EddieRash Reviews

Such Brave Girls (2023– )

An unpredictable riot of a comedy

[10/10 · 9 December 2023]

This script is incredibly sharp, with very few wasted words or predictable lines. The dialogue seems to go from one ridiculous and funny line to the next. And there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments in every episode, usually when somebody says something in an unusual way. I particularly enjoyed the absence of any moralising. There is a whole spectrum of opinions on things like mental health, and this comedy lampoons them all. It is more interested in the absurdity of human nature, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

All the genuinely funny sitcoms seem to be created by women these days (Sharon Horgan, Alma, Miranda, Roisin Conaty etc). I don't know if it's because the BBC and Channel 4 have stopped commissioning any men with original ideas, or if the men just prefer to do the inane banter on panel shows. Such Brave Girls was written by Kat Sadler, who also plays the central part of Josie. Her acting is equally as subtle as her writing. The mum is played by the excellent Louise Brealey, who also played the funniest character in "Back". Lizzie Davidson plays the part of Billie, a feisty sister who is the opposite of Josie in every way imaginable. The scenes largely involve the three "girls" plotting to either attract or reject three totally unsuitable men. I really hope there is a second series, as these girls haven't yet resolved any of their issues (and, of course, they never will).

Arthur and Phil Go Off... (1985–1987)

Legends in our household

[10/10 · 2 January 2023]

We've always called them Phil & Arthur, but I can see now that it should be Arthur & Phil. I blame the ambiguous credits. Anyway, whichever way round it is, laid-back Arthur and slightly-uptight Phil are both equally brilliant as they "go off" to investigate Loch Ness, Marbella and the M1 (yes, the motorway).

This pair have had a not insignificant impact on our family life over the last 35 years. We use their humour at every possible opportunity.

Our three video tapes are still going strong, but we've had to replace the machine multiple times.

We once took a major detour on a Scottish holiday just to check that the great bard Robert Southey was right to praise the beauty of the Falls of Foyers (he absolutely was). And yes, we did sing.

When climbing over a country stile we say "taking care not to kick companion in face". Or you can just keep quiet and actually kick them in the face. Either is guaranteed a laugh from a fellow fan.

You can sneak food from someone's plate and then blame some bloke who just came over.

Any conversation about evolution or the Big Bang eventually gets round to Glippy and Gloppy.

I can't hear the word "abbey" without saying "what Abbey National? Looks more like a toilet to me" in some sort of East London accent.

Any list that starts getting a bit too long will always have Thora Hird and Eric Bristow added.

Many times I have ordered a pint of dram, although it rarely gets the laugh it deserves.

Any offer of money will get the reply "Phil and Arthur gave me 50 quid".

Any talk of family ancestry leads to: "and his father before him and his father after him and his father the same time as him".

If somebody says that they've never done something, you ask them how many times they've done it.

As I make this list I'm starting to realise just what a goldmine of catchphrases they provided us with. Thanks lads!

Getting the family out of the car, you say "Is everybody out? Right, let's get back in".

We've played sports like golf using nothing but our imaginations (the standard of play quickly escalates to a hole in one, and then gets very silly).

We rewind real life to find out if someone did say what we think they said. It usually proves that they said the opposite.

I'm chuckling as I remeber all this stuff. And you must be a fellow fan if you're still reading.

We flick through a paperback book and then say "that was a good one".

Anyone reading out a holiday brochure will inevitably get to a bit about petrochemical exports.

Any reel of film is held up to the light and pulled gently down to watch.

Every hitchhiker is Ron Galaxy.

When somebody is repeating themself, we turn to an imaginary camera and say "Icarus Icarus Icarus".

Any discussion about energy suppliers leads to "British Gas is lovely".

They also did an equally funny trip to Boulogne. And there was an episode called something like "Phil & Arthur Go Off To Channel 4", but that only seems to exist in my distant memory.

Thanks again Phil & Arthur and Arthur & Phil for a lifetime of laughs!

Bull (2015)

Progressive comedy at its best

[10/10 · 20 December 2022]

Q) What do you do if you have a store room full of bottled mineral water, and the best-before date is tomorrow?

A) You drink it all, and then spend the rest of the day running to the toilet.

This simple idea could only have come from a comedy genius, presumably one of the two writers.

Sadly, only three episodes of Bull were made. But they were three of the most mindblowingly joyous and ridiculous programmes I've ever seen. Masquerading as a bog-standard traditional British sitcom set in an antique shop, with good old Robert Lindsay and Maureen Lipman at the helm, there were in fact no limits on what was possible and where the joke was going next. Progressive comedy at its best.

Claudia Jessie deserves a special mention. She must have been born with funny bones.

We had them recorded on an old Virgin TV box, but that is gone now and I have no way of ever watching them again :(

Detectorists (2014–2022)

This will not cause you to overheat

[10/10 · 20 December 2022]

Panel shows like Mock the Week demand that all extroverts roar with laughter, in unison with the studio audience, every 10.4 seconds. And they have never missed the target. Who said extroverts were unreliable? Detectorists, on the other hand, invites introverts to smile inwardly, but only if they really want to. And definitely not so it's actually visible on their face.

