The Mighty Boosh Revisited: S1E7, Electro

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Episode: S1E7, Electro

Air Date: 29 June 2004

Summary: Bad memories are stirred up for Howard when Vince is asked to join a band called Kraftwork Orange. Vince upsets one of the members of his new band, Johnny Two-Hats, who storms off when Vince criticises his fashion sense and this means the band are one person down for their important show that night. Vince asks the only person he can, Howard, but jazz-loving Howard Moon cannot play any instrument any more as a result of a meeting with the Spirit of Jazz many years ago. He was tricked into signing his soul away ‘in blood?’ no, ‘biro’s fine’. The concert has to go ahead with the Spirit of Jazz on the loose inside a vacuum cleaner and this causes chaos.

What Else? The conversation between a young Howard Moon and the Spirit of Jazz is obviously an iconic part of this episode, with the brilliant snippet of: “Yorkshire? What is Yorkshire?” “Yorkshire is a place. Yorkshire is a state of mind”. We get to see the Spirit of Jazz’s hat go up in flames, because apparently it wasn’t part of his “look”, but also a mini crisis when Vince gets angry about the Zoo and there is a lot of out-of-place bleeped out swearing as well as: “Vince, I thought you said you wanted to help the animals?” “I do, I want to help them all to die”.

Quote of the Episode:

Vince [to Howard]: “Science teachers and the mentally ill, that’s what Jazz is for.”

Familiar Faces: Sue Denim and Dee Plume (Robots in Disguise) play the parts of the girls in the band Kraftwork Orange. Fielding has the role of the Spirit of Jazz and Simon Farnaby pops up as NOT the manager of PieFace Records. Johnny Two-Hats is played by Dan Clark.

THE REVISITED SERIES

BBC iPlayer: Original Comedy Shorts

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A wonderful thing happened on BBC iPlayer on June the 1st: six comedy shorts were released exclusively online with input from many of the most brilliant people in comedy right now. This kind of thing is so vital for keeping comedy on television and online alive as we need to keep pushing the boundaries of comedy in order to keep it successful and influential.

Each comedy short is around five minutes long and they are all completely stand alone episodes (though it would be great if someone could pick them up for series in the future). My favourites were Micky Flanagan’s Foxageddon, Matt Berry in Lone Wolf and Bob Mortimer and Frankie Boyle’s Cookery Show mainly because of the comedians they involved, but I also thought Morgana Robinson’s impressions Channel M were wonderful, as always (her Amy Child impression is spot on).

I can imagine Micky Flanagan’s episode evolving into some kind of Lead Balloon–esque series in the near future as Flanagan’s comic delivery is very unique, which you’ll know if you’ve seen any of his stand up. His character here has the same comic voice as his stand up which I thought really aided the episode because there was less ground work that needed to be done to set the scene. The episode was funny because it is entirely stupid, which I guess is just refreshing for an audience who are used to satire etc. Also, the fact it featured Kerry Godliman (Derek) was a brilliant thing as I think she is very talented.

Frankie Boyle and Bob MortimerBob Mortimer is a hero of mine and I was very looking forward to seeing what he could produce in a five minute time frame. I wasn’t disappointed; it was a whimsical, nonsensical cookery world and it was a beauty to watch, as Mortimer always is. I also noted that Bob was involved in almost all of the other comedy shorts: sometimes as producer and sometimes as writer and this proves what a clever, hardworking genius he is. It was also interesting to see Frankie Boyle playing a slightly different role, as a television presenter who hates peas:

“What is it, Frankie, is it the peas, or the thought that the knife might be on the brink of extinction?”

I can picture Frankie working on some kind of childrens’ show in the future and before watching this, I would never have thought so (for obvious reasons). I think Boyle and Mortimer are both incredible comedic talents, with an interesting partnership on screen and really hope something comes from this comedy short, as with many of the other episodes, but especially the cookery show.

I also love every show Matt Berry is involved with as the man is undeniably a fabulous comedic actor. Lone Wolf is an extremely funny mini-documentary that follows a wolf pack as they hunt their next meal but the voiceover is Berry-style: foulmouthed and hilarious. Again, I can see this making a fantastic feature in a sketch show or even a show on its own.

