Charlie Brooker

Comedy Circle #1 Who Watches Satire?

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It has been virtually impossible to miss the recent, yet of course not fully reported, news story regarding Lord Ashcroft’s account of David Cameron’s Bullingdon Club days and the antics he and his chums got up to. Waking up to the storm of excited social media was made all the more interesting given the fact this doesn’t seem to be a hoax, but I guess we can never know for sure. I doubt the Prime Minister will ever admit to it, if it does happen to be true. Since the news broke on September 20th Charlie Brooker has been inundated with comments that reference the parallels of Cameron’s pig plight with National Anthem, the first episode of Black Mirror, which aired in 2011 and it got me thinking about the role that satire plays in our society.

Satirical comedy is a genre that seems deeply ingrained in the British psyche. At its best it can be revolutionary, but at its worst attempts become lazy, stereotypical and therefore ineffective. Yet regardless of whether it hits the mark or not, it seems that we can’t express ourselves thoroughly without it. Satire is now an underpinning part of our media consumption, with the implications and effects of this being incredibly promising in terms of freedom of speech. It has been proven that comedy, and practically any form of communal laughter, is an immediate way of uniting a group of people in a positive, reinforcing manner. It may even be so that with some of the most popular and accessible satirical humour that is broadcast on television in the UK, this sense of togetherness is multiplied due to the age-old addition of human pride that comes about when discussing things that make us feel clever.

Intelligence is anyone’s game now. Education is now accessible to far more people than ever before, and increasingly so, meaning that satirical comedy is no longer an exclusive thing. It makes people like me, a seventeen year old female with a Midlands accent and very little in the way of a plan for the future, feel as though my opinion is valued and important. Regardless of whether I agree with the satirist or not, the crucial point of it is that the individual is permitted to broadcast an opinion. Though at times this branch of British comedy can feel very smug and male-dominated, it is encouraging to see it being opened up to more people as time progresses.

So if more of us are watching, absorbing and reflecting the satirical sense of humour, are those that are being criticised watching it too? Of course there are countless targets of countless jokes from all different backgrounds, and for all kinds of different reasons. Nobody is safe from mockery, or at least they shouldn’t be. I can state with relative certainty that each person reading this has been a part of a collective that has been criticised by a comedian on television or radio, whether that be the teenage generation, the middle classes, the working classes, the One Direction fans. You name it, it’s probably been ridiculed. But do we take note of the message behind the comments, when it is our own values that are being attacked, or is it in our nature to defend our position in order to deflect any criticism?

Is comedy still relevant if the people you are satirising are unaware of the irony? Does it matter if David Cameron never watched Black Mirror?

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TV Review: Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe, Series 3

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Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe may just be the smoothest comedy programme on television. It is also one of the bleakest satirical programmes I have ever seen, but I am well and truly addicted.

Here we have a programme that makes me hate so many aspects of the world, but then laugh at them and regain control. Charlie Brooker expertly exposes everything that is wrong with humanity but also shows that we’re not the only ones who are disheartened by it all. Stick with it, and you can find the positive message.

With comment on topical media-related things as well as politics, this programme doesn’t spare many people from the mockery. Jake Yapp regularly relays various programmes like The One Show and The Voice in a matter of seconds, flawlessly encapsulating their most irritating elements and imitating an array of presenters and celebrities in the process. Brooker also scrutinises over phenomena like Eastenders, Broadchurch and Fifty Shades of Grey, aided by comments from Philomena Cunk and Barry Shitpeas.

A common downfall that I have found with shows like Weekly Wipe is the quality and originality of the sketches used to break up the larger proportion of denser comedy. However, this programme is truly unique in its creation of innovative and hilarious weekly sketches, from the wonderful Philomena Cunk and her “Moments of Wonder”, to the arrival of Morgana Robinson. Robinson (House of Fools) proved a fantastic addition to the Weekly Wipe team with a scarily faultless YouTuber-parody and humorous impersonations of Russell Brand. Yet again, the great minds behind this show have proven such specific observational skills as well as, in Morgana’s case, a talent for impressions (which was already common knowledge for those who watched Very Important People, I’m sure).

Brooker is undeniably a very intelligent man and has a mysterious ability to articulate what millions of us seem to be feeling, even if we hadn’t realise it yet. Weekly Wipe is a perfect example of a programme taking control over political matters that we can’t seem to change in a valiant attempt to regain power, by laughing at it. And there are many laughs indeed.

SERIES THREE OF CHARLIE BROOKER’S WEEKLY WIPE IS AVAILABLE ON BBC IPLAYER

Christmas Round Up

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The Christmas period presented multiple comedy gems to our television screens last month, and here is a summary of a few of my particular favourites:

Derek

Ricky Gervais’ Derek reached its natural conclusion with a wedding, a fight and a baby. Gervais has shown a great subtlety in his writing that I had not noticed in his other projects that often displayed, in fact, quite the opposite. I found the episode to be dealt with sensitively and with great humour, with the character of Derek remaining endearing yet dignified throughout, as was noticeable from this year’s series two. Available on 4OD.

House of Fools

House of Fools has been one of my favourite sitcoms since it first aired in early 2014, as it is written by, and stars, the incredible Vic and Bob. This Christmas spectacular presented many problems for the duo: Erik has demanded a particular bobble hat for his present but it has been set on fire. The strange gathering must set off to steal a replacement, and meet Father Christmas (Reece Shearsmith) on the way. Available on BBC iPlayer.

Not Going Out

Not Going Out has been consistently and delightfully cringe-worthy with frequent small laughs and a few brilliant lines per episode (and there have been an impressive seven series, so that’s some great feat). This final episode did not disappoint, and audiences were finally given an answer to the age-old question: will Lee and Lucy ever actually become a couple? Available on BBC iPlayer.

Gadget Man

Richard Ayoade returned with a Gadget Man’s Guide to Christmas with special guests Adam Hills, Jessica Hynes, Stephen Merchant, Jonathan Ross, Reece Shearsmith and Robert Webb. With a wonderful array of toys and vehicles and strange household items, Ayoade presented us with an entirely new take on Christmas gifts and dinners. Available on 4OD.

Charlie Brooker’s 2014 Wipe

Charlie Brooker brought his infamous positive little rays of sunshine to Christmas by overviewing a seemingly awful year for everyone in the entire universe. From Farage to Ebola, Charlie’s typically sarcastic and cutting commentary overed it all, with help from Barry Shitpeas and Philomena Cunk. I should probably warn off people who are prone to depression from watching this programme but Brooker’s wit really takes the edge off, as does the wonderful song at the end. Available on BBC iPlayer.

Man Down

Man Down has to be one of my favourite new sitcoms from the past couple of years because it stars a couple of my most loved comedians: Greg Davies and Roisin Conaty. The Christmas episode was a beautiful tribute to the late Rik Mayall, who played Dan’s father in the show, and sent both Mayall himself, and the character he played, off in a hilarious but touching fashion. Available on 4OD.

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