It's a warm blanket, but not one that can sometimes cause overheating. There are no rough edges to irritate the chin, or any of those ticklish tassels.

It's a gentle medicine with no side-effects, and guarantees sweet dreams if taken just before you turn out the light.

Anyway, that's enough of me ranting, but, before I go, I'd like to point out two lesser characters who I found particularly amusing: Art Garfunkel and the female psychologist who can't cope with Lance.

Pulling (2006–2009)

One of the great sitcom characters

[10/10 · 20 December 2022]

Brilliant writing and acting throughout, but what elevates this to Classic status is Sharon Horgan's performance as central character Donna. Donna is one of those people who start talking before they know what they're going to say, and Horgan lets us see the whole shifting thought process as each word is delivered to her mouth.

A hilarious example is in the opening episode when she is reluctantly forced to deliver an impromptu speech at her own pre-wedding party. As she builds momentum about how they are looking forward to a lifetime of wedded bliss, she starts to beam with delight at her own eloquence. What she's not letting on is that she has already cancelled the wedding and split from the groom.

Donna is lacking in confidence, competence and direction, and most of the time she is just trying to convince herself and others that this is not the case.

Horgan played the same sort of character in the superb Dead Boss, but Catastrophe went over my head. For me, Donna is a sitcom character up there with Fawlty, Brent and Partridge.

Boys from the Bush (1991–1992)

Greatest Of All Time (GOAT)

[10/10 · 19 December 2022]

I've been telling people that this is my all-time favourite TV show for 30 years. I just about have all the episodes on home-made video and DVD, but the quality isn't great. I don't know why the BBC can't stream old programmes like this. They could even make some money out of it.

It's a character-based comedy and all of the main characters are hilarious in their own way, including Reg, Doris, Dennis, Leslie and Arlene. My favourite has changed many times over the years, but now I just accept that they are all equally brilliant.

The episode in which Reg finally makes it back to Shepherd's Bush is the most gloriously delightful thing you can ever imagine.

Any fans out there might want to have a go at this quiz I once made for my family:

Who was Reg's favourite footballer?

Who was named after that footballer?

Who did Tracey run away to Bali with?

What was Reg's favourite pub?

What team did Leslie support?

Where did Arlene go to a singing audition?

Who played the part of Doris?

Who was Dennis's ex-wife?

What does Leslie like on the top of his trifle?

Ladybaby (2021)

Yes please I want more of this

[8/10 · 18 December 2022]

Trawl through the long alphabetical list of comedies on iPlayer and you'll occasionally stumble on a gem like this. It's not the story that's important, it's always the dialogue and the characters. A funny character like that is usually only created when the actor plays an exaggerated version of themselves (Partridge, Brent). It was a surprise to discover that she wasn't also the writer. She certainly seems to be on the same wavelength as the writer.

The dialogue in the cafe is brilliant, as she slowly realises that her young daughter is both more successful and more mature than she is. And drunkenly marauding around A&E is very funny (you're probably not allowed to do that anymore).

But the best scene is at her parents' house. Her mild-mannered father uses TV as a coping mechanism when his passive aggressive wife and feisty daughter get together for a row. "It should be called Strictly Come Leapin Aboot!"

I hope that the writer writes more for this character.

C.B. Strike (2017– )

Throws in a bit of everything

[7/10 · 17 December 2022]

I'm new to this, but my wife insisted I sit down and watch the fourth series of Strike.

I always think that Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes wrote the book on maverick detectives. But no, new ones are still coming more than 100 years later.

I haven't actually read any JK Rowling. In fact I haven't read any books at all for many years, as I suspect that focusing on fine print for long periods of time is unnatural and might damage both the eyesight and the brain. I know reading is supposed to broaden the mind, but my mind is already unlimited in its breadth.

I was once dragged to the cinema to watch the first Harry Potter, and came away thinking that adults who read about wizards need to take a long walk on their own. Somewhere quiet where they can really think.

My wife listens constantly to Stephen Fry's narrations. I'm not sure, but she may be trying to drown out other voices. She needs a walk, but Stephen Fry always goes with her.

Anyway, back to Strike. It was complicated at times, and I had to keep pausing to ask the expert. There were lots of names to remember. But Rowling and Michelle Fowler have teamed up well to create a very enjoyable four hours of TV.

However, I was sceptical about the way the characters could remember every last detail of what happened 50 years ago, such as who put the box of chocolates in the bin, who took them out the bin and who left teeth marks in the toffee one. I don't know about you, but I have absolutely no idea what I did yesterday and can't tell you anything about any of the many box of chocolates I must have eaten over the last 61 years.

And I got told off for laughing out loud at a completely unnecessary and preposterous epic car journey through flooded lanes to the West Country.