Television Shows

TV Review: Quacks, Series 1

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Quacks is a Victorian medical satire set in London, where the future of modern medicine is just beginning to stand on its own two feet. It’s gory, ludicrous and shocking in parts, but it seems that this is perfectly fitting with the plights of medical advancement throughout this period.

Written by James Wood (of Rev notability), the dialogue is smart and droll, with the relatively small cast working together well. The core cast in question is made up of British drama heavyweight Rory Kinnear, Lydia Leonard, and The Wrong Man‘s Mat Baynton and Tom Basden, and the dynamics within this group of colleagues and friends is relatively complex (though perhaps typical of Victorian Britain, where infidelity is common, with women being treated as objects for mens’ pleasure).

Quacks explores the work of various medical revolutionaries, from surgeons to dentists to psychiatrists (or ‘mad doctors’), mocking the Victorian folk psychological view towards health and self care, presenting concepts like tooth-brushing and hand-washing as groundbreaking and a load of unnecessary faff. And anyone with an eye for hygiene, or even those without, will surely have their stomaches turned by surgeon Robert (Kinnear), who conducts live operations in front of his captivated audiences, which are reminiscent of the frenzy and activity one might expect to see in a depiction of an Elizabethan crowd watching a Shakespearean play.

© Nick Briggs

And many famous names are scattered throughout the storylines, as Charles Dickens is portrayed as an egotistical ponce and Florence Nightingale as the ridiculed revolutionary that she was. But, in keeping with the issues raised, prejudices are challenged by our female characters, particularly from Caroline (Leonard), whose wish to extend her passion for anatomy and medicine to a career as a surgeon is met with laughter and discomfort by her male counterparts, particularly her husband Robert.

Upstart Crow-esque in its conceptualisation, Quacks is a humorous look back on the notably blasé approach to health and hygiene within experimental medicine that resulted in the gruesome deaths of thousands, and yet also lead to the advancements in modern medicine that we see today.

CATCH UP WITH QUACKS ON BBC iPLAYER

TV Review: Ill Behaviour, Series 1

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Drastic and outlandish, Sam Bain’s Ill Behaviour is a punchy comedic rollercoaster that follows Charlie (Tom Riley), who is recently diagnosed with a non-Hodgkin lymphoma, as his friends Joel (Chris Geere) and Tess (Jessica Regan) kidnap him in an attempt to forcefully administer his chemotherapy, which he had previously been refusing in favour of a more natural, homeopathic approach.

Recently divorced Joel, our main protagonist, wants to control everything; he needs everyone to play by his rules. Because in truth he is reluctant to accept change, and is very much against the thought of his long-term friends moving on in their lives without him. Joel’s character reeks of a need to keep things exactly how they are, so that he can feel stable, and there is something endearingly childish about that, making him likeable, if annoying from the offset. It’s easy to forget that the cast is so small, as the characters are big and loud, filling the space with noise. Sex addict Nadia (Lizzy Caplan) is a particularly complex character, adding an interesting tension within the group by introducing a romantic interest for more than one of the characters.

Ill Behaviour © BBC

An upbeat tempo paired with a core dilemma that is obviously rather wretched makes for a series that soon evolves from being a punchy sitcom to being a fairly complicated and bleak drama. This bittersweet storyline soon begins to feel like a film rather than a series, which gives it more emotional impact as the narrative reaches its dramatic conclusion.

And Ill Behaviour raises interesting questions: is this rejection of medicine, whether by our trendy juicing diets or perhaps the human body’s eventual rejection antibiotics, for example, really the plight of the modern age? Luckily for now, the rejection of treatment is only a matter of opinion, and not a physical necessity, so Charlie’s health can still be saved if everything goes to plan. But this is a comedy, after all, so why would it all go to plan?

CATCH UP WITH ILL BEHAVIOUR ON BBC iPLAYER

TV Review: This Country, Series 1

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This Country is a new mockumentary series about the life of teenagers in modern rural Britain. Written by siblings Daisy May and Charlie Cooper, this is a comedy that feels like light viewing, yet has somewhat of a cleverly undertone of despair.

Our protagonists, teenagers Kerry and Kurtan (Daisy and Charlie Cooper) are restricted by the monotony of life in this small Cotswolds village, taking their frustrations out on one another. They are rebellious and despondent in ways that an angsty teenager of thirteen or fourteen may be, yet it feels like Kerry and Kurtan are getting to this stage quite a few years late. All the people they grew up with have left the village; there is nothing for them there anymore. But this pair are reluctant to make a leap of faith and change their lifestyles, which leaves them stagnant in a place where nothing happens and pointless feuds take priority over genuine life aspirations, whether that be the result of highly competitive scarecrow competitions or arguments about who gets to use the oven next.

