Has Corrie Finally Reached its Sell By Date?

Is Coronation Street struggling to weather the storm? Conor Byrne investigates.

Carla the shrew
Image Credit: ITV

Coronation Street has been a regular fixture on our TV sets since it first aired in 1960. Apparently, it’s never done better; it remains, as of August 2013, the number one soap with viewing figures reaching well into the millions. Viewership peaked at 28.5 million on Christmas Day 1987. From the 1960s to the 1980s, most episodes rated over 20 million viewers, and although this has declined in the 2000s and 2010s, this can more broadly be seen as a result of decline in viewership in terrestrial TV in the UK as a whole.

But Kathy Sweeney’s article written for the Guardian in July 2011 questioned why Corrie viewers were ‘turning off’, and two years later, the show hasn’t improved. Sweeney is right to suggest that ‘some storylines… seem to have dragged on well past the point where anyone could be reasonably expected to care’, whether Kylie Platt’s fraught relationship with David, which began as long ago as Christmas 2012, or the totally unconvincing affair between Tina McIntyre and Peter Barlow which has, thankfully, just ended… we hope.

David the psychopath
Image Credit: ITV

Not only are the storylines unconvincing, but the acting at times leaves a lot to be desired. Helen Worth rules the roost as a hilarious Gail Platt, while ‘Mad Mary’ makes for regularly entertaining viewing, but thank goodness irritating Stella Price (played by Eastenders’ Michelle Collins) appears in the show a lot less regularly. And don’t even mention characters such as Sunita – all she appeared to do was shout up the stairs telling her kids to brush their teeth and/or get into their pyjamas. Really convincing…

The departure of the best characters means that the show is slowly slipping into tedium. Gone are the days when sharp-tongued Blanche Hunt made us laugh or gape, open-mouthed, at her never-ending rudeness; and while Becky Granger’s constant storylines involving alcohol, adultery and scandal may have been slightly overdone, her pluckiness brought something to the show. This just isn’t represented anymore in the show – instead, characters are reduced to pitiful caricatures: the shrew Carla, the homewrecker Tina, the psychopath David. There’s no depth, and we just can’t empathise with any of them.

More simply, as Sweeney contends, the show’s lost its sense of ordinariness which was a very real reason it was so successful for such a long time. Instead, it’s moved to killing off characters with alarming regularity – ‘Coronation Street in recent years has had an astonishing death count, given that there are only about 15 houses’. The storylines are wearying and depressing, regularly focusing on death, betrayal and adultery.

But the biggest problem is that the majority of the characters just aren’t likeable. Something needs to change… before Corrie really does slide beyond the point of no return.

What do you think of the ailing soap? let us know on  Facebook, Twitter or by commenting below.

Debate: Piracy

Two of our writers, Josh Mines and James Smurthwaite, try to get to the bottom of the highly contentious and topical issue of internet piracy.

Josh Mines: Against

However easy it is to feel angry about the recent news of the tightening of internet piracy laws, I find it difficult to see how one can have any massive opposition to this change. At the risk of sounding like those stern, over the top adverts that flash up just as you’re settling down with your popcorn: piracy is a crime. Don’t do it kids.

Personally, I love watching movies, and like it or not, films, whether they are Hollywood blockbusters or nouveau art house, cost a lot of money. Free internet streaming services take money away from the big screen. Though it’s easy to think of the film industry as a group of greedy, corporate suits, the consumer also has a duty to protect smaller emerging companies so we can keep enjoying original and quality film making.

It doesn’t have to be about constantly going down to the old picture house to watch the latest releases either. With the film industry moving on to the internet through legal streaming sites such as Netflix and Lovefilm, offer a slightly more cost friendly alternative to watch the latest movies and TV, without the inconvenience of moving all the way out of your bed. As well as that, who wants a great film undercut by murky picture resolution, constant buffering and pop up ads that often plague illegal streaming sites?

I don’t think it makes you a bad, morally insensitive person to watch the occasional film on a streaming site, but if you love cinema then it only seems fair that you should give something back in some way. The tough economic climate hits film production companies hard too, and as the age old saying goes, every little helps.

James Smurthwaite: For

On 22 November, five more internet streaming sites were blocked by major Internet service providers. The president of MPA described how he wants, “an internet that works for everyone… a place for investment, innovation and creativity”, but I wonder if he really appreciates what he’s saying?

