Best New Comedy Programme
This is a difficult one to call. I personally liked all the shows, but I do feel of the four nominees, Spy is probably the weaker; there were points at which the gags seemed far too obvious and contrived in spite of their hilarity. I really wouldn’t like to call between the others, though. I think Friday Night Dinner almost snuck un-noticed onto our screens so viewing figures won’t have been great but it was hilarious and definitely deserving of a nomination. Twenty Twelve at times became more farcical than perhaps it needed to be so tentatively that leaves Fresh Meat as my choice to win. I say tentatively because I know it was ripped apart by a lot of reviewers when it first arrived; but the actual viewers seemed to enjoy it and that has to count for something.
Best Comedy Entertainment Programme
Much as I would love to see this award going to Stewart Lee I do not think that is going to happen because he is a little too Marmite and whilst there a solid, loyal audience for TV Burp, I don’t think they represent a comedy audience as such so I would also rule out a win on that basis. It is difficult to choose between Chatty Man and An Idiot Abroad, simply because they are such a hugely different format. Both are very funny; both are entertaining; I suspect, though, that An Idiot Abroad will take the award in this instance.
Best Sketch Show
I have to admit, I did not manage to catch an episode of This is Jinsy. Notably, none of my friends seemed to either. This in itself seems quite telling, although from the many trailers it did look really good. The One Ronnie was fabulous, and you would have to wonder if this will be given the win just off the back of the legacy with which it comes, but for my money it was not the best and as a one-off show is that enough to warrant the award? Horrible Histories is fabulous and did surprise a lot of people with its win last year, but have they done enough to win a second year? I suspect it to be more a case of whether the opposition are considered strong enough to knock them off the pedestal; sadly with sketch shows seeming to be out of fashion nowadays, there is little to compete but what we see here is a selection of shows of an equal standing so it really could go either way. I am not sure; I definitely think the stronger shows in this category are Histories and Come Fly With Me, but I am not sure how I would decide between them. In fact, during the time spent writing this, I have trawled around the web and found a few Jinsy clips and that is actually really good too… rather too close to call here, so I think simply for marking a point in comedic history, The One Ronnie will walk away with the prize.
Best comedy panel show
This is another tricky category and there are other panel shows I would like to see nominated which have been seemingly overlooked. None of the shows up for this award have brought anything new to the table over the past year, but then do they need to? All are extremely popular with their particular audience and as such choosing a winner just comes down to which demographic those making the decision fall into. I know I am going to be hated here, but I see little value in Celebrity Juice. It’s not a household issue: two of my girls love it; the hub-person loves it; I can not stand the show. I have tried to watch it, but there is something about it that just stops me cold – so I definitely would not want to see it win and more importantly I do not think it will. Were this a category determined by public vote, however, I am aware it would probably walk it, simply because the majority of its audience are of the X-factor generation who would vote on what colour underpants Jonathon Ross will be wearing throughout the ceremony were they given the opportunity. I fatigued of Shooting Stars over this last series. It’s not them, it’s me… I changed and things just didn’t feel right. Maybe I have outgrown it or maybe I suffered from over-exposure in the early days… whatever it is, I am not sure they have what it takes to win. Have I Got News and Would I Lie are the stronger contenders by far. I can’t really choose between them, but to say that I personally prefer Would I Lie… so I am going to make that my prediction and cross my fingers that they win again.
Best Sitcom
Again, it’s really hard to call this one. With two seasoned shows and two very strong newcomers, it’s difficult to decide which way I would like to see this pan out. I can honestly say I would be happy with the decision whichever happens to win, but I have set myself a task here to predict one way or the other and so I shall! I have already given my opinion of Twenty Twelve and Friday Night Dinner… both very funny and great viewing. To be honest, it would be good if Twenty Twelve were to win, simply on account of the fact that it’s not a sitcom which will have great longevity. Ok, so there may be a series to be made from the event itself, but there is nothing beyond. That said, both Miranda and Peep Show are brilliantly written, have a huge audience and bring the comfort that comes of knowing what to expect from your entertainment. Ok, I am being wishy-washy, I know – I’m going to plump for Twenty Twelve here… but I really don’t care if I am wrong as they are all fab!
