Mixed reception for new BBC2 line-up
In terms of audience numbers, BBC2's new "Thursdays are Funny" line-up made a resonable start last night. The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle, Jennifer Saunders new sitcom about a daytime talk-show host, attracted 1.8 million viewers at 9pm, this was a 9% share of the audience. Then The Peter Serafinowicz Show which followed at 9:30pm attracted 1.5 million viewers, a 7% share. The final repeat of That Mitchell and Webb Look also achieved a 7% share in its 10pm timeslot, it had 1.3 million viewers.
BBC2 will consider this a respectable, but not spectacular, start for its heavily promoted new comedies. To compare: last week Mock the Week pulled in an audience of 2.3 million (a 10% share) and the last episode of Saxondale managed 1.4 million viewers (a 7% share).
The views in this morning's press were fairly critical, however Peter Serafinowicz did come in for some praise from some of the reviewers:
Reviews of Vivienne Vyle:
"This was stylish, well-honed comedy, with enough sharply drawn characters to ensure at least a measure of success." Gerard O'Donovan, Daily Telegraph
"How to parody that which is already beyond parody? This was the problem facing Jennifer Saunders' new comedy. Not many marks for originality." Robert Hanks, The Independent
"It's not even original." Matt Baylis, Daily Express
"Overall, it's a bit of a mess. It's not as clever as Larry Sanders, the greatest ever TV-about-TV show. It doesn't have the sparkling script. Nor does it have the wit or originality of Jerry Springer: the Opera, with which it obviously shares territory." Sam Wollaston, The Guardian
"People recognise that Jeremy Kyle is an extreme of its kind. It doesn't need satirising." Tim Teeman, The Times
"I'm starting to think that BBC Two thought they'd better resort to brain-washing to convince us Thursday's are funny. Because, despite all the good press I've read about this Jennifer Saunders vehicle, it wasn't good. Or, at least, it wasn't funny. At all. It looked right, and there was a competent cast, but in the end this was meant to be a comedy, wasn't it? And I barely cracked a smile." annawaits, TV Scoop
The reviews in our forum thread were similarly critical of the debut episode.
Reviews of Peter Serafinowicz:
"He did plenty to justify having a show of his own." Gerard O'Donovan, Daily Telegraph
"Good ideas aren't developed properly, punchlines are in short supply, and the finger strays unbidden towards the remote." Robert Hanks, The Independent
"Welcomingly delivered well-written and well-performed humour." Tim Teeman, The Times
"It's totally bonkers, the product of a strange mind. It's also very funny." Sam Wollaston, The Guardian
"The fact is, it's clear that Peter Serafinowicz is a fine character comedian - we've seen that in everything he's done up to now, and it's clear here too - but he's let down by the writing." annawaits, TV Scoop
Our forum posters were more impressed with this show, at the time of writing there is more positive than negative reviews in the forum thread for the show.