You wouldn’t shoot a policeman then steal his helmet!
Image Credit: Newgrounds

It’s a similar problem to the ‘War on Drugs’, free sharing is always going to happen, you can block five sites, but ten more will undoubtedly replace them. If you remove a (relatively) safe avenue for viewers to go down, you only expose them to more subversive, more advert and malware filled websites, which only serves to bring in more money for the ‘Pirates’.

 Netflix themselves support file sharing, they follow trends on BitTorrent to see which programs work best on the internet, as opposed to live on TV, and therefore the ones they provide for their customers.

Furthermore, Vince Gilligan, creator of Breaking Bad, claims the success of his show is down to Internet streaming. It allowed word of mouth to spread the show’s popularity, an advantage that it would not have gained from its small initial TV audience. This is a sentiment echoed by producers of Game of Thrones.

I say, if file sharing is unavoidable let’s at least try to make it legislated. For people that want to pay for a more quality service, such as Netflix, let them, and I’ll be happy here with my slower to load and slightly pixelated version.

We know you all have an opinion on this! Let us know your thoughts on Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or by commenting below.

 

 

Review: Walking Dead

Adam Turnbull finds The Walking Dead infectious.

With the mid-season finale of The Walking Dead approaching, viewers are expected to be both clinging to their seats in suspense and holding back the tears as a main character’s death is rumoured.

Ever since Season Three’s finale, there was always doubt as to whether Season Four would live up to the high standards that had been set. However, this October, Season Four exploded onto our seasons with absorbing storylines, heart racing action and just as much blood and guts as before.

The talented writers have proven that in a world of madness and opposition, from both the living and the dead, a sense of community is still possible. Throughout the seasons, viewers have grown to see Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and the group as a second family.

The unpredictable storylines commonly cause both shock and tears amongst fans. The most prominent scene for me was Lori’s (Sarah Wayne Callies) death in Season Three, which was a devastating blow to both the group and viewers. It resulted in Carl (Chandler Riggs), having to take charge and kill his now zombie mother. Rick was left engulfed in mourning and depression as a result of losing his wife and having to raise a now motherless baby. However, rather than tearing the group apart, it made them closer, making their survival even more important.

Image Credit: AMC

Season Four so far has seen Carol (Melissa McBride) being unpredictably banished by Rick, for doing what she thought was best for the group’s survival, as well as a mysterious flu academic taking over the group, most prominently Glenn (Steven Yeun), who, without antibiotics, could die (and you guessed it, turn into a zombie).

After The Governor’s disappearance, fans have awaited his return and the consequences it will have on the group. Fans were given an insight into where he went during episodes six and seven. He is shown as having lost everything and everyone. However after monitoring the prison, Rick and the group, he is now back with a new group and longs for revenge.

The Walking Dead has never disappointed with its midseason finales. Norman Reedus (Daryl) promises the midseason finale will be “mind blowing, we thought last season was real good. This seasons crazy good. It’s nut’s, you’ll love it.”

With expected intense storylines and rumours of looming deaths. It has never been a better time to hibernate, prolong essays and deadlines and catch up with The Walking Dead. I can promise you, you will not be disappointed.

Have you been keeping up with The Walking Dead? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or by commenting below

Review: Homeland Series Three

Claire Danes remains brilliant as the troubled Carrie
Image Credit: Showtime

Laura Hutchinson goes crazy for Carrie in series three of Homeland

After the climactic end to the second season of Homeland, with the CIA headquarters the target of a terrorist bomb attack, the return of the third series, which started earlier this Autumn, was much anticipated.

We are teased by the noticeable absence of man- on-the-run Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) from the outset. He has appeared in only two episodes so far, leaving an audience slightly unsatisfied but undoubtedly hooked.

With the focus gone from the protagonist who usually commands our screens, we are confronted with those who are left behind in Washington D.C. This series so far has acted as more of an exhibition of the effect that the events of previous series had on the characters, allowing a chance for the actors to conduct a deeper personal exploration of their roles.

As always, the acting is first class, with multiple Emmy winner Clare Danes leading as the erratic but brilliant Carrie Mathison. Carrie, heartbroken, tormented and disgraced, seeks justice for ex-lover Brody, whilst the American government cling to him for someone to blame the disaster on.

Saul Berenson (Mandy Patinkin), Carrie’s CIA mentor and trusted friend, re-establishes himself as one of the cast’s most valuable actors, whilst also moving into Brody’s recently frequented spotlight as the new male lead.

