TV Review: Lead Balloon

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Although this show isn’t particularly new, I still feel it deserves some praise and I’d like to get some more people to check it out if they haven’t already. Not enough people talk about the SitCom Lead Balloon, that ran from 2007 to 2011 (running for four series) and was written by the brilliant Jack Dee and Pete Sinclair and also starred Dee as the down-beat and sarcastic Rick Spleen.

I would describe it as almost an anti-comedy as the plot revolves around Rick Spleen, a failed and world-weary comedian, going about his daily life and just upsetting people as he does so. Rick lives with his lovely wife, Mel, and teenage daughter, Sam. He spends his days with friend and writing partner, Marty, who is undeniably wittier than Rick himself, and they have lunch in the same café every day- the café belonging to Michael. Sam, her boyfriend, Ben, and the house cleaner, Magda, together manage to get under Rick’s feet and continuously irritate him as he grumpily goes about his daily business. As a result of his unaddressed anger, Rick manages to make all the wrong choices and simultaneously annoy everyone in his path. Every episode presents countless disasters for Rick that are actually caused by himself in the first place.

Lead Balloon

There are two characters that I absolutely adore: Michael (played by Tony Gardner), the loveable but almost certainly ‘unhinged’ cafe owner, and Magda (Anna Crilly), the house cleaner, who is grumpy and sarcastic and has a very strong, unspecified Eastern-European accent. One of my favourite episodes was S1E3, where Michael holds a sponsored skip to raise money for a mental health charity. To cut the story short (sorry, spoilers), Michael winds up being hit by a car (Rick’s) and the way the plot plays out is truly hilarious.

The format of the programme is simple, repetitive and homely. There are many recurring jokes throughout and I’ll outline them to give you more of an overview as to what each episode entails:

  • Marty is a lot funnier than Rick.
  • Sam’s boyfriend, Ben, never commits to anything properly.
  • Sam is always after her dad’s money.
  • Michael is creepy (unknown mental health issues).
  • Mel is always right.
  • Rick will always upset most people/dig himself a hole.

There are many parallels to be drawn between Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and Jack Dee’s Lead Balloon:

“Many people have compared Lead Balloon with a similarly excruciating comedy from the US, Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. Dee, however, says that Curb didn’t directly inspire his sitcom. ‘Lead Balloon was about me taking 20 years of stand-up and putting that kind of comedy into a dramatic situation. I would claim my right to that comedy because I’ve been doing it for a lot longer than Curb Your Enthusiasm has been around, much as I love it.’ “

I love Lead Balloon because it is simple, uncomfortable and warm. I’m a firm believer that it is also accessible to pretty much anyone and it has a fond place in my heart.

The Mighty Boosh, Revisited

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The 18th May 2014 marks the ten year anniversary of the first episode of The Mighty Boosh and as it is my favourite programme of all time, I thought I should do something a bit special to celebrate. I feel that the rush of everyday life can get in the way of appreciating the show in all its glory so have decided to revisit every episode from the very beginning. There will be an individual post each of the show’s 20 episodes, staggered over a few months, as I want to keep a variation of posts on the site. If you haven’t watched The Mighty Boosh before, this is your push to do so as it is honestly one of the loveliest, funniest and most original shows there has ever been.

© babycow

© babycow

But first, a little overview of the show for those of you who somehow haven’t seen it, or maybe just want a recap.

The Mighty Boosh is the birthplace of many of my favourite comedians and is a work of visual, as well as comedic art. The frontmen, of course, are Vince Noir (Noel Fielding) and Howard Moon (Julian Barratt), an unlikely pairing of two complete opposites. Howard, a sombre, mellow jazz maverick with a great interest in poetry and stationery, and Vince, doe-eyed bimbo sunshine man, obsessed with fashion and celebrity culture. Series One is set in the Zooniverse where the duo live with Naboo, the mystical shaman (Mike Fielding) and Bollo, the sarcastic gorilla (Dave Brown). The Zoo is run by foul-mouthed dancing queen Bob Fossil (Rich Fulcher). A well-rounded group I’d say. Throughout this series, the Zoo undergoes many difficulties as well as being visited by many questionable personalities such as Dixon Bainbridge (Matt Berry).

Series Two signalled a change for the Boosh Boys upon their move to the flat above the Nabootique, a gift shop. Bollo has been promoted to shopkeeper’s assistant and Bob Fossil has disappeared off the scene (although Fulcher reoccurs as various characters throughout). And finally, Series Three is where the boys are given reign over the shop, while Naboo goes out on various errands. In most episodes, Naboo returns with Bollo to find his shop in disarray and it is up to him to fix whatever went wrong. Oh trusty Naboo.

babycow

© babycow

The programme features many familiar faces (that I will go into as they appear during the episode guides) but most of the characters are played by Noel, Julian, Dave, Mike and Rich. I’m sure you are aware of the variety of characters involved, ranging from Tommy Nooka with his head of cheese to sexual predator of the sea, Old Gregg. The episodes are also broken up with the most wonderful little songs, called Crimps, that can lighten the mood no matter how desperate the situation.

