TV Review of the Year 2011
2011 has come to an end, but was it a vintage year for British TV comedy? We look back at the big telly shows of the last twelve months...
This bold new satire show launched on Channel 4 last January to mixed reviews. Presented by Jimmy Carr, David Mitchell, Charlie Brooker, and - inexplicably - Lauren Laverne, the series aimed high but often missed. It was brave to broadcast it live, but many asked what the point was when the un-edited approach meant interesting interviews and discussion, more often than not, ended prematurely. There was also a disappointing feeling that the show was 'preaching to the converted' rather than offering new, incisive and persuasive opinion. Those who stuck with the series (down to just 650,000 viewers by the end) saw a more confident programme emerge, but one that was still deeply flawed. A shorter second series - coming soon - will have shorter-length episodes, but will that give the show the focus to turn itself into a hit?
Jimmy Carr also fronts Channel 4's long-running hit panel show. The programme appears to be in a sweet patch at the moment, and we think it should be applauded for inviting on many relatively unknown comics in the past year, rather than the usual band of panel show veterans. The notable change in 2011 for the show was the switch of team captains - Jason Manford left, with Jon Richardson taking over and instantly making a positive impression. Bringing gags and sharp observations with him, fans have been quick to praise Richardson for bringing new life to the show. Sean Lock still remains the real highlight as far as we're concerned though; his acerbic take on celebrity culture and the news agenda is wonderful.
Sky1's sport-themed panel show continued for two further series in 2011. Unfortunately someone decided that each episode should be given an hour-long broadcast slot: this has proved to be both needlessly and detrimentally long. With the show's trademark mix of physical challenges, an additional 10 to 15 minutes on the standard half-hour would be admissible, but with another 15 minutes or so on top of that the flab really starts to show. If you want to understand what a good job the editors of series like Have I Got News For You do in cutting down a programme to a decent length, look no further than this bloated show.
It was all change for Series 4 of digital channel Dave's debate-fuelled panel show. For no obvious reason John Sergeant, Marcus Brigstocke and Rufus Hound - the trio of regulars who have done a fine job on Argumental since the format's launch in 2008 - were turfed out to make way for new blood in the form of Sean Lock, Robert Webb and Seann Walsh. The show hasn't suffered with the new line-up - Lock in particular adds a few extra off-the-cuff gags of his own from his position in the host's chair - but we're still perplexed as to why the change was needed in the first place.
Series 2 of this light-hearted panel show settled down, with the general organisation of the show's rounds sharpened and clarified a bit. Being real-life good friends, Rhod Gilbert, Greg Davies and Lloyd Langford make for a likeable trio to spend time with, although we still think the Radio 2 version (Rhod Gilbert's Bulging Barrel Of Laughs) is funnier, focusing itself on the banter without worrying about answering any actual questions.
Benidorm was ITV's only sitcom in 2011 and, despite the departure of Johnny Vegas from the show and the fact episodes stayed at the new slightly unwieldy hour-long runtime, the sun and frolics in the holiday resort regularly entertained 6 million viewers in cold February.
We thought we'd be reporting that this show was one of the ones not returning next year, but a new series is now in production. Star Steve Pemberton will be helping out with the scripts for Series 5, so it'll be interesting to see what he brings to the show. Probably not a touch of Psychoville madness, but who knows...
Cult hit Scottish sketch show Burnistoun, which comes from the brains of Iain Connell and Robert Florence, returned for a second series in 2011. Some of the sketches were a little bloated this time around, but new characters like the incompetent police officers still kept things interesting. The show also got a much deserved nationwide repeat on BBC Two, albeit tucked away in a graveyard slot so it still remains unknown to many south of the border.
This university-based comedy drama from the team behind Green Wing followed the same wacky formula as the hospital-based show, but failed to capture the audience's imagination in the same manner as its predecessor. It would be fair to describe it as a flop.
There wasn't anything identifiably that wrong with the show - in fact, we quite enjoyed it - but it just lacked that extra spark, and didn't live up to the hype that Channel 4 had tried to build. Fresh Meat, which arrived on the same channel later in the year, showed an alternative and more successful approach to university-based comedy.