Now acting director of the CIA, in the first few episodes he convinces viewers that his new found power has gone to his head, aiding Carrie’s submission to a psychiatric unit and betraying her reputation on worldwide television, seamlessly changing his soft and supportive characteristics from series one and two, to a character far more authoritative and unyielding.

Convict in Caracas
Image Credit: Showtime

But like every great thriller, this series is filled with twists and surprises, and his damnation of Carrie is all within a grander plan, one of many cleverly constructed plot lines.

The Brody family are also further put under the microscope this series, revealing a broken home and a damaged daughter. The strain of having your father being branded ‘America’s most wanted’ is all too much for teenager Dana Brody (Morgan Saylor), who amongst other things, attempts suicide, steals a car and runs off with her boyfriend from her therapy group.

Although the pace and action of the series so far seems a little stilted, under no circumstances can it be considered the ‘calm after the storm’.

The thrill, suspense and psychological intensity is as present as ever, and with new characters and complex storylines being introduced on a weekly basis.

Have you been keeping up with all the goings on at Langley? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or by commenting below.

"Both Wonderful and Strange": Twin Peaks UK Festival 2013

David Lynch’s surreal 90’s hit Twin Peaks may be overlooked by a new generation hooked on blue meth and coming winters, but for a hard core of viewers the spirit of the show is still live and kicking. Jess O’Kane, Screen Online Editor, joined the superfans down in London this weekend.

Full photo gallery here

Riverside Studios in Hammersmith became a hive of nostalgia and obligatory donuts this weekend as hundreds of “Peakies” descended on the capital for an annual trip down cult TV lane.

The Red Room Diner
Image credit: Jess O’Kane

Now in its fourth sell-out year, Twin Peaks UK Festival is both eccentric and utterly charming – fitting, perhaps, for a festival about a show that features murder, dwarves, personified logs and a truly unsettling villain.

Revisiting the spirit of such a beloved and bizarre show would be a challenge for any festival, but TPUK managed it admirably.

Downstairs, one room had been christened the Red Room Diner, where fan artwork, jewellery, David Lynch coffee and Twin Peaks manicures were on offer (one girl I spoke to proudly showed me her nails, which had a tiny typed letter glued to it where the murdered Laura Palmer’s would have been).

Upstairs, in a blood-red and sweltering cinema, there were screenings of various episodes and a surprise message from absentee cast member Kimmy Robertson.

Miss Miranda as a sultry Shelly and her comatose boyfriend.
Image credit: Jess O’Kane

The necessary dose of darkness came in the form of the Double R Club, a Lynch-themed cabaret act. A satirical take on the waitress Shelly Johnson (played by Madchen Amick, one of the festival guests) from fetish model Miss Miranda had a few pulses rising under their wristbands as she performed a strip tease for her comatose boyfriend Leo.

Best of all was comedy singer-songwriter Laurence Owen, whose witty ditties like “Bob’s Your Uncle” cleverly re-imagined the show’s characters with Tim Minchin-esque delivery.

As the evening progressed, the fans became the focus. A Q&A session lived up to every expectation, with stars Ian Buchanan, Charlotte Stewart and Madchen Amick proving to be both charming and full of anecdotes.

Whilst the focus was mainly on Amick, Buchanan and Stewart proved equally entertaining, and both seemed pleasantly surprised at how strong the Twin Peaks legacy has proved to be.

Niklas poses with his Red Room Scarf (in the Red Room)
Image credit: Jess O’Kane

The crowd were surprisingly diverse – I spoke to Brummie students, kids from Slovakia, eager Londoners and people who’d only seen a few episodes. None of the furthest travelled seemed bothered that they’d be flying back the next day or the day after.

Niklas, a friendly 30-something from Sweden, had been to the US festival in Snoqualmie twice, had named his child after one of the characters, and had sought out the exact branch where the bird sits at the beginning of the titles. His love of Twin Peaks, he said, was pure “nostalgia” – growing up, Twin Peaks was one of the few adult shows he was allowed to watch, and it had never left him.

For many, though, the allure of Twin Peaks seemed to be a kind of exoticism. A beardy man proudly bore a “BRING BACK TWIN PEAKS TO TV” t-shirt, and further inspection revealed that the campaign has over 20,000 likes on Facebook – impressive, for a show that’s now 23 years old. The love of Lynchian styling was a frequent theme; Ben and Maria, two first-timers, were there because “there’s not much else like it”. Ain’t that the truth.

As the night came to an end with a screening of Lynch’s 1997 Lost Highway, and a few stragglers stayed for “Twingo” (Twin Peaks bingo) and cherry pie, I was happy just to wander. I may not have been the biggest Peakie in the room, but I could feel the love everywhere: from the packed out cinema right down to the donuts.