Stay tuned for part one of The Mighty Boosh, Revisited!

THE REVISITED SERIES

Noel’s Art Club

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Twitter is often used by young and old people alike to stalk their favourite celebrities, express mundane facts and controversial opinions or to sell products to the public. Noel Fielding, however, has recently decided to use the social networking site in a new way- he has made a brave attempt at trying to spread some creativity throughout the world of Twitter and encourage people to revive their artistic side.

I love art and thought it was a brilliant idea which was picked up by hundreds of bright and adoring fans. Noel gave himself and his followers half an hour on two separate occasions to create an artistic response to a given theme (first, horses and secondly, Elvis Presley). When the time was up, he would post his creations (always absolutely wonderful) then retweet a load of other peoples’ that were his favourites. After all this, he reposted his third, second and first place.

The competition was open to everyone: artistic genius to quirky doodler and everything in between which gained an awesome response from the people of Twitter. I think Twitter should have more of this stuff going on as it is refreshing, inspiring and original. Hats off to you Mr Fielding! Now let’s have another Art Club soon yeah.

The galleries above and below feature some of my favourite responses to both themes.

April: Comedian Of The Month #3, Bobby Mair

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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.

Bobby Mair is from Canada (what is this with so many great comics coming from Canada?) and seems to me like a complete maniac in the most brilliant and charming way possible. This quote from Jimmy Carr sums him up perfectly:

“He’s either going to be a huge international comedy star or the funniest homeless man ever.”

bobby mair

I think Bobby is very brave which is so important if you want to be an influential comic. His act, his whole persona, is very different to other comics I know but there are hints of Paul Foot but then also more of your ‘common’ comedian. It’s a really interesting mix. His material isn’t too far-fetched from what a regular comedy audience may be expecting but his delivery is quirky and fast-paced which makes him slightly, almost uncomfortably different which is brilliant. For example, in his short set for Russell Howard’s Good News in 2013 he mixes topical almost-one-liners about Justin Bieber with a dissection of why cats are suicidal.

Sometimes his material seems to border on one-liners which is great because it makes him really easy to listen to, the laughs are quick and punchy and it just adds interest. For example, he started one segment of a set with:

“The worst thing about having a cold is that when you smell women’s hair on the bus, they can hear you.”

And then went on to expand on it. I think this is cool as he shocks with one statement then backtracks and adds detail, almost like the reverse of a joke.

He is relatively young, having only been in the UK for a couple of years and being just 27 (I think). Bobby was adopted and has recently embarked on a campaign to find his biological family. His 2013 Edinburgh show: Obviously Adopted also covers this and I want to wish him the best of luck with that! His Twitter is here, if you’re interested and I recommend you check some of his stuff out as it is truly unique and very heart-warming!

© http://no-kidding.ichannel.ca/ecard/

© http://no-kidding.ichannel.ca/ecard/

Review: Joe Lycett – If Joe Lycett Then You Should’ve Put A Ring On It (2014)

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Yesterday evening, I finally got tJoe Lycetto see Joe Lycett’s show If Joe Lycett Then You Should’ve Put A Ring On It after waiting for such a long time. I saw him last month at a comedy night but we only got to see a limited set due to there being other comedians there.

Joe’s set was basically an extended version of the set I saw at the Comedy Hut but was just as funny, if not funnier the second time around. The show featured many of his famous letters of complaint that he had sent out to various companies (this was one of my favourite parts of the show) which were delivered in Joe’s brilliantly exaggerated manner and this is what really ‘makes’ them. The way these complaints were so pedantic and utterly self-indulgent is why they are fantastic- it reminds me a bit of Rich Fulcher’s book: Tiny Acts Of Rebellion which is full of silly but hilarious ways to break the rules of society. He also featured hate mail that he had received which was funny in the same way, and the insults were so imaginative, you can’t help but applaud the guy who sent them.

There was a big focus on homophobia but not in a heavy, rally kind of way, just in the sense that comedy addresses things that are often very serious but adds a lighter slant to them. (For example, Paul Foot talks about the levels of homophobia in his jokes called ‘Disturbances’.) There was a great game Joe played with the audience where we had to decide what percentage of ‘gay’ certain things had. Just counting the days until that becomes televised really.

My absolute favourite part, without giving too much away, is Joe’s spirit animal: Walrus. I agree with him that horoscopes etc are rubbish but absolutely love the idea of having a spirit animal like Walrus, he sounds like such a great guy. I’d love to be able to blame my horribleness on a walrus and the way Joe talked about his experience with Walrus had the audience in tears of laughter.