ITV2's smash-hit panel show continued its run of success in 2011. The digital station's prize programme, and one of the meagre handful of comedies on the entire ITV network, Celebrity Juice continued the ruthless mockery of the world of celebrity in its fifth series, broadcast in the first half of the year. However, the sixth series, broadcast from September to November, started to feel slightly less mocking and dangerously close to celebrating at times. The programme hasn't entirely lost its bite, but we would advise caution for Series 7. Showbusiness provides rich pickings - they just need to use it fully.
Comedy Rocks With Jason Manford
After a break of ... God only knows how long, ITV brought back a hint of the comedy/variety shows that once made the network famous. Primarily a mix of stand-up comedy and music, Comedy Rocks was hosted with confidence by Mancunian comic Jason Manford. It was a slightly odd mix, if we're honest. Some of the show worked really well, whilst other parts felt forced, unfunny, and frankly a bit lame. However, there's miles of potential in reviving this kind of variety showcase format, so we hope to see it return with a bit more 'oompf' in 2012.
Love it or loathe it, BBC Three's sixth-form college sitcom Coming Of Age returned at the beginning of 2011 for a third series. It may not have been popular with the critics but the series certainly found its audience; unfortunately for whom, it was one of many shows cancelled by the new BBC Three boss in the spring - so those that hated the sitcom can now breathe easy.
This stand-up showcase has proved to be quite a hit for digital channel Dave. So much so that the network found the money to fund two series in 2011. Chris Addison, Mark Watson, Dave Gorman, Jason Byrne, Greg Davies, Ardal O'Hanlon, Tim Vine (pictured), Reginald D Hunter, Stephen K Amos and Tommy Tiernan were the headliners. Some were good, some weren't... but we think Dave should be roundly applauded for supporting comedy in this manner. We understand another series will be announced shortly - so keep an eye on our news section.
8.69 million. That's how many people saw the closing episode of the latest series of ITV's hit comedy drama in October. With massive ratings clocked up every week, this was the most watched comedy show of the year, bigger even than the Christmas Day offerings. Martin Clunes' role as the curmudgeonly doctor is clearly more popular than ever - a signal to commissioners that the public clearly wants more 'cosy comedy', but perhaps with that slight bite which makes British comedy what it is.
They say audiences don't like TV shows about TV shows. It's too confusing and such programmes normally have too many insider jokes. However Episodes brought the idea of a couple making a British sitcom to the masses, and it'd be fair to say some people enjoyed it. Comedy nerds mainly, admittedly - the general audience was indeed a bit perplexed. But it drew enough of an audience to please the BBC bigwigs, as it'll be back for more later in 2012...
From the creative team behind Whose Line Is It Anyway? and Mock The Week, expectations were, if not high, then certainly raised, for new BBC Two improv series Fast And Loose. Unfortunately, many felt the show was far from spontaneous and improvised as it claimed, but actually carefully rehearsed. For WLIIA? fans it didn't help that host Hugh Dennis was the one announcing the challenges - presumably the threat of copyright infringement from Channel 4 stopped the use of the 'proof-it-is-real' trick of asking the studio audience for the topics and scenarios. Still, the show did at least introduce David Armand's clever miming skills to a wider audience, and there were plenty of chuckles to be had from the final 'sideways' round in which the action took place on the floor.
Sometimes we can't believe how laid back this chat show is. The pace is really slow and gentle - but that's not a complaint; it's nice to have some uncompetitive, meandering comic chat on the telly. Frank Skinner presented two series of the show in 2011, but still hasn't found a way of drawing the guests into the discussion more regularly. It's normally oddballs in the audience who provide the best comic material. If a fourth series emerges in 2012, we pray to the TV gods that they'll lose Frank's absurd, unnecessary and artificially distancing desk. It utterly ruins the show's laid-back feel.
Easily one of the best shows of the year, this Channel 4 comedy drama from the creators of Peep Show expertly mixed comedy with drama to create a really compelling programme. A quick straw poll conducted by us on Twitter revealed it to be many people's highlight of the year. Fresh Meat's biggest achievement though was to change many perceptions of Jack Whitehall - who knew he could act really well? A number of viewers have admitted going from a state of active dislike of the young stand-up, to becoming fans of his, off the back of his performance in this. We shouldn't forget the other cast members however - all were pretty faultless in their performances.
