TV

Bob Servant – BBC4, BBC1 Scotland (Feb 2015/Dec 2014)

“One of the funniest series and one of the most touching and brilliantly observed double acts on television. It is a total joy to have Neil Forsyth’s glorious creation back. Bob is one of those magnificent comic characters that has been gently fermenting for years and developing in richness and maturity. He is a fantastic creation and this is a fabulous series.” – The Times

“This is a delightfully silly comedy, with a blustering star performance from Brian Cox. He manages to make Bob sympathetic no matter how deluded and bonkers he becomes.” – Radio Times

“Brian Cox gives his best comic performance to date. Watching him play the Broughty Ferry bampot, flouting local bye-laws with his cheeseburger van, is a delight. Well-written, well-acted and an all-round bit of all right.”  – The Daily Express

“The second series of one of Scotland’s finest comedies is a mouth-watering proposition. Beautifully written, perfectly acted it was a master class in how to squeeze real laughs out of viewers while still creating character and moving the story along. A gem of an episode, it felt like two hours not half an hour such was the treasure crammed in” – The Daily Record

“To transfer into sitcom Forsyth made the Dundonian fantasist a would-be politician. The writer has cleverly reinvented this bombastic lump of Eastern Scottish arrogance to make him more believable and more fragile. Frank is the Sancho Panza to Bob’s Don Quixote, the Rodney to his Del Boy, the Granville to his Arkwright.” – The Herald

For clips and more, see the Programme Page here. The episodes should be available online soon. Sign up for the newsletter to be told when.  

Set photos below, click on the images to see the larger version:

     
     

Bob Servant Independent – BBC4, BBC2 Scotland (Jan/Feb 2013)

Bob Servant Independent was the wonderful surprise of the week. A total joy from start to finish – original, sharp, superbly acted and gloriously funny. A little gem of a comedy, don’t miss it. ” – The Times

“Likeable and amusing…Cox is clearly having a whale of a time and his relish is infectious. An idiotic, roaring blow-hard, Servant is a welcome addition to our rich history of sitcom monsters. He may even do for Dundee what Alan Partridge did for Norwich. ” – The Scotsman

“As with Del Boy and Citizen Smith the comedy comes from the gap between the grand designs and the dreary reality. There’s a warmth, one that’s totally lacking in other sitcoms such as The Office and Extras. Cox is a magnificent actor. Every time Bob opens his mouth we see blind panic, how good an actor do you have to be to make it look like you’re making it all up? Bob gets my vote. ” – The Daily Express

“I found myself simultaneously thinking that it was all getting a bit silly and laughing at it at the same time. There's something joyfully inventive about Bob's foolishness too, a sideways skitter that keeps throwing up lines you couldn't quite have predicted. Hard to categorise, but the fact that it is is one of its pleasures. ” – The Independent

“This series has delivered an incredibly funny script, unforgettable one-liners, and Brian Cox (Bob) and Jonathan Watson (Frank) are an impeccable double act. Brilliant. ” – TV Times

For clips and more, see the Programme Page here and you can read my Guardian piece on the development process here.

Buy the DVD, with more extras than you can shake a stick at, right here.

Watch the episodes on Amazon Instant Video now.

Watch the episodes on Netflix.

Set photos below, click on the images to see the larger version: