There was a bit of chat on Twitter recently about how Upstart Crow is a refreshing real sitcom, contrasting it with the trend for non-sidesplitting studio comedies, which I guess means things like... more
Reviews
I know the second episode went out a few days ago but I just wanted to flag up this new BBC2 sitcom again. It is so subtle and unassuming it risks getting lost between loads of other noisier, more... more
I watched the first episode of Maria Bamford’s new sitcom Lady Dynamite over the weekend when I was bedridden with flu. I assumed I was delirious. In the space of around 30 minutes I watched... more
So-called experts are always saying that the situation is crucial to the success of a situation comedy. So why is one sitcom about a subject a hit and not another? Back in the mists of time there was... more
You’ve got to have an angle when you do a full length Edinburgh Fringe show. Well, it’s maybe not compulsory but when putting together a string of stories it can help to stitch the narrative together... more
It’s great to report that the first episode of Upstart Crow was not a fluke. Writer Ben Elton repeats the trick again in the second episode. In fact if there is a problem here it isn't so much that... more
One of BBC3’s epic fails was axing the relationship sitcom Him & Her. Now at least BBC2 has gone some way towards making amends by commissioning writer Stefan Golaszewski to pen a new comedy, Mum... more
The Amused Moose Laugh Off Final has a pretty good track record at discovering future stars. Previous winners include Sarah Millican and Jack Whitehall. Everyone has their say in the vote – from... more
Philomena Cunk has been one of the most popular elements of Charlie Brooker’s Wipe programmes so it was only a matter of time before she landed a programme of her own. Some bright spark at the BBC... more
A couple of years ago every stand-up with a TV credit under their belt seemed to be knocking out an autobiography as if they were going out of style. Sara Pascoe’s first book is very different to... more