Despite being one of the big winners at the British Comedy Awards, this Channel 4 sitcom from Robert Popper (Look Around You) started off with pretty ambivalent reviews and an equally uninterested audience. As the series progressed however, many found themselves warming to the family and enjoying the series far more. We felt it was far from a perfect series, but it certainly ended on a better note than it began. One pregnant viewer laughed so hard at an episode her waters broke - quite a good endorsement we think. Here's hoping that Series 2, expected later this year, will be an improvement again.
Another BBC Scotland show that hasn't been given the nationwide exposure it really deserves. If you've seen Greg McHugh as strange Howard in Fresh Meat, check out this army-based sitcom to see a demonstration of the actor's range - as he's very different in this as camp opinionated soldier Gary McLintoch. We'll admit we find some strong regional accents a bit difficult at times, but have been more than won over by this wonderfully funny sitcom.
The end of ITV's ratings-banking format is now very much in sight as Harry Hill has made it rather clear that he's had enough of the show, and almost certainly won't carry on when the contract ends. Has this lack of enthusiasm affected the show? Maybe slightly as it's not quite the TV gold it was once, but it still has many laugh-out-loud moments so we hope the predictions of the end are a bit premature. Just, please, don't bring it back without Harry!
Winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Comedy Awards, this long-running series has continued to entertain and inform millions on Friday nights. It's been a particularly good year for the show too, with plenty of juicy news stories to get stuck into, and most of the guest hosts this year more than up to the job of delivering the autocue jokes (which hasn't always been the case in the past).
It's still a little bit of a hidden secret, but this BBC Three sitcom has been winning much praise from reviewers and viewers alike. It isn't without quibbles, but the realistic tone and grotty, credit-crunch setting clearly appeal to many viewers as it's set some new records for the digital channel. Top notch acting and writing has secured the show another series, so expect more from Becky, Steve, Dan, Laura and Paul in 2012.
One thing that's quite noticeable from this round up of the year is the lack of sketch shows appearing on the list, and this CBBC series being one of the only good ones at that. Sticking to the idea that you don't need to talk down to kids, the sketch show once again entertained millions in 2011 - but not just kids, as it picks up sizeable adult audiences too, as proven by the primetime version hosted by Stephen Fry in the summer, which included the best bits from the first two series. The songs in particular are often the highlights.
Johnny Vegas has played small time drug dealer Moz for over 50 episodes, but Ideal joined the likes of Coming Of Age in being axed in 2011. The soap-like storylines mixed with sharp one-liners and interesting characters was a winning combination, although it may be fair to say that the last couple of series have felt as if the show has perhaps reached its natural conclusion.
This brand new BBC sitcom, created and produced by an American team (as was My Family), played out to a largely ambivalent audience over the summer. A very traditional family-based sitcom in many respects, it was never going to win widespread critical praise but rather build up an audience amongst the casual viewers. Indeed, it managed a very respectable average of 3.5million viewers per episode across the 6 part series, and so it's no great surprise that the series will return in 2012. For our part, we didn't feel that there was anything wrong with the show, but it certainly didn't set the world on fire, and could have used some snappier writing and better gags in places. Here's hoping that Series 2 will have found its feet a little more.
Jo Brand was given her own series in September. It mixed together her stand-up with a fly-on-the-wall documentary type element in which we saw the comedian trying new things related to water. Unfortunately much of the stand-up was the weak link in the series; we're not massive fans of Jo Brand admittedly, but she's delivered far better material than this in the past. The adventure-docu segments were the real highlight though: seeing Brand and Sean Lock trying to get through the Maldon Mud Race was a particular treat.
John Bishop was one of the big stand-up stars of 2011 and he returned to prime-time BBC One in the summer for a second series of this show, a blend of stand-up, sketches and VT interviews to provide a snapshot of domestic observations. If we're honest, it sags in places, and we found ourselves identifying with fewer and fewer of Bishop's observations in Series 2 - but each episode was nevertheless a guaranteed laugh.
Jack Dee's Lead Balloon had been an audience favourite since it launched back in 2006. However, when it returned in 2011 after a gap of a couple of years, it seems the audience had grown weary of the show. Many of the comments about the programme started to point out that the sitcom seemed to be following the same formula each week, with only the two-hander special involving Robbie Coltraine taking the show anywhere new. We're not sure we entirely agree - in fact, this series introduced an on-going storyline as Rick started a job on a shopping channel - but Dee had made clear before broadcast that this would be the show's final run, and its more negative reception probably means the Beeb won't be pushing for more.
