My Hero

I can't see a thread for this sitcom.

"My Hero is a BBC sitcom created by Paul Mendelson. The programme ran for six series, first broadcast in February 2000, and concluding in September 2006.

The series follows the antics of the dim-witted superhero "Thermoman", portrayed by Ardal O'Hanlon in series one to five and by James Dreyfus in the final series. The series was regularly directed by John Stroud.

In the UK, the digital channel Gold regularly re-runs the programme, although the last series has yet to appear on the channel. In the United States it was shown on PBS and, briefly, BBC America. In Australia, UKTV offered re-runs of the first three series, while BBC Entertainment provided repeats for Scandinavia."

Discuss this brillantly written comedy.

I personally found Series 1 - 5 very funny but you could only seem to get Series 3 on DVD here in the UK. But when James Dreyfus took over in Series 6 I thought he was awful as the lead character. But overall, not a bad show but did run its course towards the end. But by no means is it a classic??

I loved it, the series with Ardal O'Hanlon. Then it went downhill.

Quote: george roper @ February 6 2013, 7:15 PM GMT

I loved it, the series with Ardal O'Hanlon. Then it went downhill.

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Yes, totally agree. Ardal played a fantastic role but James just really ruined for me.

Luckily I've never seen an episode with Dreyfus. But even with O'Hanlon I found it only mildly funny.

Apart from some fairly weak jokes, I thought the biggest problem with My Hero was that it felt like two sitcom setups thrown together: "alien superhero meets and starts family with girl", and "health centre boss from hell".

Downloaded some of these off YouTube as I am going to start re-watching them again in the near future, just a pity you can't buy it on DVD here, well Series 1,2,4,5 and 6 anyway!

I got series 1&2 on DVD... it's always so weird to me what they choose to release in the USA. The show is ok, nothing I'd go out of my way to recommend. I think the fatal flaw of any super-hero sitcom (this, No Heroics, and The Tick) is none of them have the budget to show the heroes using their superpowers... so the hero angle is almost worthless.

Quote: MTpromises @ October 16 2013, 8:58 PM BST

I got series 1&2 on DVD... it's always so weird to me what they choose to release in the USA. The show is ok, nothing I'd go out of my way to recommend. I think the fatal flaw of any super-hero sitcom (this, No Heroics, and The Tick) is none of them have the budget to show the heroes using their superpowers... so the hero angle is almost worthless.

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But the humour doesn't nececessarily derive from the use of superpowers; it's the basic premise of a superhero being such an idiot what makes it amusing. So imo you don't need a superbudget to make a sitcom about a superhero funny...but you need good gags and that is what My Hero is lacking (imo).

EDIT: seing that you're from the USA, MTpromises, I must say I liked The Greatest American Hero when I was a boy. I still love the theme tune.

The theme song for Greatest American Hero is about as good as theme songs from the 80s get (and answering machine recording from the 90s on Seinfeld). The My Hero theme isn't too bad itself... a show I have trouble remembering a single joke from, I can still whistle the theme.

I really enjoyed the first 5 series, to each their own I guess.

Lovely that this is being repeated on Gold. I used to watch it, but rewatching it now I can appreciate what a how funny it is. I'm surprised Emily Joyce never went on to bigger things. Last I saw her was in a film with Jean Claude Van Damme of all people. Mrs Raven is such a great character, the episode with her mother is brilliant. Hugh Dennis also deserves plaudits for playing such a weasel but still managing to make Piers, well not likeable, affable at least.

I liked it.Didn't see the James Dreyfus series.I can imagine how he played the character though

Super hero Thermoman is my hero!)

Quote: HudsonCowper @ 4th October 2021, 8:16 PM

Super hero Thermoman is my hero!)

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But not the James Dreyfus version?