Howard and Vince have moved yet again and now find themselves working alongside in Naboo's shop (the Nabootique). A simple job one would suspect but with characters like The Hitcher, a crack-addict fox, a load of punks and others, nothing is ever straight forward for Howard and Vince.
To my money season 2 of Boosh had not been the fresh and creative joy of season 1 even if I had still really enjoyed it. I was pointed to season 3 with the warning that it wasn't as good as previous seasons, so I was a bit wary at first. I needn't have worried though because it is actually very good. Of course I do need to be careful how I say that because those who just don't get the appeal of it will not find anything here to suddenly make them interested but certainly for fans it will hit the spot.
Some of the episodes do struggle a little bit with so many former characters in the mix but mainly they use them all very well by focusing on the offbeat creative humour that has always been the selling point of the show (in all its various incarnations on stage, radio and TV). The plots are as typically weird and wonderful as ever, with the high point being the horrific creation of the Crack Fox - not terribly different from Old Greg in terms of character but still very good. The songs seem a lot less important to the show than they did in season 1 but to be honest I don't miss them that much and those in season 3 are mostly quite unmemorable and not as entertaining as the dialogue driven bits. This is where the joy is for me, in particular the interplay of the weird characters - Vince and Howard are of course the best example of this but, as with season 2, I loved any scene with Saboo and Hamilton (if that is the right name - the pink head) playing off one another.
The cast all know the score and deliver the goods on the material. Of course Barratt and Fielding are the standouts in their main characters and I still love the way they play off one another, however they really shine in the many other characters they play. Fielding (Naboo) is wooden by comparison and, without a range, his material is a little weak and it is for the best that his presence is limited. Fulcher makes a welcome reappearance even if it is a little forced and Ayoade is a constant joy in his small role.
The Mighty Boosh has not jumped to the mainstream across its many incarnations and season three is not going to change that and will not win over those that just don't get it. What it does do though is deliver enough of what the fans are looking for with an air of freshness, wit and invention that is the series trademark.
