The Royle Family

There can be few shows which have seen as much laughter, fun and misery in one short episode than those emotions experienced in The Royle Family. Set in a working district of Manchester the show ran between 1998 and 2000 before the co-creator Caroline Aherne encountered a somewhat traumatic stage of her life which saw her drop out of the TV writing and acting scene for a few years.

However, it is good to see the return of The Royle Family on UK Gold at a time when there is a definite lack of new and original comedy on the TV. Caroline Aherne and co-writer Craig Cash star as Denise and Dave, with Sue Johnston and Ricky Tomlinson taking centre stage as her onscreen parents. Ralf Little also made a name for himself as Denise’s little brother Anthony. For those who have seen the show you would be lucky to find a group of actors who could portray this simple format in such a way as to catch the attention and respect of the audience.

Centred around the family living room, the vast majority of the show sees the family sitting and watching TV, chatting about what they plan to do, what is going on the neighbourhood and what is on TV. Ricky Tomlinson is hilarious in his role as the head of the family, a man who thinks he is in control, when it is really his wife who keeps the family unit together.

Due to its short duration, much like Fawlty Towers, of which there were actually very few episodes produced, The Royle Family has the chance to retain a long term cult status with UK comedy fans.

The Inbetweeners is The Anti-Skins

I tuned in for a peek at The Inbetweeners which premieres tomorrow night on E4 at 10pm. You see, I saw the ad and thought ‘argh, Skins. Again.Why? We already have one….’ Plus I was confused since they are both projects of channel 4. Only it turns out this is the first sitcom commissioned for E4, so that’s pretty big, and also, actually having seen it, its kind of The Anti-Skins.

So why is it The Anti-Skins? Well, this show isn’t about pregnancy, near deaths and eating disorders, oh no, The Inbetweeners revels in the puerile, shallow concerns of adolescence. Virginity, mockery and parents all feature. This is more American Pie than your usual dirty gritty channel 4 drama.

Will is a public school nerd who has moved to the local comprehensive and is trying desperately to fit in. Since no one except the ‘freaks’ will talk to him he forcibly befriends some marginally cooler kids who want nothing to do with him. He ploughs on regardless. It’s weird, but this idealism in the face of true loserism makes him a strangely likeable character.

The set up is as snappy as the dialogue, which is good because the acting is at times (ok most of the time) pretty heavy handed. It kind of gives you the feeling you are watching your kid brother in a well written school play. But it’s filled with laugh out loud lines that pin with uncanny accuracy the bolshy, bull***ing nature of teenagers.

The casting is great, from Will (Simon Bird), who holds himself like a middle aged man and talks with the accepting irony of a self aware loser, to the brutal head of sixth form played by Greg Davies.

All round, definitely a good one to watch.

The Inbetweeners premieres tonight on E4 at 10pm

Headcases - spitting image of a classic show?

ITV is hoping to corner the market for satire with its new offering Headcases, a modern version of award winning show Spitting Image - the latex puppet show which ran from 1984 to 1996 making fools of politicians and showbiz stars. So influential was Spitting Image that it actually contributed to the fall of some politicians. Many of the show’s caricatures making the lives of public figures very difficult.

Headcases takes a similar format with topical news stories and voice-overs from some great comedians. One of the reasons the show is predicted to be smash hit for ITV is that the program is produced later in the day so it catches the latest news.

So far episodes look to be centring on the Beckhams, Robert Mugabe, the Royals and Piers Morgan. It seems that in the world of showbiz you haven’t made it until you have someone impersonating you. Sunday nights have never quite been the same since Spitting Image was axed in 1996, with rumours that the show was sailing a too close to the wind with regard to libel and legal issues.

It will be interesting to see which well known faces appear over the coming weeks, and how much the public will actually relate to the “puppets”. They have already brought in Gordon Brown and David Cameron, with Brown cast as the miser and Cameron as the sound-bites man with no substance behind his policies.

Times may change, but very little alters in the world of politics and celebrity!

Any more from Norton?

The Graham Norton Show is hosted by the man himself and includes some hilarious chat, music and weird and wonderful takes from the great British public. Tonight he chats with Hollywood legend Tony Curtis and movie bad boy Kevin Bacon, two actors who have had big hits in the past but seem to be dropping out of the limelight lately. Is the same happening to Graham Norton?

The show has been demoted to BBC 2 on a 9 o’clock schedule, due to the often adult nature of the show, and there are concerns that the great hope of the BBC is losing steam as well as his appeal to the UK public. However, there is no doubting that Norton has his very own unique style and take on everyday life, but have the viewing public moved on?

While he still has a very strong core of fans - and always will thanks to his days as a comedian and actor - the shock tactics which were so bright in the early days are now losing their bite. His frank and open discussions are becoming a little too predictable and stale for many people, but when you are locked into the BBC on a “golden handcuffs” agreement surely another show will come along?

