Damned

Damned is the third comedy drama in what could be termed Jo Brand's social/healthcare triptych (after Getting On, set in a geriatric hospital ward, and Going Forward, in which she appeared as care-home worker); Damned, in which she also stars, is set in a child protection social services unit.

Co-created with Morwenna Banks (who appears as co-worker Ingrid), Damned follows in Getting On and Going Forward's tracks by being low-key, dark-humoured and full of throwaway lines, but - on the evidence of last-night's opening episode (of six), has yet to reach the former's superb heights of pathos and bathos.

The opener was essentially an office comedy, with the social services aspect merely a faint hum in the background. The people staffing this department alongside Brand and Alan Davies as caring and care-worn social workers Rose and Al would be recognisable in any workplace; Ingrid, telling everyone about her upcoming hysterectomy, ditzy temp Nat (Isy Suttie) - "they call us interim workers now" - well-meaning busybody Martin (Kevin Eldon); office snitch Nitin (Himesh Patel) and manager Denise (Georgie Glen), fluent in management-speak, as she has been "tasked with" creating "streamlined cluster teams".

Add to the mix Aisling Bea's single mother, who has a stalkery crush on Al, and Rose's waste-of-space ex (Nick Hancock), and there are any number of permutations to be worked. The writers certainly nailed the irritations of office life - broken lifts and out-of-order loos, incomprehensible phone systems and smelly communal fridges - but there was very little in the way of social commentary or bittersweet comedy.

It's early days, though, and it could be that Brand, Banks and co-writer Will Smith are softening us up for some comedy with a real emotional punch, glimpses of which we saw only very late in the first episode, when Rose came into contact with an old flame, whose family is now mired in ill health and drug abuse. I certainly hope so as the performances, perhaps needless to say with such a talented cast, were wonderful.

TV review Damned, Channel 4

A very funny show, thanks to bravura performances from Jo Brand, Himesh Patel, Kevin Eldon and Isy Suttie.

Damned review - social worker comedy missed the mark

I was looking forward to Brand's take on our profession and the gallows humour that comes with it but the opening episode left me underwhelmed.

Beautifully bleak new series from Jo Brand and Morwenna Banks about the workings of a children's services department. It hits the ground running in this promising opener with Rose (Brand) stumbling across an old flame on a home visit, Al (Alan Davies), having woman trouble, and Nitin (Himesh Patel) meeting with HR. Isy Suttie, meanwhile, is the temp with a "cheeky sideline" selling hair putty. There's warmth in the comic one-liners, woven into realistic and grim situations.

This new comedy series is so obviously written by Jo Brand. Even without reading the blurb and the credits you'd be able to tell. Set in a social work department where they run a helpline for troubled service-users, the comedy slowly and subtly shows the petty tensions, frustrations and annoyances of office life, particularly when your tedious office work involves dealing with deeply troubled people.

It's similar - you might say identical - in tone to Brand's recent BBC sitcom, Going Forward, which was also about working in the harassed and undervalued caring sector. So there are no belly laughs. Just gentle little observations and quirks.

The most prominent thing is the cast list, a roll call of comedians like Brand, Alan Davies, Nick Hancock, Morwenna Banks and the furiously annoying Isy Suttie, who seemingly can play only one character, Dobby from Peep Show. And here she is, playing Dobby yet again!

Damned preview

The world, inspired by Brand's mother's lifetime career in social work, seems utterly genuine - thanks largely to that central friendship between Al and Rose, both robust characters with difficult lives and a dry sense of humour, which gives the show a warm heart.

Can Damned be fair to social workers - and funny?

Jo Brand and Alan Davies talk about the challenges of their new comedy.

Damned: Jo Brand and Himesh Patel excel

Ultimately I feel that Channel 4 have struck gold with Damned and airing it directly after the equally brilliant National Treasure means that I know which channel I'll be tuning into every Tuesday night.

Damned: could have packed a bigger punch

Damned was originally commissioned as a one-off by Sky Arts, who declined to order a full series, enabling Channel 4 to snatch it. Sky won't be kicking themselves just yet. Damned was warm and well-observed but it should have been scabrously funny. Like most sitcoms, it will surely improve over its six-episode run as characters grow and the script loosens up. Until then, its case notes read "promising but more jokes required".

Damned paints social workers as laughably hopeless

Unlike Twenty Twelve, W1A and Borderline, this summer's latest fly-on-the-wall mockumentary from Channel 5, there is little humour to be had in the work itself. Other than one line about being "tasked with making streamlined cluster teams", there is little jargonised nonsense to laugh at. But with five more episodes to come, we can only hope there will be more to look forward to.