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Step into the surreal with Vic Reeves Big Night Out

March 14, 2021 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

In the mid 1980s, long before the days where Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer became the well-known and much-loved surreal comedy duo they are today, Jim Moir was making a name for himself performing one man comedy stage shows in London. Such a name for himself, in fact, that he chose not to stick with his own. While Moir enjoyed varying his moniker frequently, he eventually settled on ‘Vic Reeves’, originally naming his show Vic Reeves Variety Palladium.

The show was a parody of the variety showcases so popular in prior decades, with Vic assuming the role of host (referring to himself as ‘Britain’s Top Light Entertainer’), introducing a variety of absurd characters (often also played by Reeves) and obscure performances. Reeves was often joined on stage by Fred Aylwood, playing his mute, eccentric, lab coat-wearing assistant, Les.

This stage show eventually evolved into Vic Reeves Big Night Out, which Reeves performed at The Goldsmiths Tavern in New Cross, south east London. It was here that he caught the imagination of a young Bob Mortimer, who was working as a solicitor at the time. It is told that Mortimer was transfixed by Reeves’s high-octane character comedy, going to see the show every week, and eventually taking part in the action himself.

© BBC

This article was originally posted on British Comedy Guide as part of their Comedy Rewind series. Read the rest of the article here…

Posted in: Comedians, Revisited, Television Shows Tagged: BCG, Big Night Out, Bob Mortimer, Comedy Rewind, The British Comedy Guide, Vic Reeves, Vic Reeves Big Night Out

TV Review: Back To Life

November 10, 2019 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

We first meet Miri Matteson as she frantically hacks at her own fringe in preparation for a job interview. This kind of bumbling impulsivity is a staple of Miri’s approach to life, we soon learn.

Miri (played by Daisy Haggard) has just been released home after spending the last eighteen years in prison for murder. It’s not just that her family have been living their lives without her for nearly twenty years, but Miri has become completely isolated from the world she lives in. The world has moved on and didn’t wait for her, incarcerated, to catch up.

As we piece together what happened eighteen years ago, the true nature of the characters begins to become clear. Everyone is either afraid of Miri or absolutely despises her, or both, and this affects how they react to her now she has re-integrated into the outside world.

© BBC3

Most of the characters are energetic and peculiar, from brutally honest and antagonistic probation officer Janice (Jo Martin), to Miri’s new boss, chip shop owner Nathan (Liam Williams). These ridiculous characters contrast against the sensitivity of neighbour and potential love interest Billy (Adeel Akhtar) and also the uptight and, for some reason, furious former best friend Mandy (Christine Bottomley).

Set against the backdrop of Kent’s murky pebbled beaches, Back To Life develops a similar feeling of tranquil tragedy to that of Ricky Gervais’ After Life, which is, at times, rather breathtaking. Back To Life is a programme that shows us what we are capable of doing to each other, and that’s quite scary. But it also shows how people who love each other deep down under the surface are capable of putting their conflicts aside when it really matters.

Jauntily paced and saturated with sarcastic remarks thrown out between deeply flawed individuals, Back To Life is tense and filled with conflict. Haggard’s performance is stunning, yet utterly heartbreaking.

BACK TO LIFE IS AVAILABLE ON BBC iPLAYER

Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: Adeel Akhtar, Back To Life, Christine Bottomley, Daisy Haggard, Jo Martin, Liam Williams

Top 5 Moments… Gavin & Stacey

June 23, 2019 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

With the recent shock announcement that Gavin & Stacey is to be returning this Christmas with a one-off special episode, MoodyComedy is taking a look back at the top five moments of Gavin & Stacey history…

5) Christmas present time

It’s Christmas day at the Shipmans’ and after everyone has finished eating dinner, they share out the presents. Bryn picks up a suspiciously small package with a label that reads from ‘Nessa, David and Neil’, and Nessa tells the family that they might as well all open theirs together. It turns out everyone has been given one chocolate from a box of Celebrations, intricately wrapped in a little box. This disappointment mingled with the competition for who got the best chocolate perfectly sums up family Christmas.

