Hugely Indulgent and Often Awry

owlinabowl

In recent years, Channel 4 and the BBC have been engaged in a highly resourceful and relentless comedy sparring match to see who can produce the most eye-catching and consistently funny programs on terrestrial TV. The Beeb has always been confident as it has classic comedy staples such as Have I Got News... and ...Buzzcocks to fall back on. Channel 4 made the opening bid with the superbly funny and very stylish Teachers and Spaced. The BBC then scored massively with Little Britain and The Office and looked set to dominate, yet C4 retaliated with a litany of short-lifespan masterpieces such as Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, Spoons and The IT Crowd (all of which are sorely missed) as well as their larger budget gamble: The superb Green Wing, which preceded to sweep the BAFTAs as well as the nation off its feet.

So, the balls in the Beebs court, so to speak. What do they do? They pinch two of Channel 4 more low-key stars, Julian Barrat and Noel fielding - both staples of one of C4s more impenetrable misfires, the relentlessly uncompromising yet often morbidly hilarious Nathan Barley - and commission them to go free reign on a sitcom than happily allows them to indulge in their 'wildest fantasies'.

At times bizarre, absurdist and often deliberately sloppy and poorly directed\edited, 'The Mighty Boosh' is a intriguing concept. It takes two clearly intelligent and well-educated comedians and attempts to streamline the surreal trivialities of a far-reaching sketch show and condense them into a sitcom. Yet despite the colour and visual flair and enthusiasm its a proposition that just doesn't quite work due to its own sanitised notion of self-disposition.

Essentially, 'The Mighty Boosh' is so ruthlessly determined to be weird and surreal that it comes across as contrived and formulaic owing to its inability to be self-critical. And yet this lack of discipline (particulary in the set-design, layout and presentation of the show) never feels like its adding to the comedy in a particularly relevant way given that the concept of the program doesn't necessitate it. Unlike the aforementioned '...Darkplace', which depended on it and was subsequently brilliant.

Hugely smug and, especially in the second season, very pleased with itself owing to its roller-coaster success. 'The Mighty Boosh' is a textbook example of comedy faltering owing to its need to focus on its target, yet that target by default being unfocused due to its unstable basis. A similar problem was seen in 'Big Train' (which was nonetheless slightly easier to digest thanks to its sketch show format) and can be found in American programs such as 'Robot Chicken' and the later episodes of 'Family Guy'. If you want a example of where a surreal sitcom really works, check out Dylan Moran's hugely entertaining 'Black Books'. In the meantime, give 'The Mighty Boosh' a look-in but don't be surprised if you come out feeling bored and over-stretched.

score 4/10

owlinabowl 15 January 2007

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1573265/