It's no secret that BBC One have been searching desperately for a big audience pleasing Saturday night show since ... well, probably the end of Noel's House Party in 1999. With Lee Mack's All Star Cast, the popular Not Going Out star brought together a host of celebrities, comedians and cameo guests for chat, stand-up comedy, sketches, and some audience interaction. Anyone who wasn't already aware beforehand will have been left in no doubt of Mack's deep admiration and affection for Morecambe & Wise; and this is probably the closest thing the corporation have had to a Morecambe & Wise type of show since the duo left the BBC way back in 1978. It wasn't without flaws though: the audience interaction often felt like unnecessary filler; a bizarre 'talent' contest via webcam just didn't work at all; the stand-up segments were too short to offer any real value; whilst the lone weekly sketch - often the best part of the show - felt slightly awkward. We have faith in Mack's ability with this kind of entertainment format, but this just wasn't quite right... here's hoping he's given a second chance and it comes back in 2012 with a few tweaks. It certainly deserves it.
This is a hard show to talk about as its aimed at a very specific demographic - and those outside the demographic clearly don't like it. However, the cheeky chav is clearly very popular - a fictional creation by comic Simon Brodkin it ought to be pointed out, lest anyone think Lee Nelson is real - and the second series of this show tickled his fans greatly.
There was very little critical love for this family show when it existed, but as one of the few sitcoms that a family could watch together it built a commendable audience and did pretty well in the ratings whenever it was on. Getting appropriate-for-all-ages comedy right is tough... so applause should be given for the show managing to entertain for three series. It's all over now though - the show was axed, and no one really shed a tear.
It all started so well for Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. Yes, the duo who found fame at the start of the 00s with super-smash-hit The Office began this decade with the near-unmitigated car crash that was Life's Too Short. Their new show was, just as The Office before it, ostensibly a mockumentary; the characters' behaviour, however, was often far more akin to the high farce of 'Allo 'Allo! than any documentary we've ever watched. Just like the duo's other sitcom, Extras, it was crammed with celebrity cameos, and even featured Gervais and Merchant as themselves. Unfortunately this came across as no more than a tiresome ego-massaging exercise, particularly for Gervais, and equally many of the cameos felt so pathetically shoe-horned in that it was at times difficult to find anything remotely amusing in an apparently 'real' series. There were laughs to be had, but they were too few and far between. Still, we were afforded another glimpse into the worlds of Keith Chegwin, Les Dennis, and Barry-off-of-EastEnders (Shaun Williamson), so it wasn't all for nothing. Despite the rumours (started by Gervais himself) there is as yet no word on a recommission for this mess of a show. Whilst it certainly had its moments and found some fans, the series shed viewers as if it were infectious - dipping below 1 million at one point - and that really does not make for happy reading for the BBC Comedy department.
This surreal and inventive sketch show is the third in this list that comes from BBC Scotland. It's pretty niche humour, but Limmy's Show! has attracted celebrity fans such as Graham Linehan and Matt Lucas thanks to its daring and different approach to the genre. Star Brian Limond's aggressive tweets against Margaret Thatcher, the Royal Family and other establishment figures was a rather unfortunate news story to reveal itself in November, but the comedian has now realised being quite so outspoken about his opinions is inadvisable. A third series has been commissioned.
The stand-up show was back for a new series in the latter part of 2011 (a couple of episodes are still to come), and the successful format that made it part of the BBC's prime-time Friday night schedule has remained un-changed. However, several cultural commentators pointed out this series was noticeably ruder, and there were complaints about how smutty some of the humour was - not exactly family-friendly cosy stuff.
After an incredibly weak pilot that we were shocked to see commissioned and a rather variable first series, the second run of Lunch Monkeys found an improved sitcom really growing on us. A shame then that this series coincided with the arrival of a new boss at BBC Three, who axed it pretty much straight away. We can't pretend we're heartbroken by its loss, but it does seem a shame to have lost those years of development and gestation for a show that was showing definite signs of improvement. Could it have been something great? Probably not, if we're honest - but it didn't deserve to be dropped like a stone.