© BBC

But This Country is not merely the embodiment of troublemaking child’s play; there are serious issues being tackled here as well. During this first series Kerry and Kurtan’s uncle gets released from prison, only to reoffend the same day; Kerry’s dad gets accused of being a Peeping Tom; and both teenagers must question whether either of them are able to forge successful careers for themselves inside or outside of the village. There is a similarly unbearable undertone of  melancholy and unrealised ambition as that of Britain’s flagship mockumentary: The Office, with this obscure feeling of discontentment becoming more deeply imprinted in the viewer’s mind as the series progresses.

Despite their complaints, there is a strong bond between our two protagonists, which gives the whole programme some heart (so much so that all other characters seem to fade into irrelevance). Though it may seem easy to feel repulsed by the characters, with viewers possibly feeling they too need to escape the predicament Kerry and Kurtan find themselves in, This Country quickly becomes a compelling, if stifling, watch.

This Country expertly leaves certain things unsaid, creating an interestingly discomforting mood. Here is a thoughtful and stimulating satire, and while it’s a no brainer that fans of The Office should give This Country a go, it is certainly a comedy with a wide-reaching demographic, with frequent laugh out loud moments. I, for one, never thought I’d laugh out loud at the word ‘Tomato’.

CATCH UP WITH ‘THIS COUNTRY’ ON BBC IPLAYER

TV Review: How’d You Get So Rich?

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How’d You Get So Rich? Now there’s a programme I didn’t expect to particularly like. Be entertained by, perhaps, but value comedically? Not expected at all.

The premise is simple. It’s a revamp of the 2009-10 US series presented by the late Joan Rivers. Katherine Ryan, often hailed as the next generation of Rivers’ cutthroat comedy, introduces viewers to numerous businessmen and women from all across the globe, from an interior designer for the super rich, a ten-year-old girl with her own fashion lines and a pair of men from Somerset who made their fortune manufacturing sex toys.

What makes this format work is undeniably the force that is Katherine Ryan. She is sharp, sarcastic and unforgiving; anyone who has seen her stand up knows that already. But what surprised me about her appearance on this programme is her undying self-sacrifice comedically. She is happy to be the butt of the jokes and unafraid to make a fool of herself. This is the programme where Katherine’s personal character is able to shine through most. It feels like the world is getting to know this comic personally.

© Channel 4

Despite my initial scepticism, this programme is remarkably lacking in spite. How’d You Get So Rich? is not a programme about people who have had everything handed to them. It is a programme about creative individuals who have crafted and grafted and forged a career despite an array of surprising odds and situational difficulties. Yes, the wealth in some cases seems excessive. Why do the rich need a special plumber that only works for rich people? Why do royal couples need a zoo in the grounds of their palace, with wild cats roaming around the front gate? But these are questions that remain unasked, perhaps because Katherine and her audience do not really need to ask them. This show is not about our prejudices; it is about gaining insight into the lives of those who live differently to us.

In particular, her handling of Isabella (who made her first million at the age of six) highlights how genuine Katherine’s approach is. Any humiliation of this child (because despite her great wealth and popularity, this is what Isabella is) could have stuck with her for a lifetime. Ryan remains generous in her interrogations. And she throws herself into every situation head first, with a healthy dose of scepticism yet no hint of closed-mindedness in any respect.

Endlessly curious and most importantly interested, Katherine Ryan is the selling point for me. How’d You Get So Rich? is available on All4.

KATHERINE RYAN: KATHBUM

Crackanory Series 4 Preview

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The latest series of the ever-popular, dark anthology series Crackanory is looming. Here is quick preview of the latest set of episodes, to give you an idea of what sinister gems this new series has to offer, in time for January 30th, when the series begins on Dave.

The first episode in the series, entitled A Close Slave, is written by Tony Way. Dara O’Briain narrates the story of a playwright in ancient Rome, who is aided by his helpful slave when suffering from a particularly troublesome bout of writer’s block. Way presents viewers with an interesting blend of uneasy politics and delightful silliness, with the addition of various pieces of historical trivia on top. The drama levels are high as there is certainly a lot for our young protagonist to lose here. But as long as he writes the perfect ending, everything should go smoothly, right?