You can watch all the comedy shorts on BBC iPlayer here and I definitely recommend you do!

The Mighty Boosh Revisited: S1E6, Charlie

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Episode: S1E6, Charlie

Air Date: 22 June 2004

Summary: Howard decides he is going to become a writer in order to impress Mrs Gideon and the famous Hamilton Cork but is horrified to learn that Vince is already doing just that. Vince explains the basis of his Charlie books which receives dismissal from Howard: “That’s not a novel, that’s the scribblings of a retard”. Meanwhile, Bob Fossil has noticed a brilliant new way to make money from the Zoo: he is going to breed the ‘black-eyed Chinese people that eat sticks’ as this will attract visitors. Vince is bullied into dressing up as a panda and flirting with the female panda to get the male jealous. That evening, Dixon Bainbridge organises a writer’s party and Vince is invited but not Howard. Chaos quickly arises as Charlie decides to pay a personal visit to the gathering…

What Else? This episode made me learn that I want to be everything that Vince is; he’s the happiest kid at the Zoo. Naboo introduces the photograph of the kitten, Phillip, who helps calm Howard down in times of frustration and Vince shows off his poncho that makes him happy no matter what. The infamous “you know the black bits in bananas, are they tarantulas’ eggs?” scene is in this episode as well as the ‘Swear on Jagger’ joke. The brilliant Charlie song is played towards the end where the giant Hubba Bubba nightmare causes a scene. This episode is artistically very inspiring with heavy use of animation and great attention to detail (Dave Brown can be thanked for a lot of that, I expect).

Quote of the Episode:

Howard [to Vince]: “You’re always happy aren’t you. Everything’s fun. You see a peanut, the day’s off to a good start. You witness some soil, it’s a jamboree for Vince Noir. I need something more.”

Familiar Faces: Simon Farnaby as Simon McFarnaby (before the show) and Hamilton Cork (McFarnaby’s character in the show).

THE REVISITED SERIES

TV Review: Jonah From Tonga

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Jonah From Tonga is the latest project from the wonderful comedic actor that is Chris Lilley (creator of Summer Heights High, Angry Boys and Ja’mie: Private School Girl). Jonah Takalua is one of the brilliant characters from Summer Heights High who, like Ja’mie, has earned his own spin-off series. He is a lovely but incredibly disruptive high school teenager who is more interested in break dancing and bullying ginger kids than learning anything most of the time.

The show is very heartfelt and endearing, and I found episode five in particular to actually be very emotional. Without giving to much away, Jonah and his gang wind up in prison for doing something really stupid and dangerous and Jonah, who has a criminal record, has to stay long after the other boys (including his little brother, Moses) are allowed to go home. Jonah, being the loveable kid that he is, quickly becomes very popular amongst the inmates and staff in the prison. He reads stories to the other kids at night before bed and tells them terrible jokes that always go down really well. The thing that upset me a bit about this episode is how evident it is that Jonah is a very vulnerable young man. He lost his mother at a young age and it is obvious he looks for a mother-figure everywhere he goes (he latches on to Therese, a woman working on duty at the prison within hours of his short stay there).

Lilley has received quite a few criticisms for this show: there have been accusations of the character of Jonah being an inaccurate display of Tongan people. Obviously, I do not understand the extent of offence as I am not on the receiving end of it but I don’t really think they are valid criticisms at all. Personally, after the initial impact of Jonah’s accent and family background (alluded to in episode one particularly), I don’t think Jonah’s Tongan heritage is actually relevant at all. There have been complaints that Jonah’s character portrays Tongans in a bad light, by implying all Tongan kids end up in prison (because Jonah and his friends do) but I didn’t see any malice throughout the programme. I feel that Jonah From Tonga is a programme about life values, about teenagers growing up and about family. After all, Jonah is a good kid. He is loving, charming and entertaining and I think only positive connotations about Tongan people can be deduced from that.

I recommend you watch Jonah From Tonga (available on iPlayer) and check out Chris Lilley’s other material if you haven’t already; he is a very talented man and I am excited to see what he has in store for us next.