E4's hit comedy drama looked like it was about to go through a bit of a crisis when Robert Sheehan, who played the popular mouthy character Nathan, announced he was quitting the show. However, when the programme did return everyone had soon forgotten about Nathan and all was fine. There were cries of shark-jumping, but for our money Joe Gilgun as the similarly cocky character Rudy proved to be a great replacement, and despite some dud episodes the series was, more or less, on par with previous.
BBC Two's top rated satire continued to mock the weeks throughout parts of 2011. Russell Howard officially departed the show in the summer, but Chris Addison was hired to join the team as a regular. The shows entertained millions each week, but even now, a couple of years on, it's difficult to have a conversation about the programme without someone pointing out that it used to be sharper and funnier with Frankie Boyle on board. The atmosphere seems far more congenial now; not that that's bad in itself, but Boyle's added bite was something a little special.
This sharply scripted puppet sitcom wasn't afraid to deliver the odd controversial line - and the show's song about killing Justin Bieber went on to become an internet hit ("they'll autotune his final scream"). Bizarrely though, Mongrels still remains a "cult" hit... in other words, it doesn't attract big audiences. Which, in our opinion, is a shame. It certainly doesn't always work, but the series can be very funny indeed. The show is presumably expensive to make, so whether it will return in 2012 is probably a bit 50/50.
This light-hearted frothy comedy drama - yet another new comedy from Sky, who really pumped the money into British comedy in 2011 - actually did a rather good job of showing that the north of England isn't all nasty poor people, dysfunctional council estates and shopping-trolleys-in-canals as is portrayed in more gritty dramas like Shameless. It was a bit fluffy in places, but included some really entertaining moments; Bobby Ball was a particular highlight. The programme clearly pleased bosses at the satellite channel, as they've ordered more.
One of the surprise hits of the year, Mrs. Brown's Boys entertained millions across the UK and Ireland with its outrageous, crude, bawdy and in some respects very old-school sitcom humour. Audiences particularly enjoyed the (purportedly) un-scripted asides to camera and bloopers, which weren't edited out. One section of society far less enamoured with the programme were newspaper critics - the programme received some of the worst reviews ever seen. However, critics hating something that the public love is hardly a new story, and BBC bosses didn't pander to the press for once. A Christmas special drew big audiences on Boxing Day, and it's back for Series 2 tomorrow (2nd January 2012), with a third series already ordered.
After 11 years and as many series, the BBC's staple family sitcom took its final bow in 2011. Yes, the writing had sagged somewhat over the last couple of series, and the show was never quite the same after Nick left - but we were still sad to see it go, and to be so badly treated by the BBC, with minimal promotion and constant schedule changes over the past 2 years' series. Will it be missed? By critics certainly not, but Auntie has yet to find a replacement to please audiences.
Some series work well - more or less - with guest hosts. Others require the boss to have a certain amount of intellect and interest in the topic the programme's based on. Sadly, Never Mind The Buzzcocks falls squarely into the latter camp, and so the appropriation of Have I Got News For You's guest-host formula results in a rather patchy affair. Some hosts do sterling work on the show, whilst others can't read an autocue to save their lives - but even the best of them don't live up to the heights of the Amstell and Lamarr years. Noel Fielding as team captain is also proving problematic. A glance around TV review blogs suggests he's now beginning to annoy more people than he is entertains. Sadly, after 25 series, NMTB needs to remember what it is and re-focus itself or face the commissioner's axe...
We didn't think we'd be writing about Not Going Out in our review of 2011, as the show was very much cancelled in 2009. Thankfully, at a time when the corporation was saying it wanted more traditional studio sitcoms on its books, a bit of politicking went on with production company Avalon and so we were treated to a brand new 6-part series at the start of 2011. This is probably the BCG team's joint favourite TV sitcom, but we won't go on about it too much: suffice to say we're not alone, as another 2 series are in production...
A neat idea for a panel show - it's essentially the Never Mind The Buzzcocks identity parade for a full show. Who is the real Greek in a line-up? Who is sporting fake facial hair? Who is known as the Human Windmill? These were amongst the challenges facing Jason Manford and Peter Andre in the second series. It's very much Saturday night ITV... but it does tick the play-along-at-home entertainment box really well, and unlike much of their fare, is just good light-hearted fun rather than lowest-common-denominator nonsense.