Living With A Lie, written by Nico Tatarowicz and performed by Sheridan Smith, follows the turbulent experiences of office worker Russell as he struggles to write his first novel. This story is one of lies and false impressions, with Russell’s fictional and genuinely disturbing ‘Aunt Janet’ making an unwelcome appearance across all aspects of his personal and professional life. The writing in this episode is particularly beautiful, with Tatarowicz’s use of metaphor making for poetic storytelling; the kind of writing that inspires others to write. And not only this, Steve Oram stars as Russell’s unsupportive manager Phil. This is definitely a highlight of the new series.

Crackanory S4 – Episode 3 – Bob Mortimer – The Despot of Tea

Bob Mortimer narrates the third episode in the series, Arnold Widdowson’s The Despot Of Tea, and his trademark matter-of-fact delivery shines through in this tale of Geoff, who becomes an unintentional propaganda icon when his acting career takes a surprise turn. This somewhat uneasy tale follows Geoff as he travels to a former Soviet state for of an acting job, only to find out that he has been recruited by the country’s president Alexei to get the nation’s people back on side. If this twisting thrill-ride of a story wasn’t enough for you, it’s worth watching just to hear Mortimer say Sir Slurpington-Boots.

The Frankenstein-esque The Survivor is a delightfully unsettling piece of television. Written by Alex Kirk and narrated by Anna Friel, this tale recounts the difficult discoveries made by Thomas, who awakes in a strange house in the middle of the countryside to the news that his parents have died. He is bed-bound and helpless, pined over more like a family pet than a patient. Nothing is as it seems in the warped, dystopian world Thomas finds himself in, and viewers are kept guessing right up to the very last scene.

Episode five, Proxy Lady, features Mel Giedroyc’s recognisable, playful delivery that is pleasingly blunt in parts. Mel introduces us to 27 year old Beth, a miserable hotel worker who’s life becomes infinitely more interesting when she receives an ominous email from a woman named Greta (House of Fool‘s Ellie White). There is certainly something sick and twisted about the behaviour of the characters from the offset, but an unusual development is that it appears to be Beth who is the heartless one, rather than the mysterious loner she has dealings with.

Crackanory S4 – Episode 5 – Mel Giedroyc – Proxy Lady

Devil’s Haircut is written by Sarah Morgan and narrated by the ‘cool kid’ of comedy Doc Brown. It is a tale of ‘four white men in waistcoats singing stolen slave songs.’ Well, that’s what the sultry and mysterious Lil (Sophia Di Martino) claims a barbershop quartet is, and our protagonist, Spencer, happens to be a part of said barbershop quartet. Seduced by Lil’s red lipstick and intense gaze, the singer finds himself implicated in a pact that he had not intended to get involved in, with the love of his life suddenly becoming a source of great fear.

The Office‘s Mackenzie Crook narrates The Disappearance, written by Toby Davies. This is a story of misdirection, one that explores the border between magic and madness, pushing it to its absolute boundaries until, inevitably, something has to break. This episode is pacy and impactful, with an air of The Prestige about it. It features Dominic Coleman as Solomon the successful magician whose love for the craft, family relations and sanity begin to crumble around him.

And finally comes the final episode in the series: Pickled, written by Kevin Eldon and narrated by Miriam Margolyes. This tale begins with a close look at Benedict, a man who goes from riches to rags as his extravagant lifestyle catches up with him. Benedict’s life is in tatters around him, entirely of his own doing. Add a haunted house to the mix and it looks likes things aren’t going to be looking up anytime soon for our poor protagonist. Margolyes’ storytelling is fantastic and dramatic here; perfect for portraying the tense relationship that develops between Benedict and the ghostly old man he meets in the abandoned house.

This latest series of Crackanory perfectly epitomises what the art of entertaining storytelling is all about. The narrators are well-chosen and each story is innovative and unpredictable; definitely worth a watch. Crackanory series 4 begins on Monday 30th January at 10pm on Dave.

BBC Sitcom Season: The Pilots

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Some of comedy’s hottest names have been busy working on new sitcom pilots for BBC iPlayer, airing in September, with the hope of these creative projects later being picked up for a television series.

First up is The Coopers Vs The Rest, a depiction of the turmoils of adopting within a modern day family, with its difficulties involving fitting in with other families, or getting along with other parents. This young family in particular has a very interesting dynamic, with mum Tess (played by Tanya Franks) and Frankie (Erin Kellyman) partaking in consistently sarcastic back and forth that has the warmness of love still beneath it. The dialogue is quick and often unexpected, with each character giving as good as they get, even little eleven-year-old Alisha.

