Luke Knowles

Chat with Emun Elliott

I recently got the chance to chat to Emun Elliot one of the three stars of Comedy Central UK's new comedy Threesome...

As Seen On TV review

The brilliance of Harry Hill appears to have intimidated the BBC that the philosophy of relentless mockery should be avoided, so As Seen On TV instead worships at the altar of pseudo-celebrity.

Review of 'Monday Monday'

This is the perfect example of a good cast that are stuck with a terrible teenage script with nothing new or interesting to play with.

Charlie Brooker rarely puts a foot wrong but this 'Quiz' style series didn't seem to work.

What was good about it? Charlie's review of BBC1's The One Show, which hit every mark and made us really wish we were watching Screenwipe instead of this odd new series. The clips from American manly TV Deadliest Warrior which were so bad they raised the only true of the smile of the programme were also funny.

But what was bad about it? Perhaps our expectations were too high for this but it just felt thrown together with very little point. Did we really care who won the game? Of course not! Just review the series! We couldn't help but think that if Charlie Brooker didn't host this there's a massive chance he'd rip it to shreads on Screenwipe.

That Mitchell and Webb Look, BBC2

We've always been big fans of Mitchell and Webb whether it be in Peep Show, David popping up on panel shows or Robert skiving in The Smoking Room, but for some reason their sketch show has never really hit the mark. However, on the whole this first episode of series three had a higher hit rate than the less memorable second series.

ITV's biggest comedy in years returned for a summer special. The Benidorm special tied up all the loose ends of the series two cliffhanger and laid the ground for the upcoming third series.

Benidorm isn't the next big thing in comedy, it won't wow you with its originality, perfectly crafted storylines or even wonderfully observed characters but it is good for a laugh and that's all I really want from something that designed to make me laugh.

The new series will move from a 30 minute slot to an hour and if this special was anything to go by the series will be suit the longer time frame. I was asked to write about Benidorm as no one else at TheCustardTV sees the fun in it and I can see how sometimes it's a bit too cartoonish to enjoy. The humour is often over the top and sometimes silly but I enjoy it when it gets the balance right.

The story surrounding the kidnap was perhaps the silliest plot yet but it delivered some funny moments and maybe it's the continual sunshine and the panoramic views of Spain but there's something about the series that makes you smile regardless. As the series progresses its going to be harder to believe these people would return to the same holiday resort year after year but if its funny enough it won't really matter.

Reggie Perrin is a series that really wouldn't right without the live audience feel. With Martin Clunes in the lead role as the increasingly disillusioned Reggie, it's bound to be of interest to most but the problem is for every gag that works and actually produces a laugh there are 10 more that don't even warrant a smile and it makes me feel like each little witty comment is being forced upon me. Plus, Reggie is the only believable character in a land of caricatures.

BBC3's amazing comedy Pulling tied up all its loose ends with an hour-long special. With a schedule littered with Two Pints of Lager and Freaky Eaters, the Sharon Horgan sitcom was one of the best things to come from BBC3 since its launch.

The great thing about Pulling is that its never afraid to push boundaries. It reminds me of the great early days of Shameless where you were never sure where it was going but the ride was always fun. Among the twists, this final episode featured a man jumping out of hot air balloon and ending up in a coma, a man tied to a chair with tampons stuffed in each ear, and Donna posing as an escort to get into a swanky London club.

I've loved Pulling since the start and had high hopes for this bittersweet finale. It lived up to them and I'll even admit screaming with laughter in places. I guess if It has to end there was no better way. I loved it but I can't help think what a shame it is that something so genuinely funny and relevant should be axed when we find it so difficult to produce decent comedies.

BBC3 execs are so desperate to stick to their demographic of young adults and I guess Pulling didn't fit perfectly into that brief but this was one of the best hours of television I've watched in a while. Even though the conclusion was left open, I'm grateful Sharon and Co were given the chance to give the series the end it deserved.

We tried to pretend this didn't exist before and wasn't a 1970s TV great mixing misery and mundanity in a cynical sitcom. Pretend it's brand new. Come to it fresh. The verdict: this is quite a funny sitcom with a few good characters and a few good lines, possibly even worth watching throughout its run. Without such pretence: this is a horribly weak, unnecessary remake with all the lovely unique touches ironed out by the BBC comedy department's blandness steamroller, no doubt inflicted by Simon Nye, who can churn out humdrum sitcoms in his sleep and has been paired up with Perrin's brilliant creator David Nobbs.

Mutual Friends, may not be a ratings hit but I'm enjoying the talents of the two stars - the brilliant Marc Warren and the scene-stealing Alexander Armstrong. It manages to be hilariously funny and quite deep and serious in places.

Before its first screening, critics were comparing it to ITV1's Cold Feet, but Mutual Friends does have its own engrossing style and the story is very different. Warren and Armstrong bounce off each other brilliantly while there's good support from an ensemble cast including Emily Joyce as Martin's boss and Sarah Alexander.

Being very easy to watch and surprisingly very funny, it's the kind of drama only us Brits could achieve with a good mix of proper drama and human, normal characters. The only possible flaw is that I've yet to warm to Keeley Hawes's character.