BCG Daily Wednesday 14th May 2014

People Just Do Nothing review

The last episode is the funniest out of the lot, as the Kurupt FM crew turn to Chabuddy G to create their website.

The new series of Episodes proves how illogical TV is

How can well-loved and critically acclaimed shows struggle to get a second run, while those that no one much cares about keep coming back?

Matt LeBlanc: 'I didn't work for five years after Joey'

It's a comedy show, so certain things are exaggerated, but according to the writers, it's all based on experiences they've had.

People Just Do Nothing, BBC iPlayer, review: impressive

A more sophisticated version of the short pilot aired as part of the Feed My Funny strand last year, this was all the better for being polished up: the writing tighter, the acting a little more street, the west London patois deeper and more convincing.

24 Hours to Go Broke, Dave - TV review

Two wealthy British comedians throwing money away in one of Europe's poorer cities sounds in poor taste and it is. But then, as David Baddiel was careful to point out, "Really, all TV shows that send anyone anywhere are doing exactly the same thing." That's true. His later claim that their activities were "taking the piss out of richness", however, seemed a stretch.

Sex-obsessed Matt Le Blanc is fantastic in Episodes

It's won numerous awards, including a Golden Globe and several Emmy nominations for its star Matt Le Blanc - and rightly so.

Comedy review: Mark Thomas - dissenting digs

Mark Thomas is feeling time-pressured - he's only got a few days left to successfully complete his pledge to carry out 100 acts of minor dissent in the course of a year.

Radio Times review

The dramedy about how the sanity of two sensible Brits wilts in the Hollywood sun returns for a third series. Episodes' performances - including Matt LeBlanc playing himself as a monstrous man-child - are always a joy, even if the writing sometimes feels as if it relies too much on them, and not enough on actual, er, funny lines.

In this series opener, Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig work wonders with scenes that might have looked a bit thin on paper. Their characters Sean and Beverly are back together (after the bed-hopping LeBlanc ruined things for a while) and back in love.

Meanwhile, fired network boss Merc is yelling at Matt through his bedroom window, hoping to reclaim his wife from Matt's clutches - too late. But the episode mainly centres on Carol, who has been promised Merc's job. Can she keep that a secret?

Radio Times review

Dustin Demri-Burns spends an almost uncomfortable amount of time as playfully stereotypical foreign characters as telly's most confident sketch duo continue swaggering about like the rudest kids in school. He's Le Rat, the French street artist who comes to Hadley Wood to visit his British counterpart Banksy ("Well, you've certainly brought the weather with you. Entrez, entrez!") but turns out to be a touch too anarchic for our man's taste.

That's a longform sketch that fulfils Cardinal Burn's brief of delivering miniature sitcoms - as does Demri-Burns' wicked turn as a fake karate sensei who just wants his young charge (Seb Cardinal, with fat suit and pre-pubescent screech) to do up his house. The performance of the night, though, comes from Cardinal, reimagining Daniel Day-Lewis as a gossiping ninny.

Radio Times review

There's nothing wrong with a sitcom being gentle, especially if it is as well written and acted as this one. Ronnie Corbett returns as the OAP who is determined not to take his children's advice and downsize, at least not while his beloved dog Henry is still alive.

I am sorry to report that this is the final series, which I hope does not mean a sad ending for either man or dog. Make the most of this, while we still have the time.

Preview: Andrew Maxwell on Tour

Quietly political routines about gastropubs, gentrification and oligarchs buying up the capital also struck the right comic notes and there was a great anecdote about how Andrew Maxwell's London-born middle class son has turned into Little Lord Fauntleroy despite having a "scumbag" for a dad.

Jack Dee turns agony aunt

If you needed some friendly anonymous advice, who would you turn to? Certainly not in Jack Dee, who has built a career on caustic asides. And yet this week Dee embarked on a new career as an agony uncle. Or rather he has launched a new show, Jack Dee's Help Desk.