Other pilots include Chris Fewtrell and Simon Crowther’s Home From Home, which follows the Hackett family as they move to their new lodge at Lake View Holiday Park. With Johnny Vegas playing the lead (father, Neil Hackett), supported by Joanna Page as wife, Fiona, this narrative is one of unspoken judgements and stupid faux pas, making for fraught and funny viewing. Next up is Julie Thacker Scully’s latest writing project, Our Ex Wife, which features Robert Webb’s trademark cutting and sarcastic narration throughout. Although a completely different concept to Peep Show, Webb’s idiosyncratic style of self-commentary still really works within the sitcom format, with the tensions between Jack (Webb), fiancé Sara (Melanie Lynskey) and Jack’s ex wife Hillary (Victoria Hamilton) providing relief from the gruesome slasher elements that punctuate the episode.

© BBC

Motherland

Co-written by Helen Linehan, Graham Linehan, Sharon Horgan and Holly Walsh, Motherland is a sitcom that is arguably concerned with the politics of parenthood rather than the essence of childcare itself. Every now and then there is something undeniably funny to be found from shocking or unexpected self-centeredness in human beings, and this feeling is epitomised in this pilot episode about ego-fuelled mothers who, understandably, want to rid themselves of responsibility whenever possible (and this is, of course, hardly ever possible at all).

From the opening scenes it is very much like a disaster movie, with working mother Julia (Anna Maxwell-Martin) frantically rushing to get her young children to school on time, only to realise it is half term anyway and she will have to take the day, and potentially the week, off work. Motherland is an excitingly stressful and busy watch, but Diane Morgan provides important relief from the tension, with her acerbic nonchalance ironically providing much of the drama.

We The Jury

We The Jury

We The Jury is the standout piece for me from this recent batch of sitcom pilots; written by James Acaster, it is reminiscent of his 2015 show Represent, which sees the comic share the ludicrous tales of a recent jury he claims to have taken part in (fictional, undoubtedly). This gradual development of an idea gives the programme a homemade, organic feel, therefore giving an audience the impression of far more depth to the narrative and the characters within it. Acaster has smartly captured his own comic voice within the script, without the need to be physically present (all bar a few unexpected seconds anyway). Visually, We The Jury is bright and snappy, reflecting the excitable energy of the characters, which, somewhat surprisingly, doesn’t grate. There are many interesting characters that Acaster has not had time to establish within a pilot episode alone, from Sophie Thompson who plays Jen 1 to Diane Morgan’s laid back Olivia, proving that this concept could easily develop into a series without any particular risk of stagnancy.

MOTHERLAND HAS ALREADY BEEN COMMISSIONED FOR A SERIES FOR BBC2

Ask The Expert: Robert Popper (Writer and Producer)

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Robert Popper

Robert Popper

Robert Popper is an award-winning comedy writer and producer. As well as co-writing the popular mock-documentary Look Around You with Peter Serafinowicz (Shaun of the Dead, The Peter Serafinowicz Show), Popper is the brain behind Channel 4’s Friday Night Dinner, which stars Tom Rosenthal and Simon Bird as bickering brothers Jonny and Adam, alongside Tamsin Greig, Paul Ritter and Mark Heap. Friday Night Dinner is arguably one of the best sitcoms on television in terms of joke economy and originality, and that is why the show recently returned for a fourth series.
I asked Robert a few questions about his past and current projects in order to learn more about his creative processes…

How did you get into the comedy industry?

I didn’t know anyone in TV when I decided I wanted to give it go. I was basically clueless, but I knew that if I just sent off my rather dull CV I would just get rejection after rejection. So I created a new CV for myself, one that looked completely normal and totally bland, but the more you read it, the more you thought, ‘Huh?!’. It said that, aged 3, I was the sole survivor of an air crash in Canada, and that I was rescued and reared by wolves. It also had all these strange job references I’d mocked up on fake letterheads. There was a syrup factory that I worked in, until I fell into a vat of boiling syrup and spent years having skin grafts. There was a reference from the chief surgeon at the hospital I was sent to, and one from a guy who was my boss in a company that bottled urine as a drink. His reference was written on prison notepaper. Anyway, my stupid letters got me lots of interviews, and led me to work with Peter Richardson – who was one of my comedy heroes – at The Comic Strip. I remember when I went to his office for the first time, I heard him calling from upstairs, ‘Bring me the wolfman! Bring me the wolfman!’ I knew I wanted to work there right away.

