My plight to find a television series to watch with the beloved has been consuming me for quite some time. He doesn’t like anything too scary and I can’t be bothered committing to a long series. We are not good telly watchers.
Recently I went back to Drop The Dead Donkey again, while we could settle on something new. I love Andy Hamilton and Gus Jenkins’ writing. I am still on the hunt for a copy of A Very Open Prison, their comedy based on Michael Howard’s stint as Home Secretary when prisoners were escaping left right and centre. Drop The Dead Donkey is now 25 years old and still feels relevant. Equal pay, fake news and a bloody useless government. Familiar, no?
Rooting about for something else to watch on All 4 and we came across Damned. A comedy about social workers written by Jo Brand, Morwenna Banks and Will Smith (not that Will Smith). It’s not the most promising set up but quietly brilliant. The office set up makes it relatable. The old hands of Alan Davies and Jo Brand having to put up with the rule-obsessed new recruit, Himesh Patel, and the plan daft receptionist, Isy Suttie. It’s world-weary experience rubbing against naive optimism with Kevin Eldon providing a masterclass in pratfalls. It’s sharp, it’s acidic and unsentimental. It’s a wee gem.