they’ll never leave any leaving scars on the nation’s pysche, like all truly classic tv should, other than that of occasional boredom. But they are fun to watch, fluffy tv that you cant help find endearing. Mixing in teen angst with demon slaughter might never have seemed like the formula for a good tv show, and the original movie partially proved this, but somehow both Buffy works really well.
Perhaps it’s because it rarely takes itself too seriously, that the cast are so comfortable with each other, but for once the states has produced a show that has actually improved over time.
Dawson’s Creek (18:00, Friday 5th Jan, C4)
The problem with all this post modern, post ironic tv is that inevitably however clever it tries to be, inevitably it will still follow the standard rules of tv drama. The fourth season of Dawson’s Creek began last night with Joey and Pacey discussing the inevitable drama’s that would befall them over the next twelve months or so, but however clever their dialogue is, they still walk straight in to all too obvious plot lines.
If you’re going to have characters so self aware, then surely they deserve plot lines a little more complicated than currently given. Not that it’s not fun to watch, the all too pretty girls as sharp and sassy as usual, the dialogue still witty, but it too is already becoming over familiar, and you have to wonder where it’s all going, and what, if anything, it means to anyone. And I can’t shake the urge to scream at this collection of overtly analytical teens.
Yeah, growing up is pretty hard to do, but adult hood, well, that’s much fucking harder to enjoy.
Alex Finch.
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