How does your own life inspire Friday Night Dinner?

The characters are very loosely based on my family, but that was very much just the starting point. My dad rarely wore a top in the house when I grew up, and did say quite a few of the things his character says in the show – ‘Shit on it!’ being one of them. My mum does have red hair and was always really excited when my brother and I would come back home for dinner. My brother and I used to – and still do, sadly – playfight and put salt in each other’s drinks – so those things are definitely true. The more I wrote, however, the more the characters became their own people. I guess, what I was trying to do with the series was capture the rhythms and melodies of the way my family, and a lot of my friends spoke, growing up, and also share that central idea – that, no matter what age you are, as soon as you go back to your parent’s house, you become a kid again.

What is your aim with the latest series of Friday Night Dinner?

As with every series of FND, I just want to make people laugh out loud. That’s all I want really. It takes a while for viewers to get to know characters, but I feel that by series 4, they’re pretty well bedded down now, which makes my job a little easier in that I know the show is an easier watch now for people. At the same time, trying to come up with new stories, when basically the characters are in a house for 25 minutes each week, becomes harder and harder.

What was your first writing project?

Writing on a panel show called The Brain Drain. I was crap.

Which writers are your favourites to work with?

I’ve worked with quite a few, and they’re all so different. I’m lucky to have worked with so many great writers, either producing or script editing their shows. I’ve worked particularly closely with Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong, so I guess I know their style, and way of working the most. They’re ridiculously good, and also have that thing that great writers have – they are totally easy with criticism.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CURRENT PROJECTS, INCLUDING SERIES FOUR OF FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER, VISIT ROBERT POPPER’S WEBSITE

ASK THE EXPERT…

TV Review: Fleabag, Series 1

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At first glance BBC Three’s new sitcom Fleabag may give the illusion of being like any other modern day sitcom. A young, attractive but troubled lead with a turbulent love life, an uptight sister and a struggling small business; what more could writer and ‘Fleabag’ Phoebe Waller-Bridge bring to the table? But within the first episode the narrative is already swept in an interesting direction, with the suggestion of darker aspects to this person’s life than one might previously have assumed.

Beginning life as a one-woman Edinburgh show in 2013, Fleabag is a confessional tale of a young woman trying to succeed in her relationships, business ventures and in herself, but desperately treading water. Waller-Bridge’s writing is rude and provocative but refreshingly open and self-deprecating. Yes it is dark, and heavy at times, but this sitcom is undoubtedly really funny. The production itself is artistically daring in places, with dream and flashback sequences packing particular punch. And the coy looks to camera are a welcome release of tension for viewers, with Waller-Bridge’s knowing eye drawing us in for personal in-jokes that teach us more about her character, rather than serve as cheap laughs.

© BBC

© BBC

And the cast is not to be scoffed at either, with W1A‘s Hugh Skinner playing Fleabag’s intermittent boyfriend as well as Hugh Dennis as unsupportive bank manager and Olivia Colman as somewhat self-entitled step-mum. The small group of core characters are diversely peculiar, with each of their stresses manifesting in traits such as a limitation to the fluidity of their social skills or an avoidance of adult responsibilities.

There are plenty of laugh out loud moments provided by our star, drawn from her highly socially inappropriate sense of humour and an apparently uncontrollable mouth. But the issue at the heart of this unsettling comedy is one of great personal loss; whether that be the ongoing pain of having her mother die when she was young or the recent shock of losing her best friend in a horrific incident, Fleabag is coming to terms with her status in the world, and within her own disjointed family.

Fleabag is almost a comedy of errors; it is a narrative of social nonconformity: a depiction of a young woman struggling to accept herself, apparently terrified of real affection. Our almost-tragic lead is the receiver of everyone’s sympathy but does not often receive any genuine care. Disjointed, snappy and vibrant, Waller-Bridge’s Fleabag establishes itself very quickly before evolving into something else entirely; there are numerous moments in this programme that are absolutely exquisite.

FLEABAG IS AVAILABLE TO WATCH ON BBC IPLAYER

TV Review: Mum, Series 1

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Creator of the long-spanning BBC3 sitcom Him & Her, Stefan Golaszewski, has been channelling his writing into a new six-part bittersweet comedy, Mum. The narrative follows recently widowed Cathy as she copes (rather admirably) with the loss of her husband and the addition of a new member of the family; son Jason’s new girlfriend Kelly, who is ditsy and initially very peculiar; seeming, if only at first, to stand in stark contrast to the rest of the family.