Unknown to many, Graham Norton played Father Noel Furlong in the critically acclaimed Father Ted series which attracted large viewing figures. Not only is Norton an actor, a comedian and a TV presenter he is also the co-owner of the SO Television – the company which produces all of his shows. While the man has many talents on screen, he is also a very astute business man - something which has seen him increase his personal wealth enormously.

Will The Graham Norton Show ever make it back to prime time viewing? Will the BBC find another show for him to present? Time will tell, but there’s much more to Graham Norton than many people are aware of.

Premiere of ‘Chuck’ is worth a chuckle

Chuck Virgin 1 Mondays at 10pm By McGee Noble

Chuck is a weird name right? It’s so American you expect it to come out flailing a George Forman grill in one hand and a burger in the other. Yet it’s the nickname of our very own Anna Friel in her new U.S. drama Pushing Daisies. It’s also the name of Virgin 1’s latest U.S. import. Chuck (Mondays, 10 pm) is of the hugely popular geek turned hero genre. Well so it’s not a hugely popular genre yet, but it soon will be with the likes of Reaper, Chuck and Pushing Daisies generally getting great reviews all around. I think we can blame the success on that foppy haired nerd from the O.C. The one who ended up going out with absurdly pretty Summer and so giving unfair hope to geeks all over the globe.

So our hero Chuck works at the Nerd Herd (yeah, they aren’t subtle in setting up the whole geek premise). He wears white button down shirts with pens in the pocket. He has foppy hair. You almost expect the writer to pop up in one corner of the screen and point to him saying ‘He’s a geek! A geek! I know he’s attractive, but honestly he’s a geek. Just like that guy on the O.C. and look how many girls fancied him!’

Our geekly hero has had some misfortune in his past, like all the best heroes. His ex best friend and evil college room mate Bryce got him kicked out of college and stole his girlfriend on the same day. Now years later, Chuck is unrecovered and lovesick and generally meandering through life in a funk uplifted only by his even more geekly friend and employee Morgan. That is until Bryce emails a secret CIA database to Chuck that somehow (this is where the writer disappears offscreen and hides in a cupboard) downloads directly into his brain (‘what? what? that could TOTALLY happen…’) making him the repository of all world saving information. Ruh roh. Cue the entrance of bad ass NSA agent played by Adam Baldwin and saucy CIA agent Sarah.

It’s an easy watching, action filled, geek referencing hour that slips down as easily as the fat from your Forman grill. It’s hard not to like the self aware humour and whole fish out of water thing but I’ll warn you it takes a slide in quality after the first episode, what with the budget blown on all those action sequences. But hey, the premise has some legs so lets see if it pulls up its socks later on.

Blackadder the Third

While perhaps not in the same class as shows like Only Fools and Horses, the adventures of Blackadder have given us some exquisite moments of comedy acting, with Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Hugh Laurie and Robbie Coltrane all adding to the fun and games. For those who have watched the Blackadder series, we have been through the ages with Blackadder and his trusty sidekick Baldrick whom he treats worse than a dog, but amazingly keeps coming back for more!

Blackadder the Third sees Edmund Blackadder thrown into 18th century England and cast as the butler to Prince Regent, who is perhaps the most naive man on the planet – he quite literally does not have a clue about anything! Tonight’s episode sees Dr Samuel Johnson approach the Prince for assistance with his dictionary but this is Blackadder and nothing quite goes to plan.

As the cold winter nights draw in, Dr Johnson’s dictionary is accidentally thrown onto the fire to keep it going, with literally years of hard work up in smoke. Keen to ensure that the Prince does not get into any more trouble Blackadder sets about re-writing the dictionary with hilarious consequences.

Rowan Atkinson has made the part of Blackadder his own and whole the show finished some time ago, in the event of a new film or one off special there is surely nobody who could take the place of Atkinson. His wit, his timing and his on screen chemistry with partner in crime Tony Robinson (Baldrick) is a pleasure to watch.

Richard Curtis, of Four Weddings and a Funeral fame, and Rowan Atkinson wrote the first series, although later shows were scripted by Curtis and Ben Elton whom adds his rather unique sense of humour to it all. While possibly not to the taste of every viewer in the UK, Blackadder is a classic amongst classics.

Porridge

Can there be any other UK actors who have taken on so many roles and made them their own? While Ronnie Barker was much appreciated in his heyday it is only just now, after his sad death, that we are really seeing the skill and professionalism of the man who was on our screens for many decades. Open All Hours, The Two Ronnies and Porridge are some of his better known shows but the man was a genius!

While for years many people did not realise that Barker’s sidekick David Jason was part of the cast, heavily made-up as a small time petty thief, life in the “Nick” was never dull with Fletch (played by Ronnie Barker) around. This comical look at life in the UK prison sector was a classic in its time and is still shown on a regular basis to this day. Fun, games, laughter and tears all flowed in equal quantities as the hard faced Fletch tried to get through each day as he could.