© BBC

4) Dawn and Pete renew their vows

Dawn and Pete are a fiery couple. Though not particularly passionate about each other, they are certainly passionate about one thing: despising one another. So when the Sutcliffe’s (yes, most of our characters are named after notorious serial killers) decide to renew their vows for their 26th wedding anniversary, it is an undeniably tense affair. But the pair have a surprise up their sleeves; Pete gives a spoken rendition of Fix You by Coldplay as his vows, and Dawn, Michael Jackson’s Ben. Despite the loving words, Dawn’s disparaging looks at Pete do not go unnoticed…

3) Pam becomes a vegetarian

In the epitome of an overthinking frenzy, Pam convinces herself that upon meeting and catering for Stacey’s family for the first time, one of them is bound to spring the bombshell that they are a vegetarian. But this is a last minute realisation as the Wests are on their way. In the frenzy, Pam somehow comes to the conclusion that she must tell the Wests that she herself is a vegetarian. What ensues is months of snaffling slices of ham out of the packet when nobody is looking; it’s ridiculous but hilarious.

© BBC

2) Ness is pregnant…

As the family gather round the table at Capriccio’s to celebrate Gavin and Stacey returning from their honeymoon, a commotion arises in the ladies toilets. One by one the dinner guests enter the toilets to be greeted with the exclamation: ‘Nessa’s pregnant… and Smithy’s the father!’. The only person who doesn’t know now, however, is Smithy…

1) When Doris was not in the mood to make a salad.

People don’t want to eat a salad at Neil’s christening buffet (‘People don’t want it Gwen, they want filling up!’) and Doris certainly doesn’t want to make it. But we soon learn that that’s not the only reason for Doris’ hostility. Doris and Nessa have history and Doris tired of being made a fool of. So… there’s your salad.

TOP 5 MOMENTS…

Posted in: Television Shows, Top 5 Moments Tagged: British Comedy, Comedy, Gavin & Stacey, Top 5 Moments

TV Review: Fleabag, Series 2

May 29, 2019 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

The second series of Fleabag, in a similar tradition to the first, is a heartbreaking portrayal of the complexities of family. It shows a repressed group of individuals, some bound by blood, others marriage, who don’t say what they mean and won’t admit what they feel to themselves or to each other. The viewer can understand why they all can’t stand each other, but that doesn’t make it any easier viewing.

Each character has repulsive aspects on the surface, with their sincere, human-like aspects being somewhat hidden deeper down. Fleabag herself is gangly, awkward and sly. She always says the thing that nobody wants to hear (whether that be regarding miscarriage, anal sex, or death). In other words, she is a liability. But deep down, she just wants to be loved and to love. The issue is that she’s surrounded by people who can’t quite work her out.

© BBC

Despite being forever unsupported by those around her, Fleabag is the most supportive of her family and friends. She lets her sister steal her jokes, and even covers up her miscarriage for her. This genuine, heartfelt kindness emerges in glistening flashes throughout this second series, often taking viewers off guard. In between the unbearably awkward silences and instances of morally questionable behaviour, there is a softness that shines through.

The intense orchestral strings give Fleabag haunting theatrics, building the tension that is already on a knife edge. This aids the religious subtext well, presenting a tense, sexual backdrop to the will-they-won’t-they relationship between our protagonist and the hot catholic priest. The religious influence takes the series into a somewhat unexpected direction, and the question of whether Fleabag is a victim in this situation is an interesting one to consider. Is this love? Or is this emotional manipulation, control and exploitation?

The unanswered questions, I think, only add to the complexity of Fleabag and the way in which it depicts the protagonists relationship with herself and those in her life.

Fleabag is a beautiful and rather tragic take on how one individual struggles to understand and rationalise her own repressed pain. It is subtle, intricate and bitterly funny.

FLEABAG IS AVAILABLE ON BBC iPLAYER

Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: Fleabag, Phoebe Waller-Bridge

TV Review: After Life

March 17, 2019 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

[usr 5]

Ricky Gervais has completely shaken up our perceptions of what he is capable of with his latest series After Life, showing how this comic can do heart-breaking as well as hilarious.