Outnumbered is widely regarded to be one of the best family sitcoms ever made. Unlike most comedies featuring youngsters, the children don't feel wooden or forced as their lines are loosely scripted and often largely improvised. The fourth series found the kids noticeably a bit more grown up, and some of the spontaneity seemed to have gone. In the Christmas special, however, it felt a bit more settled down, as if the show was maturing from a host of filmed natural moments to a realistically performed and tightly-scripted, more traditional sitcom. Fingers crossed for more...
This Channel 4 sitcom has the neat and quirky twist of narration and analysis from a pair of (fictional) sports commentators. The second series, which aired in the autumn, was much more confident in its use of the device than in 2010's Series 1, and used it to great effect. The series was a real treat at times, but was poorly scheduled against much stronger, more popular alternatives in the middle of the competitive Friday night line-up. Not even we found time to watch a single episode live...
Another show which felt a bit more sure of itself in the second series was retail-based sitcom PhoneShop. The dodgy 'ghetto' accents annoyed some viewers, but others took the shop crew characters to their heart and were rewarded with six credit-crunch friendly adventures. It's not been entirely our cup of tea if we're honest, but it seems to do what it sets out to perfectly well, and the great cast all deliver solid performances. Pity about the deranged animation on the closing credits, mind.
This horror-filled comedy drama from Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith was one of the most inventive programmes of the decade. It looked brilliant, and had a range of original and fantastic characters. Unfortunately - we really don't know why - hardly anyone watched the series, and so the Beeb have declined to order more. Maybe the plot was at fault - things did get a little confusing and muddled in this second series, and without keeping up with the backstory it was hard to get involved. But, nevertheless, it's a pity to see it go.
QI continued steadily on throughout 2011, only really hitting the headlines when the episode involving Jeremy Clarkson was rescheduled after the Top Gear presenter found himself at the top of news bulletins the previous week for upsetting a few people with a light-hearted comment taken out of context from The One Show. It's still easily the smartest panel show on TV, but is it the funniest? Nine series in, and the focus on the buzzers and end points, and reliance on the same dozen or so obscenely regular guests in constant rotation, is starting to annoy.
Scotland's most successful sitcom returned for another series during 2011, starting off with an episode guest starring Richard E Grant. Some of those south of the border were still turning on the subtitles, but it's clear that the rude slob is a timeless character as he's just as funny now as when he first appeared on screens back in the late 1980s.
Without a doubt, Rev was one of the best sitcoms on television over the past 12 months. It may not be packed with obvious jokes, and there mightn't be as many laugh-out-loud moments as some others, but the characters are so well realised that it's sheer pleasure to spend time with them - the mildly sinister arch-deacon is always a highlight. What Rev does particularly well is show a very human side to the Anglican church - probably the best PR it's ever had, and something the Catholics could do with right now!
Russell Howard continued to clock up fantastic ratings for BBC Three with his cheeky look back at the week's news, and some of the quirkier clips from YouTube and TV stations around the world. It's little surprise that the BBC recently struck a new deal that should keep the series broadcasting well into 2013 at least.
Shameless continued to live up to its name in 2011. Whether that's a good thing or not depends on whether you enjoy the fighting, poverty, bickering and social entanglements of the Chatsworth clans. The show keeps things light with some amusing surreal moments, but running for 22 episodes last year really stretched it to the limit. It might be commonplace with gritty American dramas, but we're not entirely convinced that such extended runs work all that well here.
In a year of riots, violence, cuts, earthquakes, tsunamis and popular uprisings to depress even the most casual news viewer, a spot of light relief was to be found in August and September with Vic & Bob's intensely surreal quiz show Shooting Stars. Most commentators seem to agree it was the strongest series of the show for quite a while, something seemingly backed up by the show picking up the Best Comedy Panel Show prize at the British Comedy Awards in December. Somewhat embarrassing for the BBC, as they'd announced its cancellation just a few weeks previously. Fear not though, as it's likely Shooting Stars will be picked up for a ninth series by a more supportive channel.
