"The Armando Iannucci Shows" (2001) TV series

Directors:

David Schneider
Sarah Smith

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

30 August 2001 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Cast

Armando Iannucci	...	Himself (8 episodes, 2001)
Tracey Saunders	...	Newly Weds (5 episodes, 2001)
Nigel Lindsay	...	Various (5 episodes, 2001)
David Schaal		(4 episodes, 2001)
Richard Angol		(3 episodes, 2001)
Darren Higham		(3 episodes, 2001)
Niven Boyd		(3 episodes, 2001)
Marian Diamond		(3 episodes, 2001)
Carol Harvey		(3 episodes, 2001)
Paul Ridley		(3 episodes, 2001)
Martin Ball		(2 episodes, 2001)
Amanda Dickinson		(2 episodes, 2001)
Rakie Ayola		(2 episodes, 2001)
John Biggins		(2 episodes, 2001)
Di Botcher		(2 episodes, 2001)
Helen Coker		(2 episodes, 2001)
Callum Dixon		(2 episodes, 2001)
Richard Dixon		(2 episodes, 2001)
Mark Farrell		(2 episodes, 2001)
Sky Glover		(2 episodes, 2001)
Jeff Harding		(2 episodes, 2001)
Brian Hibbard		(2 episodes, 2001)
Dele Johnson		(2 episodes, 2001)
Ivan Kaye		(2 episodes, 2001)
Robert Portal		(2 episodes, 2001)
James Smith		(2 episodes, 2001)
Colin Stinton		(2 episodes, 2001)
Ben Thornton		(2 episodes, 2001)

Runtime:

UK:26 min (8 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

TalkBack Productions

diminishing returns, but still quality

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

It seems as though this series passed under the radar of just about everyone in the country when it was released five years ago. I loved this at the time - it was fantastically inventive and full of wonderfully surreal notions. I particularly liked the "Dead of Scotland" sketch where the Scottish dead have their own area of Heaven. The East End thug threatening the washing machine is great. But I just watched the DVD last night, which is the first time I've seen it in five years, and it doesn't seem quite as good anymore. Too many sketches seemed flat. "We're good at telly" and the drivel-talking barber quickly become annoying. Having said that, I am very picky when it comes to comedy and Armando Iannucci is one of the few people who can consistently raise the bar - the terrific "In the thick of it" is proof of this. Give this one a go. It's patchy, but it's streets ahead of most other stuff.