© Netflix

Set in the height of a beautiful English summer, After Life follows Tony, a middle-aged man who becomes suicidal after the death of his wife leaves him without purpose and without joy. He works as a features editor for a free local newspaper, cares for his dog Brandy, and visits his senile father (David Bradley) each day. In the fog of his depression, Tony decides to abandon all rules of politeness when it concerns people whom he deems undeserving. He chooses say what he wants, to whoever he wants because he no longer cares about the consequences.

After Life, at its core, is about the loneliness of losing that one person that makes the rest of the world fade into insignificance. It’s the kind of loss that forces you to look out into the world and take accountability for your place within all of that. The death of his wife Lisa completely shakes Tony’s world because he no longer has the excuse of locking the front door and turning the TV on, safe in the comfort that it’s those two against the world. In a strange way, the death of Lisa has forced him to acknowledge that he too is a participant in the world. And it’s this realism that makes After Life so terrifying. Gervais is not presenting us with anything particularly out of the ordinary; this is a real, genuine tragedy that many of us will endure at some point in our lifetimes.

Viewers will no doubt have an inkling as to where the narrative will end up, and After Life is almost the modern day A Christmas Carol that the trailer suggests it might be. Some of the dialogue is clunky in places, particularly Tony’s self-righteous, morbid verbal attacks, which are more frequent during the first episode as the programme begins to establish itself.

© Netflix

The words spoken do, however, consistently feel as though they are aiming at truth. Gervais’ personal passions are at the forefront of this series, more so than ever before. His love of animals and contempt of religion are prominent themes. In the moments where the writer’s personal views are most prominent (such as when Tony informs Sandy that ‘humanity is a plague’), criticisers of Gervais’ stand-up will no doubt have a field day. Yes, some of Tony’s arguments seem to be lifted straight from Gervais’ past stand up shows and old XFM Radio podcasts, but why not? They remain relevant because Gervais remains passionate about the ideas, and articulates them so persuasively.

The cast is made up of many of Gervais’ regulars, and is saturated with an abundance of strong female talent, from Mandeep Dhillon, to Roisin Conaty, to Diane Morgan. Whilst most characters arguably exist as pawns for After Life to drive its message home, they are still relatively complex and each have their unexpected quirks. Penelope Wilton in particular delivers a brilliant and emotive performance as Anne, a widowed senior who exudes the compassion that Tony doesn’t know he needs. Another character refreshingly overt in her moral judgements is Tony’s father’s nurse (Ashley Jensen), who, like Anne, doesn’t take any of Tony’s shit.

© Netflix

These outspoken characters are pivotal for Tony’s own journey, as they highlight how Tony’s grief is making him selfish and leaving him failing to remember (or care) that every person is hurting in some way, to some extent. At the end of the day, Tony isn’t really a Scrooge. In fact, as the series progresses it becomes increasingly clear that there’s a bit of Tony in all of us. He has a hatred of idiocy and a contempt of pointless conversation, but he is also kind, quick-witted and down to earth.

Gervais perfectly captures the rage that can come with feeling depressed. He subtly and intricately depicts how everything can feel like an offence, everyone else is an obstacle that reminds us of our own pain, and yet what hurts more is turning the mirror and reflecting on one’s own actions. But as the series develops, the genuine, pure humanity in each character is allowed to shine through. After Life shows human nature in its best light. The vast majority of people are kind and generous people who suffer and live.

After Life is a stunning and heartbreakingly poignant depiction of love, loss and the human condition. And with the soundtrack being enough to induce tears alone (including the master, Nick Cave, as well as Mogwai and Daughter), it is an undeniably moving dramatic feat. The overwhelming message is that good people (and dogs) really can remind you that you are good too. And what could be more beautiful, or important, than that?

Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: After Life, Ashley Jensen, Diane Morgan, Kerry Godliman, Mandeep Dhillon, Penelope Wilton, Ricky Gervais, Roisin Conaty, Sitcom

2018’s Contribution to TV Comedy

January 17, 2019 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

2018 was a solid year for British comedy on television. We had a deluge of excellent new sitcom series, particularly those with teenage protagonists, from the Northern Irish school kids of Derry Girls to Conor and Jock of The Young Offenders and Gloucestershire cousins Kerry and Kurtan in This Country. Dark and surreal comedy has also been thriving, with the return of Inside No. 9 and Flowers, and also Vic and Bob’s Big Night Out. This article will explore 2018’s TV comedy highlights (let’s just forget about that The Inbetweeners reunion, shall we?)

The Young Offenders © BBC

The fourth series of Inside No. 9, which broadcast at the start of January, certainly lived up to past instalments. The anthology series (created by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton) dabbled in Shakespearean comedy, dark and twisted mystery and heart-breaking trips down memory lane. On Halloween, a special ‘live’ episode aired, which was a half hour of comedy that certainly divided its viewers (that is, those who didn’t accidentally tune out before the end…).

Inside No 9 © BBC

Another stand-out programme that no doubt every fan of dark comedy has watched this year is The End of the F****** World, which originally aired on Channel 4 in 2017 but was released on Netflix in January 2018. With short twenty-minute episodes, vibrant characters and unexpected plot developments, this series is a punchy rollercoaster unlike anything else. With a new series expected later this year, this is certainly not the last we will hear from murderous teens James and Alyssa.

This Country © BBC

February saw the return of This Country; one of the greatest new comedies of recent years. This mockumentary series about the lives of teenagers in rural areas has plenty unbearable moments of awkwardness that rival Ricky Gervais’ The Office. But the message is a rather sad one; these teenagers are limited in opportunity and experience. But Kerry and Kurtan (played by siblings, and writers of the show, Daisy May and Charlie Cooper) are, unsurprisingly, the stars of the show. Their childishness, pettiness and naivety is what makes This Country a stand out. The dialogue is always unexpected, which brings the hilarity, but all the while the message behind the humour really packs a punch.

Flowers © Channel 4/ Kudos Productions

Flowers is a truly beautiful tragic comedy. it picks up on family rifts, personal anxieties and implications brought about by mental health issues, alluding to them incredibly subtly in the characters’ actions and words. Series two, which aired in June, showed each character’s gradual demise to be looming ever nearer, often making for an uncomfortable watch (especially when our concern changes focus and hones in on Shun, who is struggling to come to terms with the loneliness he faces in this strange, foreign place). Flowers features stunning comic performances from Olivia Colman, Julian Barratt and Will Sharpe (who also writes and directs).

Gone Fishing © BBC

In July, Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse brought us the hilarious and wholesome Gone Fishing; a documentary series for BBC2 about the beauty of natural wildlife and the importance of looking after our health. The two legendary comics (both now bordering on 60) have had their fair share of health scares in recent years, with both having experienced major heart problems that gave them a bit of a re-awakening. Mortimer and Whitehouse are clearly great friends and their shared humour makes this programme a thoroughly enjoyable watch.

Vic and Bob’s Big Night Out © BBC

And who could miss the return of Vic and Bob in Vic and Bob’s Big Night Out at Christmas? This revamp of Reeve’s old show format is exactly what we would expect from the absurd duo, with the addition of some up-to-date satirical references (featuring the likes of Piers Morgan and Donald Trump), as well as a visit from George Ezra. But some old favourites are back, including Graham Lister, The Man With The Stick and The Stotts.