TV Review: GameFace

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roisin

Yesterday evening brought Roisin Conaty’s pilot episode of the show she wrote and stars in, GameFace to 4OD. I absolutely adore Roisin so knew it would be brilliant. Her role as Jo in Man Down (featuring Greg Davies) was utterly hilarious and it’s one of my favourite sitcoms of the past few months.

The pilot followed Marcella: a young, under-achieving party lover who is attempting to put her life back on track by starting driving lessons and attending therapy to enable her to have a ‘fresh start’ on her birthday. She describes herself as a ‘Lone Wolf’ but this is misinterpreted as ‘Lonely Wolf’ by her therapist (if that’s what I should call him), and I think this is something that could be followed up if and when a series progresses from the pilot because obviously the audience will eventually develop emotional attachments to the main characters.

Many familiar faces popped up throughout the episode including Joel Dommett (Conaty’s Impractical Jokers Pal) as the pizza boy, in one of my favourite scenes of the episode, and Mike Wozniak who played the part of Brian in Man Down. There were also lots of people I didn’t recognise which is always good as I’m always up for broadening my horizons.

As well as the pilot being very very funny, Roisin made me feel like a normal human by saying something along the lines of:

“Breakfast isn’t that important. If you’re hungry you’re hungry, if not just get on with your day.”

I’m SO glad someone else said it as this is the one thing in my life that makes me feel most like an outcast (ha).

I really can’t wait for a series to be made of GameFace as I love Rosin Conaty, the scripting was excellent and there were many unique aspects to the programme that I liked such as the parts where Marcella is sat in her therapist’s office and there are flashbacks to the events of her previous week. There is definitely space for the storyline to develop and I can’t see how I’d ever get bored of this wonderful new show!

TV Review: Doll & Em

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Yesterday, I visited my best friend, Phoebe, and we watched the final two episodes of the gorgeous show that is Doll & Em. I knew I would love this show because I had seen a pilot clip of Dolly & Laura (a very simliar concept with Dolly Wells and Laura Patch) before from quite a few years ago, which features Noel Fielding (my absolute favourite), and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. Doll & Em follows two best friends, both aged fourty-something. They are Dolly, a clumsy, almost naive but entirely loveable lady who has just broken up with her longterm boyfriend, and Emily, the successful Hollywood actress with a load of famous phone contacts. At the start of the first episode, Em decides to hire Dolly as her personal assistant as an excuse for the two of them to spend more time together while the actress films for her latest movie project in LA.

phoebe & becca

Phoebe (left) and I (right)

The show is endearing, hilarious and extremely uncomfortable in places because Dolly often manages to say or do the wrong thing that leads to her either looking an idiot to the Hollywood stars or completely showing up Emily. The funniest moment for me happened pretty early on, where Dolly goes for a swim in the pool outside Emily’s apartment and ends up getting locked out there all day. Both Doll’s clumsiness and charm really come out in this scene and it had me and my friend laughing until we were in tears. The fact this show appeals to both of our senses of humour is great and I definitely feel that Phoebe and I have a similar relationship to that of Doll and Em (though we have never had an argument and neither of us are good at acting). This might be why I like it so much, it’s almost a sneak-peek into the future of our own friendship in a weird way.

What really makes the programme work is the fact that Doll and Em, much like Phoebe and I, have been best friends since they were little girls in real life and it really shines through beautifully. Their personalities are entirely different yet they bounce off each other brilliantly and have such a close relationship that it borders on dysfunctional. Also, I have loved Dolly for a long time due to her role in Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy but had never come across Emily Mortimer before… until it was pointed out by a hilariously slow customer at the restaurant where Dolly works that it was her in Shutter Island. I love that film, and almost feel like I have achieved something from learning this information: I feel like I already know Emily in the way I already knew Dolly.

doll and em

Doll (left) and Em (right)

The absolute cherry on the cake was the appearance of Noel towards the end of the final episode. Although he is acting so has toned his fashion sense down ever so slightly (he still wears a poncho, of course), when the camera pans out you can see the glimmer of his silver chelsea boots which I thought was fantastic. The final few scenes of the series featured Noel, which is always a positive, but the performances of both ladies were flawless: I could feel the love they have for each other radiating through the screen.

I’ve never seen a programme quite like Doll & Em and I can really tell it is a product of love, both for the show and for each other. I will be over the moon if this beauty is commissioned for a second series and I can imagine there being a wonderful film adaptation of Doll & Em one day.

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Noel’s scene

TV Review: The Alternative Comedy Experience

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The Alternative Comedy Experience is important because it aims to show what intimate comedy gigs are actually like so for people who don’t see a lot of live comedy, or only have experience of big arenas, it really shows a whole new world. The show consists of a whole load of individual stand up sets that have been chopped up into small sections and made into thirty minute episodes with as many as four or five comedians featuring in each one. The premise of the show was thought up by the genius that is Stewart Lee and features snippets of interviews conducted by Lee with each comic. The general criteria for the comedians is ‘alternative’ with some being more commonly known than others and I was drawn to the show because many of my favourites feature such as Paul Foot, Tony Law, Henning Wehn and of course, Stewart Lee.