Jess O’Kane, Screen Online Editor

Photo Gallery: Twin Peaks UK Festival 2013

The venue

Excitement builds

The Red Room Diner

Fan artwork

Cherry pie and imported David Lynch coffee set the mood

Home-made brooches (your roving reporter bought the log)

Twin Peaks Manicure

Miss Miranda despairs at her comatose boyfriend’s lack of interest in his birthday cake.

Dashing: (L-R) Ian Buchanan, Charlotte Stewart and Madchen Amick

All photos: Jess O’Kane, Screen Online Editor

Perfect Python

Although Pavel Kondov missed out on tickets to the O2 he still manages to get his fill of Python punnery, he shares his favorites here

Figuring out what to watch in order to procrastinate can be almost as difficult as actually writing your essays, but luckily, the recent news of Monty Python’s reunion have given us yet another incentive to start working half an hour later. For anyone in need of a kick-start, we’ve handpicked our five most favourite sketches from Flying Circus which will seriously make you regret not buying tickets for their O2 show this summer.

 

Ministry of Silly Walks

 

John Cleese’s best moment. It’s impossible not to crack up at the sight of his overlong legs doing things they are not supposed to. Mrs Twolumps’ episodic appearance is a work of comic brilliance and the little bouquet of silly walks towards the end is a joy. Monty Python at their physical best.

 

Best line: “It’s not particularly silly, is it?”

 

Silly Voices at the Police Station

A shift from the physical to the lingual, this sketch is an illustration of all the different types of weirdos you might have to put up with at the workplace. Complete with perfectly executed facial expressions and brilliant character traits (special shout-out to /ˈbɜː(r)ɡəlri/), this sketch does not take too long to descend into complete chaos – just the thing we want from Monty Python.

 

Best line: “Excuse me, Sir, but… why the funny voice?”

 

Philosopher Football

Now this is an unfair addition because it might actually help Philosophy students get their head round German and Ancient Greek philosophers. A brilliant symbiosis of intelligence and silliness, this sketch is worth a mention even if only for the chance to see fully grown men play football in robes and fake beards.

 

Best line: “Hegel is arguing that the reality is merely an a priori adjunct of non-naturalistic ethics, Kant via the categorical imperative is holding that ontologically it exists only in the imagination, and Marx is claiming it was offside.“

 

 

The Spanish Inquisition

NOBODY EXPECTED THIS SKETCH TO MAKE IT TO THE TOP 5!!! Except everyone totally did, because it is such a classic. Its chief weapon, as you may be aware, is surprise. Surprise, and timi… its two main weapons are surprise and timing, and an ironic depiction of the villains. No, wait, among its weaponry are such elements as surprise, timing and an iron… oh, just go and watch it, for God’s sake.

 

Best line: Don’t really have to point it out, do I?

 

Election Night Special

Possibly my favourite Monty Python sketch of all time, the Election Night Special is a perfect exhibit of all their ingredients – physical comedy, non sequiturs, verbal silliness, satire, deadpan delivery and so on and so forth. Truly a sketch one can never tire of. If this doesn’t make you laugh, there is a very high chance you are actually a piece of furniture, in which case go away, sofas aren’t supposed to be on the Internet.

 

Best line: Tie between “Can I just say at this point, this is in fact the second time I’ve ever appeared on television.” and “Malcolm Peter Brian Telescope Adrian Umbrella Stand Jasper Wednesday (pops mouth twice) Stoatgobbler John Raw Vegetable (sound effect of horse whinnying) Arthur Norman Michael (blows squeker) Featherstone Smith (blows whistle) Northgot Edwards Harris (fires pistol, which goes ‘whoop’) Mason (chuff-chuff-chuff) Frampton Jones Fruitbat Gilbert (sings) ‘We’ll keep a welcome in the'(three shots, stops singing) Williams If I Could Walk That Way Jenkin (squeker) Tiger-draws Pratt Thompson (sings) ‘Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head’ Darcy Carter (horn) Pussycat ‘Don’t Sleep In The Subway’ Barton Mannering (hoot, ‘whoop’) Smith.”

Disclaimer: Author does not take responsibility for any missed deadlines.

 

[poll id=”76″]

Do you have a different fave? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or by commenting below.