The Mighty Boosh Revisited: S1E5, Jungle

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Episode: S1E5, Jungle

Air Date: 15 June 2004

Summary: Ten years ago (well, technically twenty now) Tommy Nookah, previous owner of the Zoo, allegedly fell in the ocelot pit and died. Howard refuses to believe it and when Dixon Bainbridge, as the current owner, threatens to close the Zoo, it is clear that Howard must solve the mystery of Tommy’s disappearance once and for all. Vince and Howard work out that Tommy must be in the Jungle Room and set off in the hope of finding the calcium-faced midget. After hours of searching, Howard manages to find Tommy but he is old and his cheese eating habits are out of control (this bit always freaks me out as I have a stupid phobia of cheese). It is decided that they must grate Tommy’s head in order to save the Zoo: Tommy can help them, even in death.

What Else? This episode contains the brilliant: “We dream, but do we really dream?” sequence and also a mini instalment of: “Gather round, come closer, not you Fire!”. The Mod Wolves make a splendid appearance and delight us with the wonderful Mod Wolf Dance and we also hear one of my favourite crimps: Calm a Llama Down. The incredibly well-known Cheese song is in this episode. I love this little song but it gets so overplayed by people who haven’t ever seen the show so that irks me somewhat, so it’s nice to hear it in its natural habitat. We get to meet Rudy, the man who goes by many names and holds many tests, such as the Pipe Test (“many men would have taken the pipe…”).

Tommy Nookah © Baby Cow

Tommy Nookah © Baby Cow

Quote of the Episode:

Tommy Nookah: “I have survived only by eating cheese, and as the saying goes: you are what you eat. And I’m freaking cheese!”

Familiar Faces: Rich Fulcher as Tommy Nookah and Dave Brown briefly as Fire. We also get to see Martin Trenaman as the locksmith.

THE REVISITED SERIES

TV Review: Derek, Series 2

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Due to Ricky Gervais having such a broad following, he inevitably gets a lot of unnecessary abuse from people who disapprove of his comedy but it’s obvious that this show puts him more at risk than ever. Derek (Gervais) is a man with learning difficulties who works in an old peoples home with his friend, Hannah (Kerry Godliman) who runs the establishment.

Derek has moments where it is incredibly funny, but I don’t think that was Gervais’ main aim. The messages this show leaves behind are way more important, though the laughs keep it ticking along nicely. There was no plateau in this series despite my fears because series one was so beautiful.

I was a bit upset that Karl Pilkington’s character, Dougie, left early in the first episode and didn’t come back but there was a guest appearance from Joe Wilkinson, as Kev’s brother, that kind of made up for it. Kev has been an interesting character for me because through know fault of David Earl himself, I didn’t really like the character of Kev, I didn’t think he really added anything to the show. However the last couple of episodes of series two completely turned that on its head for me as Derek taught us that everyone has good in them and everyone is worthy of your time. The arrival of sarcastic and arrogant Geoff (Colin Hoult) really showed Kev in a new light, especially the fight scene in episode six.

The whole feel of the old peoples home is wonderful, inclusive and warm. For example, in episode four, a deaf lady called Pat comes to visit the home in the hope staying there. The whole group already knew sign language and welcomed her with open arms; it made my heart melt. This is the episode where the group visit the zoo and the wonderful actress that is Holli Dempsey (Vicky) meets a man she fancies and it’s all she talks about all day. However, when something more serious pops up, Vicky drops all of her girl talk and is willing to help and I think that’s such an important lesson to teach. Kindness is scattered all over this show, even in the little joke about the man who lost his hair and it ‘grew back’ straight away, though it was clearly a wig. Everyone stuck up for him though, because that’s what good people do.

Kerry Godliman is an absolutely brilliant actress and I have thoroughly enjoyed watching her blossom in the role of Hannah. She is a beautifully stable character for the more erratic ones to bounce off and her importance shouldn’t be underestimated.

I can sum up Derek in these few lovely quotes from the show:

‘Everyone needs something to love, something to do and something to wish for.’

‘Animals always try their best, you never see a lazy ant.’

‘I don’t know if there is a heaven, I’m suspicious.’

Everyone should watch this show, and I think criticisms of it are lazy and unfounded, Gervais has truly created something wonderful.