Some hand clapping for E4 please, as this (admittedly cheap) format gave a number of new comedians the chance to get a bit of TV experience. It wasn't big, it wasn't clever, but it was often very funny. Chris Addison made a surprisingly good host and although the return appearances of a number of comics meant a bit of sagging toward the end of the series, on the whole we really enjoyed it. Here's hoping for a second outing in 2012.
Oh dear. The idea was pretty good: show audiences that becoming a good stand-up comedian is harder than it looks, and everything from running order to room set-up can make or break a gig. Unfortunately, too much time was given to fairly pointless Apprentice-style challenges rather than the comics' strong points and what most people had tuned in to see: comedy. Host Jason Manford has since said as much himself, so here's hoping that a new series - if ordered - might be a bit of a tighter, more focused affair.
Sirens was a pretty solid comedy drama about ambulance crews, with the added advantage of being based on the real-life diaries of a paramedic who had been experiencing the stress and frustrations of the job for a number of years. However, despite heavy marketing, the show didn't really capture a big enough audience, so sadly we won't be seeing any more of the immature Leeds-based Emergency Medical Technicians.
This CBBC sketch show was somewhat unfairly overlooked by mainstream media as fellow kids show Horrible Histories stole all the limelight with its award wins. Sorry, I've Got No Head had many great characters, and sharply written sketches, all performed by some of the best comic actors in the business. Seeing Marcus Brigstocke and James Bachman in drag as two cross old ladies was always a particular highlight for us. Sadly the show has been axed: putting many prime-time series to shame, it really shouldn't have been.
This was one of our favourite comedies this year - and, yes, it was another entry for Sky1. Starring Darren Boyd as a loser single father in the midst of a custody battle, the series follows his impulsive quitting of a stable but dead-end job and accidental rise to become MI5's new star recruit. It achieves a very welcoming tone whilst perfectly mixing silly and realistic comedy, is packed with great gags and a variety of very interesting characters. It wasn't a faultless series, but its nomination as 'Best New Comedy' and win for Boyd as 'Best TV Comedy Actor' at the British Comedy Awards speaks volumes of its achievements. A second series is now in production, and we're very much looking forward to it.
Channel 4's topical stand-up showcase was back this autumn for a new series, but with a few changes. Alas, not all were positive. Jon Richardson's promotion to series host was deserved, and whilst some of his material mightn't have been top-drawer on occasion, his performance was commendable. Newcomer Sara Pascoe did a wonderful job in her weekly segment, but we felt the format didn't use her style of humour to its advantages at times. Meanwhile the move of Rich Hall to sport was utterly perplexing, and Paul Chowdhry was a new low. The opening "Hello white people" established his humour quite aptly. Josh Widdicombe and Seann Walsh gave good performances, but restricting their material to just the one topic was at best an error of judgement, as they ended up just plain annoying. Consequently, we can only describe Series 3 as having gone downhill from the March - May second series. A fourth run is likely to follow in 2012, by which time we hope they'll have a more solid array of participants.
The second series of Stewart Lee's stand-up show - tucked away even later at night this time - once again split viewers into 'love it' and 'hate it' camps. There was no one in the middle of that venn diagram. The programme, which was rewarded multiple times at the Comedy Awards, showed there is a different way of doing stand-up comedy: it doesn't have to be slick routines like you see on Live At The Apollo. Those that loved the first series adored this one even more, with a common consensus that it was more confident and worked better without the sketches peppered in amongst the stand-up.
Another newcomer for Sky1, The Café stars and is written by relatively unknown actress Michelle Terry and Two Pints star Ralf Little. There are some really interesting characters in the show, and the programme looked great on screen, but the humour was perhaps just too subtle. Directed and produced by Craig Cash, who stars alongside Little in The Royle Family, the show moved at such a glacial pace that in no episode was there much identifiable plot to speak of. Indeed, a more traditional sitcom would have told the various story strands that run the course of the 6-part series, in just one or two episodes. News of a recommission (or not) is expected in the next couple of months.
Lazy is the one word we'd use to describe this series from Debra Stephenson and Jon Culshaw. Half a dozen cracking jokes aside, the scripts just weren't up to scratch, and delivered some awful clichéd half-arsed 'punchlines'. And whilst some of the impressions were spot-on, others we only identified when - as they invariably always did - the characters introduced themselves. Frankly, we're astonished that this got past a first series, but that was the third...