A Journey Through Time and Space: The Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Convention

Thomas Davies travelled to London this weekend to join hundreds of other Whovians in celebrating Doctor Who’s 50th Anniversary. He tells Screen what the Doctor-studded event was like.

5:45am, 23^rd November 2013, Reading. I wake up after 6 hours sleep groggy but eager in anticipation. In two hours I would be on the train to London to the Doctor Who 50^th Anniversary Convention at the ExCel Centre and I was ready.

Image credit: BBC

When I got there I was glad to see I wasn’t only one dressed up: various incarnations of the Doctor, companions, Daleks, TARDISes, K-9s, even a Weeping Angel all featured amongst the crowd. There was such an amount of licensed merchandise on sale that it was bordering on ridiculous: T-shirts, action figures, mugs, costume, even full size Daleks.

There were small shows running during the convention displaying aspects of the show, like how to walk like a Silurian, how to jump away from an explosion and how monsters are made, which gave some intriguing insights into the world of the Doctor. There was also a multitude of costumes and props from Doctors, companions and monsters old and new. Guest panels, showings of Doctor Who episodes and even some audio dramas were going on throughout the day and it was impossible to do it all.

But the main events were what we were all waiting for. The first of the main shows was called ‘Regenerations’ and was a panel session with four classic Doctors: Sylvester McCoy, Colin Baker, Peter Davison and Tom Baker. Chaired by the voice of the Daleks Nicholas Briggs, it focused on their views of the modern show and their regenerations into one another.

The classic doctors answered fan questions.
Image credit: Getty

They were all complimentary to the current series – Colin Baker in particular expressed his thanks to Russell T. Davies who ‘knocked on the right doors’ to get Doctor Who back. Davison, on the subject of the Doctor’s limited regenerations explained that the Doctor ‘absorbed all of River Song’s regenerations’, and that he saw no reason why it couldn’t continue, much to our collective relief.

The audience questions ranged greatly. The two Bakers’ favourite part of Doctor Who included running down corridors that looked the same (because they were). One particular question aimed at Tom Baker was what he remembered of his predecessor Jon Pertwee. The response turned out to be not a lot, although ‘he never bought [him] a drink’ which he described jokingly as ‘alien hand syndrome’ because he couldn’t get his hand into his pocket.

They left us by telling of The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot that the younger Baker, McCoy and Davison had done for the 50th anniversary. McCoy described it, touchingly, as ‘a gift from us to the fans’ which got quite a bit of applause.

Then there was the much anticipated ‘The Eleventh Hour’ chaired by Radio One’s Jo Wiley. Another panel session, this time with more modern panellists: producer Marcus Wilson, head writer Steven Moffat, current companion Jenna-Louise Coleman and current Doctor Matt Smith.

Steven Moffat, Jenna-Louise Coleman and Matt Smith.
Image credit: The Telegraph

Moffat told a very interesting story of his inspiration for the iconic Weeping Angels: he saw a statue of one that he has never seen again (suspicious much?) Wilson took a back seat in this panel when compared to the other three but they all talked about Matt Smith’s eventual exit this Christmas and in vaguer terms of Peter Capaldi’s arrival.

When the audience asked about the future, Coleman was rightly evasive. Of Clara’s future in the show she said only that she had a script and left it at that. But the audience’s questions were mostly aimed, unsurprisingly, at Smith.

He described his inspirations as a mix of Einstein, Inspector Clouseau and Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em’s Frank Spencer and said that the famous person he’d want most in the TARDIS was his co-star Coleman (although he mentioned the possibility of Jennifer Lawrence being around…).

The final show, ‘The SFX Show’ was more of a show and tell then a panel session. Bang Goes the Theory’s Dallas Campbell and the special effects team of Doctor Who led by Danny Hargreaves took us behind the scenes to show how a variety of special effects were performed.

After blowing up a Dalek and giving a group of kids a chance to shoot a Cyberman, one of whom looked quite intimidated by the idea, they showed us how to control weather through paper snow, sprinkler rain, fire bars and giant fan blown wind. It was also said Matt Smith is notorious for not doing what he’s told, look out for the screwdriver explosion in the Eleventh Hour: real pain.

50th Anniversary episode The Day of the Doctor.
Image credit: The Mirror

But it goes without saying that the highlight of the day was when with Whovians across the world I sat down popcorn in hand to watch The Day of the Doctor.

I cannot even begin to describe the feeling in cinema, we were roaring with laughter, tense as a bowstring and just spellbound by what we were watching. It was by far the best doctor who episode I had ever seen, better than The Eleventh Hour, better than Blink, even better than Doomsday.