So now that we’re comfortably into the flow of a new year, we can really start to look forward to what’s to come in terms of comedy on our TV sets (or laptops, or smartphones, or tablets, or microwaves). In 2019 we will be treated to new instalments of Inside No. 9, The End of the F****** World, This Country and Gone Fishing. Other returning programmes include a final series of Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan’s Catastrophe as well as a TV series of vampire mockumentary film What We Do in the Shadows. But for now, perhaps a re-watch of some of the programmes above from 2018 will help fight the January blues.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON THE SPROUT

Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: Bob Mortimer, British Comedy, Charlie Cooper, Comedy, Daisy May Cooper, Derry Girls, Flowers, Gone Fishing, Inside No 9, Julian Barratt, Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, Olivia Colman, Paul Whitehouse, Reece Shearsmith, Reeves and Mortimer, Steve Pemberton, The End of the Fucking World, The Young Offenders, This Country, Vic and Bob, Vic and Bob's Big Night Out, Vic Reeves, Will Sharpe

Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing

July 23, 2018 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse’s friendship, as any fan of absurd character comedy will know, goes way back. But this latest television venture, Gone Fishing, alludes to a turning point for the two comedians, as they each deal with the repercussions of recent heart problems (Whitehouse had to have three stents fitted in his heart, and Mortimer had a triple heart bypass). In light of these undoubtedly life-shaking health scares, the pair turn to fishing as a way of embracing the great outdoors, and indeed, life itself, once more. The pair embark on a trip across the UK, where Whitehouse departs his angling knowledge on Mortimer’s enthusiastic ear.

Whitehouse and Mortimer’s genuine, deep personal bond is the set piece of this programme, giving the show a purity about it. Here we have two open, modest and genuinely hilarious men, who both have health concerns but are adamant that these will not stop them from enjoying the simple, and finer, things in life. Conversation drifts across an array of diverse topics, from death and the afterlife, to friendship, show business and their comedy beginnings. Both came to performing stand up comedy through friends, and admit they probably wouldn’t have ever gone into performing if it wasn’t for the encouragement and confidence of their comedy counterparts.

© BBC

As well as showcasing a variety of fishing techniques and fish species, (which are not exclusively interesting to angling enthusiasts, on the contrary, the beauty of these creatures and their habitats can be appreciated by many a casual viewer), Bob fulfils his side of the deal by rustling up ‘heart-healthy’ (low cholesterol and saturated fat) meals, confessing on occasion that the dishes might fall on the ‘dreary side of tasty’.

Gone Fishing is an important conversation piece. It discusses the effect that significant and sudden health problems (such as those suffered by Mortimer and Whitehouse) can have on the wellbeing and general confidence of those who suffer them. Not only will this programme make you laugh, but it will leave you with your heart feeling full. What is more important than friendship and health? Not a lot as far as I can tell.

All episodes of Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing are available on BBC iPlayer

Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: Bob Mortimer, Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, Paul Whitehouse

TV Review: Inside No. 9, Series 4

March 30, 2018 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

That familiar tinkle of the Inside No 9. theme has gradually become a strange source of nostalgia for me over the years. That 10-second-or-so piece of music signals the beginning of another journey into a mysterious, multi-layered microcosm of our world, each episode seemingly a polar opposite to the last. The latest series of Inside No. 9 was broadcast on BBC2 throughout January and February, and here is a (spoiler-free) breakdown of each episode.

Zanzibar

Zanzibar, the first episode in this new series of Inside No. 9, is a beautiful production of yellows, golds and greens, as a group of unconnected strangers are brought together by something as simple as their hotel room numbers. Smiling bell boy, Fred (played by Jaygann Ayeh) and bright-eyed gem, Colette (Helen Monks) make a great, ditsy pair, contrasting perfectly against the asides and Shakespeare-like soliloquys from the episode’s somewhat shadier characters. This is an episode that really showcases the skill of its diverse cast, from Marcia Warren to Kevin Eldon and, of course, Rory Kinnear. The rhyming couplets are always pleasing, and the music score is wonderful. Zanzibar is a humorous culmination of disastrous misunderstandings and sly underhands; very cleverly executed indeed.