Tonight’s episode sees one of the inmates receive the chance of parole, which to Fletch’s horror he turns down! Seeing parole as an admission of guilt the prison mate decides to stay in and complete his time, until Fletch catches him. Determined to see his fellow inmate make the most of what is on offer he sets about trying to find the truth and ensure his friend takes his chance to go home.

While Porridge was centred upon Fletch and Ronnie Barker, the show also saw the likes of Richard Beckinsale, Fulton Mackay and David Jason make their name, not to mention a number of appearances from the inimitable Christopher Biggins. While Richard Beckinsale was an excellent actor in his own right, he spoke very highly of the influence of Ronnie Barker before Beckinsale’s sad death at a very young age. The curse of Porridge?

Carry On Cowboy

If ever there was a less apt setting for a Carry On film, then the macho world of cowboys and Indians is it!

Carry On Cowboy sees the likes of Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale and Joan Sims bring us the campest ever version of a cowboy film, with double entendres, suggestive comments and plenty of slapstick comedy – the type you might expect to see on the back of those old seaside postcards.

First released in 1966, Carry On Cowboy follows the capers of the Rumpo Kid, Judge Burke and Chief Big Heap in the fictitious Stodge City. Shoot outs, sing songs around the fire place, chases and some wonderful comic timing make Carry On Cowboy on of the better of the Carry On movies to be repeated of late. Is it just a coincidence that we are seeing the remake of the Carry On movies later this year?

For those who have not seen the rumours in the press, a new Carry On movie is planned for later this year in order to bring some much need humour back to our screens. However, there are concerns in some quarters that while the old movies were hilarious in their day, the may not be as politically correct as some might expect for this day and age. But surely it would be wrong to take away that old seaside postcard humour which made the Carry On series what it is today?

It will be interesting to see how the new movie compares with the old and whether they can retain that innocence and charm which attracted so many to the original works. There are concerns in some quarters that the crop of today’s actors might struggle to live up to the likes of Kenneth Williams who was a unique actor.

However, in the meantime we can all take a step down memory lane and enjoy the humour that is Carry On Cowboy.

The Simpsons

The Simpsons Love them or hate them, there is no doubt that the Simpson have made an impact upon the way we think of life in the US, their habits and their opinions. Tonight’s show seems Homer recall the time that he found a dead body at the age of 12, but failed to report it. How will he react when he remembers it? Who will he tell?

Homers life has been one long rollercoaster and while his trusty family have stood by him there have been times when they must have felt like walking away! Quite what slant the writers will put on tonight’s show remains to be seen but there is no doubt it will be funny, thought provoking and certain to attract millions of viewers!

The Simpsons have been on our screens since December 1989 and while there are many critics of the show, it has fans young and old around the world, making it the best selling cartoon series ever. They also brought out a Simpson Movie which has brought in over $500m since its launch. Homer, Marge, Maggie, Bart, Lisa and Santa’s Little Helper (the dog) are the mainstays of the show, but the way they interact amongst themselves and their friends and neighbours is something else. Do we all have neighbours and friends like the Simpsons? Or is this just America?

While the show is obviously centred on humour and laughter, the writers seem to have a unique gift for bringing in serious subjects, such as the Iraq war, and somehow taking a dig at the government without saying anything outright. Many people see the Simpsons as the conscience of America, a real look at the inner workings of middle class America. Quite whether is true is a matter of opinion, but they sure do catch the attention of the masses.

Drake And Josh

While Drake And Josh will be a show which is fairly new to many in the UK, it is fast attracting cult status in both the US and the UK with more and more younger people tuning into what is turning into a comic classic. The show centres around two teenagers who are set to become step brothers, their fights, their antics and their many adventures. First aired in January 2004, the show is now in season 4 and the reputation of the actors seems to be increasing all of the time.

The show stars Drake Bell and Josh Peck, with Drake the more sensible one of the two (which is not exactly saying too much!) and Josh the more accident prone one of the two, who always seems to be getting into scrapes. They have ruined their parent’s house, they have wrecked their place of work, not to mention the time they lost their parents car after being tied up and left in the middle of the countryside – you name it, they have probably done it at some time or another!

Even though many comedy shows in the US seem to have an underlying message, a point to many of their storylines, Drake And Josh is just fun, fun, fun all the way. Their madcap ventures have increased the profile of not only the show, but all of the actors associated with the venture. “Crazy” Steve played by Jerry Trainor seems to be one of the script writer’s favourites, popping up in almost every episode there has ever been.

It will be interesting to see if one of the traditional TV stations in the UK pick up the show from the US, because there is no doubt that there is still a lot of mileage in this one. Its perfect for kids, adults will find it amusing and it makes you glad to be normal!