Bafta TV Awards 2014 - what should win best comedy?

The nominations for best comedy at this year's Baftas look seriously underwhelming - they include A League of Their Own if you need more proof. So who is missing from the shortlists?

Eddie Izzard to star at Southsea Comedy Festival

Eddie Izzard has today been announced as the first ever headliner at the new Southsea Comedy Festival.

Judging a book by its cover

A review of the brochure from the 'big four' venues. "If we can judge this booklet by its cover, we'd decide that it fails every basic instinct of layout, failing to say what it represents, but instead screaming 'compromised by committee'."

Interview: Matt LeBlanc's porn prank on Tamsin Greig

We found that out during a recent press Q&A with Matt and his Episodes co-stars Tamsin Greig and Stephen Mangan - who play the roles of writers and married couple Beverly and Sean Lincoln - when Matt was asked if he'd played any pranks on them.

Richard Herring: 'I wanted to unsettle and confuse'

Growing a Hitler moustache was comedically interesting, but the routine also revealed a troubling liberal hypocrisy about race.

Adrienne Truscott's Asking for It - Review

Adrienne Truscott's satirical broadside against rape culture transfers perfectly from the Fringe with firecracker wit.

TV Review: 24 Hours To Go Broke

This was all good fun, though it was hard at times to get a handle on the chronology.

Episodes, series 3, BBC Two, review: 'dogged by tedium'

Despite the triteness of the plot, some moments, such as Merc's Lear-esque fit of rage in the howling rain, were very funny. But the problem was that the rest of the programme was dogged by tedium.

David Brent, live, review

Ricky Gervais' Office star finally gets his standing ovation.

Matt LeBlanc needs a little more help from his friends

Regardless, despite the quality cast and the awards, I'm still not quite convinced.

History of alternative comedy

Bar owners were using the same entrepreneurial instincts as many a club owner. They realised that a good way to get people into these tatty, slightly faded venues was by hosting comedy.

Matt LeBlanc, Tamsin Greig and Stephen Mangan interview

"A fair bit of it is exaggerated so that we can all still go and get a job afterwards," says Matt LeBlanc.

6 reasons why you should be watching Episodes

Six reasons Episodes is the best thing any Friends actor has done post-Friends (yes really) AND why you should be watching it.

Marcus Brigstocke review

Tales of peculiar heckles and a family safari where consequences of the local diet were a greater risk than any big beast, pave the way for the personal stories promised in the blurb, which hold the most interesting.

Review: Monks, BBC One

A promising cast is marooned in a Seventies sketch show.

Matt LeBlanc's Episodes makes a sparkling return

Despite its flaws, I find myself drawn to Episodes for its soapy elements, where it excels.

Phil Jerrod and Chris Stewart interview

Phil Jerrod and Chris Stewart are not a double act, but in an hour of brand new stand-up comedy at the Brighton Fringe, they share the bill.

James Campbell interview

James Campbell is a popular comic and author who pioneered stand-up comedy for children.

Sol Bernstein interview

According to his website, Sol Bernstein escaped the Pogroms in Russia and the Nazis in Germany, and then went on to become the World's First all-round entertainer.

Markus Birdman interview

As a child, Markus Birdman's father - a vicar - made him draw Bible stories.

The Markus Birdman three minute interview

As a child, Markus Birdman's father

The Sol Bernstein three minute interview

According to his website, Sol Bernstein escaped the Pogroms in Russia and the Nazis in Germany, and then went on to become the World's First all-round entertainer. He's a song and dance man, a comedian, a magician, an actor, and a jazz musician. Martin Walker tries to ask him about his Edinburgh Fringe show Still Standing.

The James Campbell three Minute Interview

James Campbell is a popular comic and author who pioneered stand-up comedy for children. He's performing at the Edinburgh Fringe’s Spiegeltent this year with his famous Comedy 4 Kids show. Broadway Baby has always tried to be child friendly, or at least parent friendly, so we emailed James six questions.