"Oh, the horror".

There is an article in today's Guardian about 'Roger and Val' - with a precis on similar comedy scenarios where British couples inhabit dead space and nothing ever happens - I think it's a very home grown comedy device. I've seen bits of R&V, I can't abide Dawn French but Alfred Molina is exceptional. Despite the fact that nothing is supposed to happen I find it a bit busy - although as many of the comments on the article point out - there is an air of danger under the surface that potentially hides something very, very wrong - with unspoken  suggestions of a dead child scattered about. I hope so - it has nowhere else to go.

The Guardian article has a selection of clips of other similar comedy/drama couplings - interesting, but where would we be without Youtube. In fact, it's annoying that the article itself is very brief - not well written and comes to no conclusions - if it wasn't for the embedded clips it would hardly have been worth publishing.

Last night I watched the Amstell Vehicle - "Grandma's House" - I know the BBC adore him, it's pretty clear from the fact that anyone with any balls would have suggested that it would be just a bit better if he wasn't actually in it. I know it was his idea, and he co-wrote it... but still.

The cast are superb, Samantha Spiro in particular is genius, the script is bloody great and the claustraphobic air of rising hysteria, horror and frustration is very well observed - I think we've all been there - the only real weakness is Simon Amstell himself - he's totally wrong, can't act, can't actually communicate any emotion - facial expressions or physical presence. It's like the final run-through with just a prompt in his place. I'm not saying we need a gurning, gesturing 'act-or' in the roll - but something vaguely human and sentient, in a real household he would have been ignored - he has no presence whatsoever and is quite literally the 'elephant in the room'. The big problem is that he's supposed to be a successful TV presenter..... really.

I hope it (he) improves - there were several points last night where the tension was so great I nearly had to turn over - until Amstell came along and flatlined it again - making it OK for me to keep watching.

By the way - I've always wanted to know - when you have brackets, does the full stop come inside or outside... It really bothers me and causes much anguish.

- like (this.)

- or like (this).