Good to see the standard of "Bluestone 42" has been maintained in the second series. Richly drawn characters from a diversity of UK backgrounds, the clever single camera work and just the right balance between comedy and drama - in this show about 70-30 (I hate the term 'dramedy').
R.I.P. BBC3
So many inventive shows have been nurtured by BBC3 over the years ("Gavin and Stacey", "Torchwood", "Little Britain" and most recently the brilliant "Uncle"). It is a shame BBC3 will now be only online.
Showing posts with label BBC3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BBC3. Show all posts
Friday, 7 March 2014
Friday, 31 January 2014
"Uncle" BBC3 TV comedy Series 1 Series 2
I'm going to go out on a limb here, but "Uncle" is the best UK comedy (I'll specify 'family based', so I don't count the sublime "The IT Crowd") I've seen since "Beautiful People".
Lovable misfits, Andy (comedian/musician Nick Helm) and his 12 year old nephew, Errol (Elliot Speller-Gillott) have knockout chemistry together. You can see similarities with "Moone Boy" and to a lesser extent the Jack Black film "School of Rock".
Oliver Refson wrote and directed the first 3 episodes (and co-wrote the rest). The pilot started off at Channel 4, the producer then going over to BBC. Their loss.
Episode 3 featured a nifty 80's homage "I don't like you/ I like like you" (co-written by Nick Helms). I'm sure it has loads of hits on YouTube.
Episode 4 taught us useful tips: Jeremy Kyle and teenage knowledge, stress relief (screaming into your elbow) and dealing with panic attacks (the "diarrhoea"song). This show is full of believable and likeable characters (like the delightful "The Mimic" from last year).
Episode 5 resembled a French farce (lots of dashing out of doors and windows), Andy trying to juggle 3 girlfriends, as well as his needy, but sweet sister and Errol's school camp traumas. Best lines: "The Beatles...the Labrador puppies of pop music", Casper the Emo Ghost, balls dropping and "Geronimo!"
Episode 6 - a good way to go out. No soppy resolution, a realistic outcome. Only in "Uncle" could you find a link between killing zombies and farting daintily. Andy goes gangsta with "I'm f**king famous, bitch" and Errol goes Noel Coward/Flanders&Swann with his Germs/Salmonella Song.
Catch this little gem, only 6 episodes.
P.S. Nice to see the "Clockwork Orange" /kinky coffee table in the record producer's office.
Series 2 is just as good. Errol is one year older, and wiser. His relationship with Andy is even more symbiotic. This little gem has even made it down to Australia on SBS2.
Lovable misfits, Andy (comedian/musician Nick Helm) and his 12 year old nephew, Errol (Elliot Speller-Gillott) have knockout chemistry together. You can see similarities with "Moone Boy" and to a lesser extent the Jack Black film "School of Rock".
Oliver Refson wrote and directed the first 3 episodes (and co-wrote the rest). The pilot started off at Channel 4, the producer then going over to BBC. Their loss.
Episode 3 featured a nifty 80's homage "I don't like you/ I like like you" (co-written by Nick Helms). I'm sure it has loads of hits on YouTube.
Episode 4 taught us useful tips: Jeremy Kyle and teenage knowledge, stress relief (screaming into your elbow) and dealing with panic attacks (the "diarrhoea"song). This show is full of believable and likeable characters (like the delightful "The Mimic" from last year).
Episode 5 resembled a French farce (lots of dashing out of doors and windows), Andy trying to juggle 3 girlfriends, as well as his needy, but sweet sister and Errol's school camp traumas. Best lines: "The Beatles...the Labrador puppies of pop music", Casper the Emo Ghost, balls dropping and "Geronimo!"
Episode 6 - a good way to go out. No soppy resolution, a realistic outcome. Only in "Uncle" could you find a link between killing zombies and farting daintily. Andy goes gangsta with "I'm f**king famous, bitch" and Errol goes Noel Coward/Flanders&Swann with his Germs/Salmonella Song.
Catch this little gem, only 6 episodes.
P.S. Nice to see the "Clockwork Orange" /kinky coffee table in the record producer's office.
Series 2 is just as good. Errol is one year older, and wiser. His relationship with Andy is even more symbiotic. This little gem has even made it down to Australia on SBS2.