Best Comedy Drama
I have to admit to having been a little disappointed in The Hunt for Tony Blair. I don’t know why, maybe I had really high expectations borne of having grown up watching the original offerings from the Comic Strip… maybe my opinion was clouded slightly by my political disinterest. I can’t really say, but I do not feel it will win. Maybe I will be proven wrong; I hope not. Misfits is okay I guess; it’s something different, but I see little of the comedy element in it. And I know this is not a category in which you are supposed to fall about laughing, but to me Misfits is more a light drama than a comedy one. All of which leaves me having to decide between Psychoville and Fresh Meat. I really loved both, so another tricky decision… I have covered both shows in this blog so I shan’t repeat myself. In terms of which of the two would I most like to watch at this moment in time? Psychoville. So therein lays my decision.
Best Comedy Entertainment Personality
To be honest, I am completely over Graham Norton; sure he was great, what ten years ago but I am fatigued by the effort of putting up with his nonsense now. It does annoy me immensely that he so often has a guest at his side being completely ignored whilst he plays at the diva thing. By contrast (and no, not on account of them both being gay, but as they have a similar personality!) Alan Carr will play the fool for a while, then actually sit and listen to what his guests have to say. In all honesty, I don’t watch either with any regularity mostly because I’m not too into the whole ‘celebrity’ culture; but I have seen enough to feel that neither is worthy of this award on the basis of these shows. Harry Hill is great and I am very much looking forward to seeing what he comes up with when he finally breaks free from the binds of TV Burp. It’s a great vehicle for him, don’t get me wrong, but I do feel he has pushed the show as far as he can and as such I don’t see him being given this award other than as a ‘thank you and goodbye’ style gift. I think Charlie Brooker is by far and away the best in this category, not to mention being pretty hot news right now with his brilliantly sinister Black Mirror.
Best TV Comedy Actor
I’m afraid I have to count Darren Boyd out here from the outset. Spy was a great programme, don’t get me wrong; and he was brilliant in it. The trouble is, I have yet to see him play a different character, so does this performance make him the best actor? Not really. Part of me really wanted Jack Whitehall to be utterly bad in Fresh Meat, much as so that I could yell at my screen “Stick to what you’re bloody good at!!” but he wasn’t. That said, was he acting or simply acting up, being a parody of the persona he portrays on-stage? I genuinely believed in his character, but just where is the line between JP and Jack? But I do have to say he seemed to really flourish in his role and I guess that is what counts. Hugh Dennis is of course fantastic; as is Outnumbered. The difference is that whilst the show flounders as viewers start to wonder if they still want to watch or not, Dennis is still performing his role as well as he ever has. He is credible and completely at one with his character throughout, as are all on the show. Hugh Bonneville has performed so many different roles throughout his career that it is perfectly clear where the line between performer and character lies, but with this in mind, I wonder it acceptable to expect more of him? There is never a moment you slip into that mindset of totally believing in the character, being always aware of the actor behind the mask. I am drawn here… I very much suspect the award will go to Hugh Bonneville, but I am going to stick my neck out and cast my vote in the direction of Jack Whitehall.
Best TV Comedy Actress
I really would hate to be part of the committee (or however it works!) who have to make these decisions. These four are all excellent! I have already passed comment on Outnumbered, so will say nothing more than that Claire Skinner plays her character brilliantly. I am going to be a little contentious here; Miranda Hart is amazing, funny and a marvellous entertainer… but is she an actress? I have seen her on a few chat shows and, of course, her Comic Relief Fame Academy appearance and she does come across very much as the character she portrays. Even her role on the equally brilliant ‘Not Going Out’ seems simply an exaggerated form of the same character. So whilst in my mind she absolutely deserves her other nominations, I really do not think this is one for her (and my opinion was much the same when she won this category last year). I thought Tamsin Greig was great on Friday Night Dinner, she really could be any world-weary mother, trying desperately to hold on to their children, if only for one night of the week. By far, though, the runaway in this category absolutely has to be Dawn French. Her performance in Psychoville was outstanding. Working with a script so dark and deliberately unfunny leaves the onus on the performers and French did brilliantly at holding onto the comedy whilst showing the more sinister side to her character; she managed to perfectly balance both elements so that we were always slightly scared of what might come next whilst still seeing the funny behind it so she is my choice to win this one!
Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist
I know I have already said I have not been too into Shooting Stars, but I do love Dan Skinner. He cropped up on something a few days ago and I was trying to remember the first time I saw the character of Angelos, but I could not remember beyond that it must have been some four years or so ago (calculated using the cunning method of ‘where was I living?’, only slightly more reliable than ‘Ip-dip dogshit’) … does this constitute a breakthrough? More a chiselthrough, I’d have thought, but either way I approve. I did feel Tom Rosenthal was slightly over-shadowed in Friday Night, much as one would expect, I guess; he was great, but I do not know that I would call his appearance a breakthrough in any respect. By contrast, we have Micky Flanagan – who I did say (must have been in another blog, because it was about this time last year!) would be one to watch for this year; his career has certainly taken huge steps as I predicted (Yup… I am going to put myself up for the role as the new Psychic Sally since someone broke the last one!) Greg Davies, too, has had a highly productive couple of years. I do not understand the reasoning for his nomination coming off the back of Ask Rhod, though – his performance there was hardly breakthrough, but in terms of his career taking off, well this certainly seems to have been his year. I am torn, though. The term ‘breakthrough’ suggests a dramatic emergence and in that context, it really should be Micky Flanagan who wins since Greg has been digging away at it, gradually building to his current position – but having put in the hard slog, does that not make Greg more deserving? It’s another really close call, but I’m going to have to gun for Greg Davies on this one and if anyone asks me why, I shall simply answer “Because”.
Best Male Television Comic
I have already covered my opinions on Harry Hill here. I think that what he does now is certainly entertaining, but I wouldn’t necessarily rank it as comedy; at least not in the sense of the others on this list. I am desperately hoping we see a return to stand-up when he finally closes the door on Burp, though… he used to be amazing! Charlie Brooker is great; his dry, quick-fire wit works brilliantly on whatever show he happens to be. I have already chosen him to win another award, though, and were I in charge I certainly wouldn’t want to be giving him two, just in case it goes to his head! I am of course being flippant… mainly because having cleared the only entry on this selection I see as being superfluous I am left with three people I would very much like to see win. Rob Brydon is brilliant, highly entertaining and just naturally very funny. I always feel that he truly does bring out the best in his guests seeming to be genuinely interested in what they have to say even if inside he maybe isn’t. That said, however, I really want to see Stewart Lee win this award for his Comedy Vehicle. In my opinion, Lee always delivers so he absolutely deserves this prize for his efforts!
Best Female Television Comic
I have to admit, I hadn’t heard of Victoria Wood's Angina Monologues so cannot really comment on it. That does make it quite difficult to pick my potential winner, as I might be immediately passing over what is by far the best, but I have neither the time nor the inclination to head off on another Youtube jolly right now. And yes, I know, I harp on about lazy reviewing all the time, but you will I hope note the fact that I am not formally reviewing the show, I am quite honestly admitting to having not seen it. Jo Brand is always a great addition to any panel show, as is Sarah Millican. I find it strange that each are nominated for one particular show here rather than for their performance as a whole, but either way both are always funny, relevant and highly entertaining. I have to be honest, the last Red Nose Day is a complete blur to me, as much has happened since, but I find it odd that Miranda Hart is nominated on the basis of this appearance and not those she has made on panel or chat shows since; either way I would be tempted to declare her the winner of this category simply because I passed her over previously, but I am not a people-pleaser, I never have been, so much as it pains me I have to bypass her again and flip an imaginary coin for Sarah Millican or Jo Brand. I think I am going to fall on the side of Millican because she does give the heartiest belly laughs whatever show she may be on.
People's Choice for the King or Queen of Comedy
Nominees are:
David Mitchell
Jack Whitehall
Miranda Hart
Jo Brand
Graham Norton
Sarah Millican
I am not going to fully analyse this selection: partly because I do not think it would be ethical to do so; partly because it is the “people’s” choice and the people for the most part are idiotically unpredictable; mostly because I really do not care so much who wins this one. I know for whom I will be voting (should I choose to do so) and I have a suspicion as to who will win, but I shall leave it at that.
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