Mum is a comedy of frustrations and miscommunication. There are backstories to consider, such as poor Kelly’s dysfunctional, perhaps even bordering on abusive, relationship with her mother. Golaszewski utilises these subtleties to consider the boundary between indecency and secrecy, frequently flirting with the idea of blurring the line between the two, forcing viewers to acknowledge their own instinctive desire to pigeon-hole characters into tropes. And there is an undeniable warmth to the narrative and these character relationships, with the constant competing of noises proposing a nostalgic element for those who grew up as part of a big family.

© BBC2

Lesley Manville and Peter Mullan © BBC2

Upon first viewing, some elements of the narrative may seem to be cliché, with the younger characters being highlighted as rather dense and materialistic. However, this softens as the series progresses and Jason and Kelly begin to make important life decisions, such as making plans to move to Australia. It is important to note that these personalities are not the problematic ones within the family dynamic. The bitter characters, though often overbearing in their brashness, serve as an interesting contrast against the virtuous ones, including hero of the hour Michael, played by Peter Mullan. This alludes to the notion of intentions conflicting with behaviours, with those who might be forgiven for struggling actually doing quite the opposite and those who seem put-together threatening to fall apart (note the crumbling marriage of Pauline and Derek).

Any potential over-exaggeration of antagonistic characters, Dorothy Atkinson’s Pauline in particular, is rescued by the subtlety of writing for our protagonist, Cathy. Lesley Manville shines in this production, with Cathy providing delightfully unexpected sarcasm and dark humour in moments of tension. Manville and Mullan make a tantalising onscreen pair and the potential for their friendship to blossom as each begins to move on from their past relationship is sweetly and realistically developed. This comedy is an exploration of a variety of humanity’s biggest fears, spanning from bereavement and loneliness to relationships and family values. Humble and sympathetic, Mum presents a narrative that has plenty of scope to flourish within a  second series.

CATCH UP WITH SERIES ONE OF ‘MUM’ ON BBC IPLAYER

TV Review: Upstart Crow, Series 1

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Written by Ben Elton (of The Young Ones and Blackadder fame), Upstart Crow is a BBC Two sitcom about the life and works of William Shakespeare, as part of the channel’s commemoration of the Bard’s 400th birthday. The cast is diverse and exciting, ranging from television-screen veterans David Mitchell, Liza Tarbuck and Harry Enfield, to stand up comedians Rob Rouse, Gemma Whelan and Spencer Jones, topped off with Helen Monks (Raised By Wolves), Mark Heap (Friday Night Dinner, Green Wing) and Dominic Coleman (Miranda). From the outset, viewers feel as though they can trust this cast.

David Mitchell’s portrayal of Shakespeare is a refreshing role change for the comedian. He plays a disrespected and under-appreciated playwright, whose work is openly criticised as being confusing, superfluous and grandiose (the bard himself having being famously labelled by the dramatist Robert Greene as an “upstart crow”, in effect, a boastful scavenger).

BBC

© BBC

Many of the moments of laughter in Upstart Crow come from miscommunication, with Mitchell’s depiction of Shakespeare having an extra hurdle to negotiate as no other characters seem to be able to make head nor tale of his rhetoric. For those of us having briefly studied the playwright at school, we are frequently permitted the smug satisfaction of being able to appreciate a reference; something we were no doubt unable to do whilst actually studying. In this way, Shakespeare’s works are made accessible for an audience of all ages, humorously slammed by less-appreciative characters almost before Will has managed to utter beginnings of a metaphor.

The satirical misogyny is in abundance, highlighting the ridiculous nature of inequality spanning way back to the 16th century. Rob Rouse’s character, Shakespeare’s servant Bottom, is particularly moronic in his sexism (along with Kit Marlowe, played by Tim Downie; “A clever girl’s an ugly girl, Kate,”); stupid in such a way that is almost refreshing, as for once the female character is sympathised with by a modern audience. Predictable in places, perhaps, but the ridiculous nature of some of these plot lines is arguably in the same vein as of the bard’s own greatest comedies. It may be a push to label Upstart Crow an informative piece of television, but it certainly encourages further research. The life and works of Shakespeare are fondly ridiculed, with the satire skirting lightly on the border of cynicism. Here we have a modern twist on a widely-known historical figure that encourages a greater understanding of the wider context of Shakespearean Britain, and is already set to return for a second series.

UPSTART CROW IS AVAILABLE ON BBC IPLAYER