T.W.
Thursday 9th July 2009 5:38am [Edited]
15,786 posts
When I read about the general outline of this show, I could understand the reasoning behind the decision to open with a 60 minute episode. However, by 30 minutes I was looking at my watch and thinking it was really dragging its heels. It wasn't efficient use of its time in terms of plot, introduction of characters; and especially in terms of comedy.
The script was very laboured with a lot of expositional dialogue and littered throughout with really poor jokes. This show needs to decide if it's a satire or a farce - it seems to be trying to be both and was unsuccessful on both fronts. The plot strands were contrived and meandering.
The pace of this show, with each comic strand being heavily laboured, was just so leaden. Scenes dragged on and on and then were returned to once the point or "gag" had been made. Suggests lack of confidence in the script and/or poor comedy direction. (In some senses this show was trying to ape the real-time immediacy and behind-the-scenes panic of The Thick Of It. However, in that show not a second on screen is wasted and the performances are directed to give an air of authenticity.) Clearly a good deal of money went into this hour of TV, but the very weak storylines and tepid humour didn't justify the budget.
The performances were mainly quite good (though inconsistent in tone). It was nice to see Martin Jarvis back on screen. But as the writing didn't really inform the direction, the actors seemed caught between the two stools of naturalistic and heightened performance. (Mackenzie Crook's guest appearance was very mannered and self-conscious - couldn't really tell if he was playing thick/disinterested. He was doing a lot of "prop acting" during his scenes, always a bad sign of a weak part.)
The show didn't really suffer from being too "in", it was just not funny or clever enough. If it had opened with a tight 30 minute episode, showing some potential, then I would be far more optimistic for the rest of the series. But having seen a full hour I feel that this show has probably shown all its cards in terms of how high a standard of comedy one can expect from it.
There was potentially a really witty show in the original concept, which wasn't matched by the execution. It may well have worked better if it was aiming to be a dark satirical drama. In terms of trying to be a comedy with strong jokes and much laughter, it misses. Will be delighted if it can turn this around during the rest of the series, but wouldn't put any money on it.