TV Review: Inside No. 9

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I had the whole series of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s Inside No. 9 recorded to watch when my exams were out of the way and with three exams left and half a day at home I managed to watch all six episodes in the space of a few hours.

Inside No. 9 is my favourite kind of comedy: dark, twisted and thought-provoking. Each episode is an entirely different storyline with new characters and setting yet they are all set at ‘Number 9’, be that a house or a dressing room in one case. With this vague link connecting the stories, it enabled Shearsmith and Pemberton to explore many entirely different groups of people, which I found fascinating. Each episode is given half an hour so the situation always gets worse and worse until the end and they just cut off. Resolutions aren’t really important for Shearsmith and Pemberton which I think is very brave and very unnerving.

Two episodes stood out for me as the cleverest and creepiest (what’s not to love?) and these were episode one: Sardines and episode three: Tom and Gerri. I’m going to give a brief overview of these as my heart is fully invested in them.

EPISODE 1, SARDINES

This episode featured the beauty that is Katherine Parkinson and generally had a very quaint, slightly ‘off’ feel. That is something I think Shearsmith and Pemberton are very skilled at: creating an atmosphere and evoking a reaction without necessarily relying on laughs to do so. The story follows a well-to-do family who are playing their traditional party game: Sardines, which is like hide-and-seek except once you find the person, you must join them in their hiding place until everyone is there. A magnifying glass is held up to the group dynamics and many dark secrets are hinted at and eventually revealed at the very end. The plot of this episode is incredibly clever and a wonderful start to the series.

EPISODE 3, TOM AND GERRI

This episode freaked me out because it’s all about the stability of the human mind, which I personally find terrifying and I’m guessing the writers must do as well. The basis of the story is that Tom is a primary school teacher living in a comfy apartment with his wife, Gerri, and one day he lets a ‘tramp’ come into his home for a few hours in return for him bringing him his wallet that he somehow, conveniently, lost. This is the beginning of a drastic downward spiral for the stranger rapidly begins to take over his life and, in turn, Tom’s health and motivation for life decreases. It is a tragic tale and I’m still a little confused by it in all honesty as the audience are left questioning which parts are real and which are fabrications from Tom’s distressed mind, but that doesn’t detract from my emotional connection to it. I also like the way the names Tom and Gerri may have been a hint at the idea of a cat and mouse chase, like the cartoon, which made it particularly poignant.

The other episodes were all brilliant with many laughs, but also many shivers of absolute disgust. Many talented actors popped up throughout such as Tamsin Greig in episode four: The Last Gasp and Julia Davies in episode five: The Understudy. I think it’s hilarious that Julia always gets given the role of ‘the bitch’ (think, Dawn from Gavin and Stacey or Jill from Nighty Night). Of course I’m not suggesting that’s anything to do with her own personality, just that she is stupidly good at playing it!  One fabulous moment was in episode six: The Harrowing where Katie is asking about Tabitha’s disabled brother: “That’s Andras, milk and rusks, that’s all he can have.” “…the disability?” “That and the fact he doesn’t have a mouth.”

This series has been punchy, eery and absolutely fantastic and I am genuinely so excited for some more from Shearsmith and Pemberton (and am so annoyed that I can’t find anywhere to watch Psychoville online!).

The Mighty Boosh Revisited: S1E4, Tundra

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Episode: S1E4, Tundra

Air Date: 8 June 2004

Summary: This episode has elements from the Boosh’s beginnings as it used many ideas from the television pilot and one of the radio episodes. Dixon Bainbridge has just returned from his trip to the Tundra where he failed to successfully steal the Egg of Mantumbi and Howard is annoyed at the attention Bainbridge is getting because he didn’t actually do anything. Despite the fact that the last person to get near the egg was frozen by the ‘icy bastard’ that is The Black Frost, Howard and Vince decide to make an attempt and head out to the Tundra in Gary Numan’s private jet. While they are there, Vince is abducted by a giant polar bear and Howard is visited by one of the Parka People who takes him to the cave where the egg is (though the little man is taking him there to kill him, not help him).