We were left pumped by the end, eagerly awaiting the next instalment at Christmas.

It was day not devoted to the new or old but to The Doctor and the show as a whole. Despite a saddening lack of Christopher Ecclestone it was a fantastic day where fans of many generations could gather and embrace a historic milestone in the show’s history.

After a whirlwind weekend, I just want to sleep… after several Doctor Who marathons of course.

Thomas Davies

The Ex Factor?

The X-Factor is in its tenth season, but does anyone care anymore? Lina Katwala gives you some reasons why you should

The X Factor. It’s like Marmite, either you love it or you hate it. Most years I have the same feelings towards it as I do towards Marmite: pure hatred.

Nicholas McDonald, one of this year’s favourites
Image Credit: ITV

However this year, unfortunately, me and my housemates have become completely obsessed with it. For those of you who don’t watch the current season, we’ve passed the stage where delusional folk who think they can sing travel across the country just to be ridiculed on national television, instead, our Saturday nights now consist of a cocktail mixing: live performances by the finalists, public voting and cameos by artists in the charts at the moment (whose album adverts suspiciously appear in the commercial breaks just after they’ve been on). You get the drill.

There are six remaining acts, and the favourites to win are soulful-voiced Sam Bailey and sweet sixteen-year-old Nicolas, however my personal preference is Luke Friend, a college student with a gravelly voice from our very own Devon (yay!)

Others include group Rough Copy, the gorgeous Tamera Foster, and Hannah, who despite having an incredible voice has been placed in the bottom two (the two acts who receive the least votes) twice, possibly due to her incessant sobbing in the first few weeks.

Devon’s own, Luke Friend. although apparently he’s cut his hair, travesty!
Image Credit: ITV

There are a few reasons why the X Factor hasn’t quite scored top marks: the fact that it’s essentially a popularity contest, the unnecessary stage garnishing, Nicole Sherzinger making up words (such as sha-mazing), and the judges using the same or very similar phrases when describing performances – you may recognise: ‘110%’, ‘the best performer (insert county name) has ever seen’ and ‘you’re like a young (insert singer name)’, but these just mean you can turn watching the X Factor into a drinking game

So overall, yes I will admit it’s got me hooked. If you don’t fancy the Lemmy one Saturday between now and the final (14^th December) then I would definitely recommend having a watch.

Have you given up on the X-Factor? Tell us on Facebook, Twitter or by commenting below.

Review: Ambassadors

Beardy and Balding, they look a little different, but are as funny as ever.
Image Credit: BBC

Mitchell and Webb reunite for a new series, Ambassadors, Pavel Kondov is not left disappointed.

Mitchell and Webb’s new TV series Ambassadors takes you on a journey to the British embassy in Tazbekistan – a fictional country in Central Asia. From the nation’s practical immunity to alcohol to the less-than-ideal human rights record, it incorporates all the stereotypes you can expect from a “-stan” country.

David Mitchell and his magnificent beard naturally allocate him the role of the Ambassador, whilst Robert Webb has to make do with the Deputy post and a patched up bald spot. These two, and their entrusted team of specialists, dive into the world of culture shock, diplomatic games and unibrowed foreigners doing funny things. Surely, with such a setup this should be a new ‘Allo ‘Allo!, right?

 Wrong! The show’s goal seems to have been throwing in just a little bit of everything.

The People’s Republic of Tazbekistan
Image Credit: BBC

There are many joke setups, but few punch-lines; moments of great tension get resolved anti-climactically (and often, humorously), whilst love stories are abandoned as quickly as they are hinted at. Now, this may sounds like it’s a bad thing, but the end result is rather endearing. As a non-genre specific show, Ambassadors is everyday life in a slightly heightened reality. We have episodes of personal drama followed by moments of absurdity, all in the midst of the mind-boggling hell that is the workplace. The series’ lack of commitment to any genre  meant it could change mood and pace at will in the name of constant entertainment, the only drawback being its sometimes underdeveloped story lines.

 Brilliantly cast, Ambassadors would still be a pleasure to watch if only for the acting. Webb has developed some serious talent while his colleague conquered the TV screens on panel games. Local actors provide for some hilarious Tazbek idiosyncrasies and fantastic British actresses make up the Embassy staff.

 Low in pretence but high in pleasure, Ambassadors is a magnificent way to kill an hour or two.

 Does Ambassadors live up to Mitchell and Webb’s legacy? on Facebook, Twitter or by commenting and rating below.