Rev.

Tom Hollander on Rev

The BBC comedy Rev has put the urban vicar on the map. Tom Hollander talks about a heavenly role.

Rev writer admits show won't return this year

James Wood says BBC2 sitcom's cast are 'too bloody successful' but hopes to make a third series in 2013.

Rev wins four Broadcasting Guild awards

BBC Two comedy series Rev leads the way at this year's Broadcasting Press Guild Awards (BPG), winning four prizes.

Tom Hollander's conflicted inner-city minister never ceases to be funny and likeable without trying, with nuggets of social commentary and real emotional resonance hidden among the laughs. In Series 2, Rev still seemed like a delicious secret.

Hollander's the most believable & likeable vicar ever

The set-up of Rev means Adam Smallbone could be a saintly pain, so it's no small credit to Tom Hollander that he's turned the much put-upon incumbent of St Saviour's into TV's most believable and likeable vicar ever.

The three days before Christmas are fraught for poor Adam Smallbone (Tom Hollander), who has charities to support and services to arrange. So it's no surprise he has an 'episode' during a midnight mass packed with drunks after pub closing ('We're the religious equivalent of a kebab,' grumbles Nigel). The last ten minutes are quietly triumphant for our hero though - a fittingly lovely bow topping a package that's been sublimely scripted and acted.

It's Christmas at St Saviour's and someone has stolen the Three Wise Men's camels from the Nativity display. Vicar Adam Smallbone refuses to be downhearted -maybe the missing beasts can be replaced by cows? "A Wise Man crossing the desert on a cow?" blusters outraged parishioner Adoha.

That's Adam, a man for whom there are never problems, there are only solutions. But even his legendary compassion and good nature are stretched by a truly testing Christmas. He loses a friend, he is head-butted by another, supposed, mate and his father-in-law (a magnificently austere Geoffrey Palmer) arrives unexpectedly. Worse, Midnight Mass is disrupted by drunks and Adam (Tom Hollander) melts down in a spectacular, funny/sad, Adam-type way.

Christmas specials of television comedies are so rarely special, or even Christmassy, but Rev is a fount of goodness and kindness all year round and especially at Christmas. You'll have a few tears and a heart as warmed as a plum pudding by the end.

Rev, Christmas Special, BBC Two, review

Ed Cumming finds the conclusion to the second series of the Bafta-winning sitcom, Rev, hilarious, heart-warming and suitably festive.

Rev ended, as the first series did, on a high. Tom Hollander's drunken bad-singing, bad-dancing Christmas sermon/rant/mini breakdown is a thing of joy and beauty. Lovely, like the show.