What Else? This episode features the often forgotten song: the Stickleback Crimp, and also has the brilliant little scene where Bob Fossil is interviewing two cavemen-like people to be Howard and Vince’s replacements: they just point at things saying ‘Topshop’ constantly. The brilliant Tundra song comes from this episode as well; one of the few genuine songs from The Mighty Boosh that is more than a few lines long. Vince claims he is ‘like Mowgli, the retro version’ and Howard’s moustache is accused of being more of a ‘cappuccino stain’.

Quote of the Episode:

Howard: The wind is my only friend.

Wind: I haaaaaate you.

Howard: Shut up wind!

Familiar Faces: Dave Brown as The Black Frost and Bob Fossil’s replacements for Howard and Vince were played by Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding themselves.

THE REVISITED SERIES

May: Comedian Of The Month #4, Diane Morgan

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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.

This month’s comedian is Diane Morgan and particularly her alter-ego Philomena Cunk who makes regular appearances on Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe. Despite the fact that the show isn’t actually running at the moment, Diane Morgan has been relevant for me this month because I found a bit of her stand up online (although I couldn’t really find a lot).

Philomena Cunk

Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe is very satirically dense and although this is important in comedy, it can often get a little too heavy. This is why characters like Philomena Cunk and Barry Shitpeas are so brilliant for the programme: they bring the silliness to a sometimes very depressing world. Philomena always has the most incredible lines that really catch you off guard, with her little mini-documentaries about The Internet or What Is Time? They are completely stupid, and the things she says aren’t intellectual in anyway; that’s why I love her.

Diane manages to convey a beautiful silliness within five seconds of screen time which is reminiscent of many comic heroes such as Vic & Bob and Harry Hill. This mood can be shown through words, or even just a raise of the eyebrows, which is a skill not many have mastered (think, Paul Foot or Bill Bailey). Here is a clip from the latest series of Weekly Wipe, it is the first episode in the series of Philomena Cunk’s Moments of Wonder (‘Time’).

For more information, visit Diane Morgan’s website and follow her on Twitter.

 APRIL COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH

Review: Jeff Leach – FIT

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On May 31st I went to Artrix, one of my favourite comedy venues, to see the brilliant Jeff Leach and his support, Tania Edwards. It was a new-material show, Jeff Leach: FIT, so was on a very small scale, which is better for me because tiny gigs are the best gigs (why I love the Slade Rooms in Wolverhampton).

I hadn’t seen anything from Tania Edwards before, so it was great to see some material I knew completely nothing about so it could surprise me, and she was delightful. Tania is very soft-spoken which I thought was nice as a lot of comics you see are intent on damaging our eardrums with their shouting which is fine, but a change is always welcome. She talked about her Indian boyfriend and what their kids would look like and really made me laugh with her queries about how you would fix a pepper spray onto their inhalers to beat off the bullies in the playground. I’m definitely going to find out more about Tania’s comedy, you should ALL have heard of her by now!

Jeff LeachI took two of my sisters, Katie and Megan, and Scott, Katie’s boyfriend with me and because Scott is a lunatic, I even enjoyed the interval where we were researching how many Wine Gums it would take to kill someone (apparently it’s only capable via choking or hitting people with them). He was gutted he wasn’t heckled because he had a whole story ready about how he was called Hugh and was a plumber.

Then it was time for Jeff’s set, which was a ‘Work in Progress’ set but you couldn’t really tell; he was loud and confident as ever and even though the room was miniature, it didn’t feel empty or too quiet. As well as being hilarious (a given), Jeff’s material was lovely and had a serious undertone: questioning whether he is ‘fit’ as a comedian, boyfriend, father, person etc. It was really nice to see some real substance behind a show rather than just what someone might think would make an audience laugh, though it was kept light with Katie Price impressions and complaints about the number of bottles of hair conditioner all women have (so true).

It was lovely speaking to Jeff after the show, as always, and our photos are pretty fabulous, you have to admit. Catch him on tour here and you can follow him on Twitter and Facebook too; here is Tania’s Twitter as well. It is great to be able to support genuinely lovely, hardworking people like Jeff so do check out some of his stuff please or I will hunt you down! (exclamation mark needed to disguise genuine threat.)