Inside No. 9, Zanzibar © BBC

Bernie Clifton’s Dressing Room

Bernie Clifton’s Dressing Room is the tale of Len Shelby and Tommy Drake, previously known as comedy duo Cheese & Crackers. Their material is now unbearably outdated, yet they meet for the first time in thirty years in order to attempt to rekindle their old material. Tommy, or ‘Thomas’ as he now prefers to be called, appears starchy and emotionally detached from the very moment Len walks in, often coming across as horrendously rude. But as the story progresses, the pair’s old emotional ties, deep friendship, and pure love of comedy become clearer. They’re not the people they used to be, in different ways for each man, but there is an old, almost brotherly love that shines through despite the unbearable tension. This episode really shows not only the acting skills of Pemberton and Shearsmith, but the great connection the two share whilst performing.

Once Removed

Beginning with the arrival of a removal man from a company named Handle Me Gently, Once Removed begins rather cheekily, but quickly progresses into a series of shocking catastrophes. Most of the episode is spent working out who each character is, where they’ve come from and why they’ve done what they’ve done. The viewer is always left one step behind (or, in this case, one step in front) of the goings on. It’s certainly a bit of a brain exercise, but a very satisfying one when the order of the narrative becomes less foggy. It’s not easy to keep a track of what’s happening, even after multiple viewings. Perhaps watching it backwards might help you make sense of it, but that might spoil all the fun. 

To Have and To Hold

This episode is another turbulent ride full of mystery and realisations. Adrian and Harriet have become a frustrated and loveless couple over the years due to past issues, which are soon brought to the surface. In order to reignite their love for each other, the pair are preparing to re-take their wedding vows, but it is not easy to rekindle feelings when so much bad air stands between them. To Have and To Hold is a rather bleak story, quickly transforming into something disturbing, even quite sickening in parts. And with such a dainty, innocent-seeming piano score accompanying a large portion of this twisted fairy tale, To Have and To Hold really packs a punch.

Inside No. 9, To Have and To Hold © BBC

And the Winner Is…

A group of largely intolerable actors, directors and critics are stuck between four walls, unable to leave until they reach a verdict on who is to win a Best Actress award.  The premise is unique but refreshingly simple, and the idiosyncrasies of the characters are allowed to naturally bloom. Pemberton and Shearsmith are undeniably skilled at assembling a bunch of diverse characters in a relatively plain setting and allowing them to slowly reveal their personalities, humour and hang-ups. Featuring Zoë Wanamaker and Noel Clarke, this episode doesn’t shy away from the silly, and serves as a bit of light relief from other recent episodes in the series.

Tempting Fate

‘Glorified bin men’ Keith, Nick and Maz are beginning the task of clearing out the council flat of deceased hoarder Frank, when they come across a mysterious parcel locked away in his safe. Although not quite as punchy as other episodes in this series, Tempting Fate is characteristically sinister and multilayered. Maz’s character (played by Weruche Opia), as opposed to most characters written by Shearsmith and Pemberton, doesn’t seem to be as sensitively written. Her blunt mannerisms and lack of empathy lead to quite a patronising view of the type of person her character represents, but in a way she serves as an interesting contrast against the world-weary seriousness of Keith (Pemberton) in particular. This story is about the disturbing inner workings of fate and shows how easily our greed can get in the way, with disastrous consequences.

Inside No. 9 is, and shall remain, a dear favourite of mine. Everyone you speak to will have a different favourite episode (though the name Migg often crops up in my house when discussing standout storylines). As ever, I eagerly anticipate the next series, so much so that I’ve even started the whole lot again in an attempt to find every hidden hare.

SERIES 1 AND 2 (THOUGHT NOT YET 3 AND 4) OF INSIDE NO. 9 ARE AVAILABLE TO WATCH ON NETFLIX

Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: Anthology, British Comedy, Comedy, Inside No 9, Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton

February Comedian of the Month #44, Rachel Parris

March 12, 2018 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment
Each Comedian of the Month on MoodyComedy is a comic who has never previously featured on the website. Reasons for selection can include various current projects the comedian is involved with, or perhaps recent appearances on television programmes or podcasts. There is no strict criteria however, as Comedian of the Month simply stands as a collection of recommendations, highlighting interesting and original aspects of certain comedians and their work.

Rachel Parris is a comedian, musician, actor and improviser, and performs as part of the Jane Austen-inspired comedy improv group, Austentatious. I’ve known her name for the last few years, but this month marked the first time I saw anything from her on television.