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Programmes like this are great because they introduce a whole range of new comics to the viewers. For example, I fell in love with David Kay’s down beat tone which had everyone laughing in the breaks between talking, which is a talent. I had only ever seen Josie Long on panel shows before but I adored her brilliant political views that were hilarious and not too heavy. I think it’s important for comics to discuss politics in their material because young people especially need to be more familiar with things that directly effect them. And Britain’s politicians are laughable in themselves, lest us forget.

I only own series one of The Alternative Comedy Experience and know a second series was released early this year so need to get myself a copy of that. From what I did see though, I definitely wish there could have been more of Paul Foot in particular as I know he is a genius but he didn’t seem to get much stage-time. There were others who I would like to have seen more of also, including Bridget Christie, Robin Ince and David O’Doherty (I have many of his weird songs on my iPod- he’s fantastic, like the love child of Tim Minchin and a child? a chimp? I don’t know).

Tony Law got quite a lot of time which was brilliant because as you know, he’s one of my all time favourites. I worship that guy, seriously- his material is quick, insane and SO surreal which is everything I could want. Henning Wehn was also on top form as usual (he is rapidly becoming one of my favourites) and I can’t wait to watch the DVD I have of his latest stand up tour: No Surrender.

I am looking forward to series two of this show but in the meantime, I will be looking out for names like David Kay, Alun Cochrane and Bridget Christie in particular as these new names stood out for me. Also, I have an important query- HOW ON EARTH IS BRIDGET CHRISTIE 42?! She must be a time traveller or something, she looks wonderful.

I don’t really know anyone who watches this show, so let me know if you do and restore my faith in humanity thanks!

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TV Review: The Walshes

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The Walshes was a recent three-part sitcom about a dysfunctional yet loveable Irish family.

I was initially drawn to thThe Walshesis series because it was co-written by Graham Linehan, who is the absolute genius that brought us The IT Crowd. and Father Ted. The cast is made up of Diet of Worms: a comedy group that I had never previously heard of but will be looking into in the future. I especially liked Shane Langan, who plays Graham, as he was absolutely adorable and reminded me of a startled, timid sheep. I loved him from the beginning. I also thought Carmel, played by Phillipa Dunne, was very funny and Ciara (Amy Stephenson) was believable and generally sweet.

The fact it was only three episodes long was interesting because I feel any longer than that and it may have begun to slip into regular-sitcom-mode which is generally the point where I stop watching. So, due to the fact that The Walshes was only a mini-series, I found a lot more enjoyment in it: but maybe that’s because I lose interest in things quite easily.

I don’t watch Mrs Brown’s Boys (I don’t find it funny in the slightest) but wasn’t particularly reminded of it whilst viewing The Walshes despite there being comparisons drawn between them: I think this is a lazy conclusion to make. Sure, they are both Irish-family-sitcoms, but The Walshes was so much more.

Overall, I’m interested to see how this show will develop in the future as I found it very charming and heartwarming. I also hope Linehan will be writing some new stuff as I really do miss The It Crowd and need a replacement for it.

March: Comedian Of The Month #2, James Acaster

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james acaster

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.

I’ve known who James is for quite a while but only seen him on the odd panel show here and there so this month I made a conscious effort to check out some of his work. I decided to do this after seeing his recent appearance on 8 Out of 10 Cats where he was absolutely hilarious- a complete weirdo, but a brilliant one. He really stood out during this episode as he seems to carry a strange kind of energy with him that is really refreshing to a panel show as they can get tedious very easily if the panel isn’t rotated regularly enough.

I think I like James because he reminds me of Paul Foot, one of my all time favourite comedians, though of course he has his own quirks that make him so original. They both have brilliant confidence that is hidden behind an apparent shyness, so it is surprising when they come out with something either quite profound or very shocking. His presence on panel shows is a powerful one: he just needs to give a certain look and everyone will be laughing and I think that must be a really hard skill to master.

James is young-looking, wide-eyed and innocent but also incredibly quick-witted and wise for his age. I thought his material about the apple in the orchard, featured in the clip below, was very clever yet didn’t feel self-indulgent in any way. With complicated material, many comics get caught up in the selfish side of it: of appearing clever or superior, but James doesn’t do this at all. He remains charmingly simple but we can see he has a sharp mind.

I definitely recommend you check James Acaster out as he is gaining more and more fans with every passing week. His twitter is here so follow him if you’re into that twitter malarky.

For more information, visit James Acaster’s website and follow him on Twitter.

FEBRUARY COMEDIAN OF THE MONTH