BBC One has always had problems with comedy. It wants to have it as an important part of its scheduling, and yet doesn’t really know what sort of comedy to show. The comedies which are commissioned specifically for BBC One tend to be “safe”, thanks to big names (Jam and Jerusalem, say, or Ruddy Hell! It’s Harry and Paul) or a rather gentle theme. Apart from that, they simply appropriate shows which have become too big for BBC Two, or indeed Three to handle, such as Little Britain. As such, we tend to approach new BBC One comedies with some trepidation.
Outnumbered, coming later this month, looks like it has potential, but I’m still loath to promote it too heavily – I’ve suffered at the hands of my premature enthusiasm too many times already. It comes from the guys who gave us Drop The Dead Donkey, though – Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton – so that’s a plus, and stars Mock The Week’s Hugh Dennis. I’m not sure whether that’s a plus or not, as it’s been such a long time since I saw him away from the panel show environment, but the fact that Outnumbered “contains strong elements of improvisation” (doesn’t that sound like a warning on a film, like my favourite “contains mild peril”?!) suggests that he’s sticking to his comfort zone.
The name “Outnumbered” refers to the fact that the show will follow parents (Dennis, and Claire Skinner) as they try to deal with their three rather troublesome children. There’s “a regal five-year-old girl with a talent for interrogation and an interest in nits, a seven-year-old boy with a penchant for lying and an 11-year-old who is gearing up for his scary first day at secondary school”. I bet they’re all utterly unlovable little brats, too.
The fact that the show is produced by Hat Trick, a well-respected producer of TV comedy, shows that someone with taste has faith in it, and the improv element certainly makes it a more interesting prospect than it otherwise would be. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that it will be yet another disappointment in my quest for fantastic, new, homegrown comedy. But let’s wait and see, eh?
You can now find reviews of the show here and here. [annawaits]
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