Parris is a regular face on the satirical sketch, faux-news show The Mash Report on BBC Two, which returned for its second series at the end of January and stars the likes of Nish Kumar and Ellie Taylor. Though at times I find this show a little testing to watch (I’ve never been able to get on with the man-in-suit-mocking-the-news format, it seems contrived and occasionally plain irritating), Parris is the reason I keep tuning back in.

Her skit about the harassment of women in the first episode of this series is a piece of comedy gold. Not only is it well-delivered, cheeky and surprising, but I think it also achieves what it initially set out to do: paint a clearer picture of the day to day harassment and casual sexism that women all over the world face.

© BBC

Nish’s ill-judged (perhaps scripted) comments about feeling uncomfortable after receiving an unusually long hug from Rachel evolves into one of the best moments of the sketch: ‘Don’t look at the script, Nish. It’ll be fine, Nish. Of course we wouldn’t do anything to make you feel uncomfortable!’ Parris replies within a split second, a cheery smile on her face and a glint in her eye: ‘Welcome to womanhood!’

Parris’ character is composed, patronising and she makes her points eloquently. She owns this show, and I’d certainly like to see more from her off the back of this success.

For more information, follow Rachel Parris on Twitter, or visit her website.

COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

Posted in: Comedian Of The Month, Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: Austentatious, British Comedy, Comedian Of The Month, Comedy, Ellie Taylor, Nish Kumar, Rachel Parris, Satire, The Mash Report

TV Review: Motherland, Series 1

December 3, 2017 by Becca Moody Leave a Comment

The saying ‘write about what you know’ is a common tactic used in comedy writing, and this is particularly interesting, I think, when the viewer is not in position to relate to the subject matter. With regard to Motherland, which had a pilot on BBC iPlayer in 2016, and has since been picked up by BBC 2 for a six-part series, I was completely in the dark. I have only ever really appreciated motherhood and childcare from the perspective of the child.

Motherland  is co-written by Graham Linehan, Sharon Horgan, Helen Linehan and Holly Walsh. And the mothers they have written into this microcosmic world are by no means bad mothers. Their lives rotate around providing for their children, whether that be through doing the school run, organising birthday parties, or attending charity fundraisers. But in juggling the life of being a full-time parent and having a life and career for themselves, Julia and Liz (two mothers with completely opposing attitudes) often resort to somewhat unpalatable means. The selfishness is shocking at times, if arguably understandable, and it is this shock that is behind some of the funniest moments in this series. It serves as a relief, too, from the health anxiety nightmare that parenthood seems to be, from plaster-filled swimming pools to vomiting bugs. I’d rather them than me.

© Colin Hutton

Liz, played by the inimitable Diane Morgan, is a favourite for me. She knows all the tricks of the trade with regard to dealing with other mums and their egos of various sizes. She is also relaxed enough to sit back and let her kids make their own fun, standing in stark contrast with Julia (played by Anna Maxwell-Martin) whose attempts to micromanage every aspect of her life leaves her neglecting communicating with her kids somewhat, as her day gets filled up with other things. Both tropes have their upsides and downsides, and Julia certainly provides the cringe factor; always saying the wrong thing, but not necessarily the thing the viewer might be thinking of.

There is a level of detail here, rarely seen in sitcoms these days it seems. It is a rarity that viewers are not treated as slightly stupid; we often have punchlines or scenarios spelt out for us. But the writers of Motherland have been far more clever here, leaving the space for us to think up the more obvious follow-up, and then providing us with a far further-afield, surreal turn of events. This is is comedy writing at its most nuanced.

Watching Motherland feels somewhat like how I imagine it feels to watch a car crash unfold. But this is disaster comedy that never takes the easy route.

CATCH UP WITH MOTHERLAND ON BBC IPLAYER

Posted in: Comedians, Television Shows Tagged: Anna Maxwell-Martin, Diane Morgan, Lucy Punch, Motherland, Paul Ready, Philippa Dunne
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