This bizarre sitcom-cum-sketch show began life as a BBC Three pilot early in 2010. Just over 18 months later and it returned, this time as the first ever comedy on Sky1's new sister channel Sky Atlantic. In many ways a series that defies explanation (or reason), This Is Jinsy is an almost mind-numbingly surreal mix of sketch humour knitted around sitcom plots. Add a selection of unhinged songs about such things as onions and hygiene, and a distinctly 1970s sense of fashion, style and design, and the cocktail is complete. Alas, whilst the creators must be commended for their vision and the realisation of such an all-encompassing, manic world, the programme is just too surreal - too disconnected from the real world - to be as funny as it wants to be. There are some very good laughs no doubt, but more often than not we were too busy trying to work out what the heck was going on to find any humour. A second series has been ordered for broadcast in 2013 so fans will be able to say 'Daily Greet' again then.
It may have been tucked away as the first ever original British sitcom on digital channel Comedy Central, but Threesome was one of our comedy highlights of the year. A slightly odd mix of characters who we'd normally cross the road to avoid, we soon found ourselves in love with their quirky behaviour and somewhat unique relationship. Such well-written characters were complemented by an extremely funny script, and a flawless cast finished off the mix wonderfully. We're desperate for repeats of the series so that it might reach a wider audience - and we beg the Comedy Central bigwigs to give us more of this wonderful new sitcom.
A supermarket is such an obvious setting for a sitcom it's a surprise that it isn't used more often. (Aside from a daytime BBC Switch sitcom, the last to be set in the shop we all visit was probably Slinger's Day?) We quite enjoyed it - although certainly not a laugh-a-minute series - and broadcaster Sky clearly sees a long-term future for the show as they've ordered a huge stack of new episodes likely to stretch well into 2013.
In all honesty, despite some clever dialogue and smart satire we didn't think a lot of it, but this mockumentary about the team organising the London Olympics is a favourite of many a newspaper critic. Unsurprisingly, therefore, more episodes are on the way... and as the real event gets ever closer, and the real budget for the games gets ever more eye-wateringly ridiculous, the cock-ups and mis-management of Ian Fletcher and his team should get ever funnier.
Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps
Another entry in the burgeoning stable of shows that ended in 2011, Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps notched up an impressive 80 episodes over its 9 series run. Condemned by many for its often crude humour, it was a series that elicited love and hatred in equal measure - but, with only 2 original cast main members remaining by the time this year's Series 9 came around, there was already a question mark looming over the programme's future. Despite the changes enforced by cast departures, fans were treated to a fairly strong series that refused to compromise on what it was. However, despite achieving the incredibly rare feat of increasing its audience, this was another series to fall foul of new BBC Three boss Zai Bennett. It's too early to surmise that any of the year's cancellations may be ones the BBC lives to regret, but the loss of an incredibly popular - if not controversial - series that was increasing its audience can surely not be the easiest pill to swallow for the comedy team at TV Centre.
A surprise hit to some, White Van Man proved to many that Will Mellor really is a proper actor, and capable of far more than the cheeky Gaz he has played in Two Pints for the past decade. First-time sitcom writer Adrian Poynton managed to pack brilliant dialogue with a handful of wonderful characters and some great plots. Admittedly the laughs were a little unbalanced - thin at times, and constant at others - but there was plenty to enjoy, and how he created a character who is probably the most annoying to ever grace any sitcom anywhere in the world ever, we don't know! A second series is due for broadcast in the spring, and an American adaptation is also in the works.
Would I Lie To You? was almost certainly the most consistently funny panel show in 2011. Every episode delivered some really big laugh-out-loud moments - the 'cuddle jumper' round in particular is cited by many as one of their comedy highlights of the year. The genius is in placing super-quick witted Lee Mack against super-quick witted David Mitchell. The duo - with added class divide - play off each other wonderfully.
So that was 2011. Was it a good year? Well, there wasn't much that set the comedy world alight, but it was a pretty respectable mix of the good, the bad and mediocre. There were again disappointing omissions in some sectors - very few sketch shows at all, and no really good mass-appeal family sitcoms - but we don't think it was too shabby, on the whole. There've certainly been far worse years in the not-too-distant past.
What were your favourites? And which shows did you hate? We'll soon be able to find out as the public voting for The Comedy.co.uk Awards launches this week...
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