"The Kumars at No. 42" (2001) TV series 2001-2006

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Creators:

Sanjeev Bhaskar
Richard Pinto
Sharat Sardana

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Release Date:

12 November 2001 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Talk-Show

Plot:

Sanjeev Kumar is an aspiring chat-show host. He has celebrity guests round to his house (no. 42) to talk to them...

Plot Keywords:

British Asian | Actor Shares First Name With Character | Character Name In Title

Awards:

5 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Sanjeev Bhaskar	...	Sanjeev Kumar (53 episodes, 2001-2006)
Meera Syal	...	Sushil 'Ummi' Kumar (53 episodes, 2001-2006)
Vincent Ebrahim	...	Ashwin Kumar (53 episodes, 2001-2006)
Indira Joshi	...	Madhuri Kumar (53 episodes, 2001-2006)

Runtime:

30 min (53 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Hat Trick Productions

Trivia:

Sanjeev Bhaskar says he used 42 for the show's house number because he was heavily influenced by Douglas Adams's radio series "The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" when he was growing up.

Quotes:

Sushil Kumar: [to David Hasselhoff about Bay Watch] There were lots of characters on that show with plastic breasts.
Sushil Kumar: Not to mention the women.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Top Gear: (2003-12-07)" (2003)

A Witty Alternative to the Usual Same-old Same-old

Reruns of this show just started playing in the US on BBC America and I think this show is a hoot to watch. Half the show is a send-up of British middle-class values, and the fact that the family is also Indian is treated so matter-of-factly that it doesn't seem exceptional at all. It's an interesting illustration of how western and eastern cultural mores can co-exist. Furthermore, the non-sequitor type questions asked by the Kumar family members reveal how our interest in celebrities is partly a self-absorbed wish to see ourselves reflected back. However, the primary thing about this show is that it's witty and entertaining.

I especially like that the celebrity guests aren't the sole focus. The show's unusual format seems to draw a genuine and candid reaction from the guests, most of whom are bemused but are clearly willing to join into the spirit of the show. This tells us more about who they are than all those canned anecdotes one hears on the typical late night talk shows.