BBC2 are heralding their new comedy night as Thursday. Funny that. The past month or so has seen Mock The Week, That Mitchell and Webb Let-Down and the brilliant Saxondale (BBC2, Thursday, 9.30pm).

Saxondale continues to be a constant source of joy and amazement to me. I gather that the last series was a little slow and took a while to get going (I missed it y’see). This series has provided a silly amount of belly laughs from this writer (I particularly enjoyed a James Blunt comment in one of the more recent episodes “What’s wrong with James Blunt?” “WHAT’S WRONG WITH JAMES BLUNT? We haven’t got the time…”). Last night saw the mirth continue.

Not since Alan Partridge have we seen Steve Coogan give so much to one of his characters. There is clearly a love for the prog’ loving, bearded mid-life crisis riddled Saxondale. Everything from his clothes, attitudes… and even the pursed lipped mannerisms… have been pored over by Coogan. This is vintage Coogan at his best. He’s even got time to mock the Emo kids with another creation which is as ludicrous and farcical peer into modern culture as the bit parters in Partridge.

Last night, Tommy was sticking it to the man (in a very small way naturally) when he failed to buy a train ticket. Somehow, Saxondale’s petulance saw him end up in court. Of course, Tommy represented himself. As we know, Tommy’s view on the world is a slightly skewed one… which goes part of the way in explaining why he started his defence by talking in a deaf voice. Saxondale is the master of trying to crack a walnut with a nuclear bomb.

Coogan, like no other comic, is able to create a character that can tie himself into knots, unravel, then tighten again. It’s incredible to watch. Just when Saxondale starts to make sense in his self defence, he can then drop a ridiculous clanger and redden the cheeks for our pleasure. Somehow, Tommy manages to get the world onside. After all his huffing and puffing, it seems that all he had to say was ‘I didn’t see the sign’. It’s this fight against phantom perils that makes Saxondale such a joy to watch. He wants something to rebel against… but there simply isn’t much to get angry about… merely narked. Herein lies the wonder that is Saxondale. Possibly Coogan’s finest creation yet. [Mof Gimmers]