Monday, 20 May 2013
"The Revolution Will Be Televised" vs "The Chaser"
I was watching the TV BAFTA's last week and saw an award given to "The Revolution Will Be Televised". I then caught up with the show (Episode 1 of 6). This is prankster TV par excellence. In a word, smart TV.
Heydon Prowse and Jolyon Rubinstein are the daredevils with microphones but with rapier sharp political and social commentary. This is hilarious stuff as well as having a powerful message.
My wife and I looked at each other and said, "The Chaser" (the Australian satire equivalent). Also a bit of the ambush style of Norman Gunston (Garry MacDonald) from the mid 1970's. Never could get into Ali G and Sacha Baron Cohen's antics.
The set up outside MI 6 was priceless. As was the Saint Tony Blair try on, the London Olympics tee-shirts and the clamping of embassy cars. There was not a flat spot in the first episode - everything worked - unlike some of The Chaser's material.
Prowse and Rubinstein are terrific, hope they have a big future.
Heydon Prowse and Jolyon Rubinstein are the daredevils with microphones but with rapier sharp political and social commentary. This is hilarious stuff as well as having a powerful message.
My wife and I looked at each other and said, "The Chaser" (the Australian satire equivalent). Also a bit of the ambush style of Norman Gunston (Garry MacDonald) from the mid 1970's. Never could get into Ali G and Sacha Baron Cohen's antics.
The set up outside MI 6 was priceless. As was the Saint Tony Blair try on, the London Olympics tee-shirts and the clamping of embassy cars. There was not a flat spot in the first episode - everything worked - unlike some of The Chaser's material.
Prowse and Rubinstein are terrific, hope they have a big future.
Thursday, 25 April 2013
"Bluestone 42" review BBC3 Series 1 Episode 8 (final) TV series, Christmas episode
I gave this show another try. And I'm glad I did. I might watch the earlier episodes now. I can see why a second series has been commissioned. The humping goats intro scene was cute. The scene where multi-talented Millsy (Gary Carr) teaches takes no-nonsense Bird (Katie Lyons) basic Pashto was Abbott & Costello-esque. Faruq is delightful. I like the tolerant Lieutenant-Colonel and the gormless Rocket. Nick (Oliver Chris) isn't the one-dimensional prick I thought he was in the first episode I watched. Will Padre Mary (Kelly Adams) get it on with Nick? The charred toucan says "Hoo" (Pashto).
The show is nicely photographed, the South African landscape looks great. I was surprised how taut the bomb disposal scene in the Mercedes was. I'm a sucker for the old snipping of the right wire cinema cliche.
Well written characters are always the key to a good sitcom. That's why this show is growing on me.
Update
Just watched Episode 1, very impressed. Why didn't I watch the earlier episodes?
Christmas episode 2013 was a delight. Discovering actors I now recognise from "The Paradise" and "Last Tango in Halifax". This show is a little gem.
Update
Just watched Episode 1, very impressed. Why didn't I watch the earlier episodes?
Christmas episode 2013 was a delight. Discovering actors I now recognise from "The Paradise" and "Last Tango in Halifax". This show is a little gem.
Thursday, 18 April 2013
"Bluestone 42" BBC3 Episode 7 review
Not sure about "Bluestone 42". It's got a lot going for it. A bold idea, looks great (South Africa doubling for Afghanistan), two of the writers of "Miranda" and nice performances from a diverse cast.
It just didn't grab me. I wanted to like it. Think "M*A*S*H" meets "It Ain't Half Hot, Mum" meets "The Hurt Locker" (especially the handheld camera bit during the bombing scene). The pointless conversations about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Scrabble, Greggs and a block of cheese were diverting. The mix of comedy with the serious doesn't quite come off. I liked the Afghan's comment, "sure I'm on your side, you pay me".
And that's about it.
It just didn't grab me. I wanted to like it. Think "M*A*S*H" meets "It Ain't Half Hot, Mum" meets "The Hurt Locker" (especially the handheld camera bit during the bombing scene). The pointless conversations about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Scrabble, Greggs and a block of cheese were diverting. The mix of comedy with the serious doesn't quite come off. I liked the Afghan's comment, "sure I'm on your side, you pay me".
And that's about it.
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