School of Comedy

It seems that people are knocking this show a little too harshly, and not appreciating it's light-hearted and fun nature. The gimmick of seeing kids act as adults is nothing new - ( Remember the 1976 movie Bugsy Malone?), but with seeing a talented cast deliver comedy sketches, the producers have definitely come up with something fresh and fun. All the performers are good, but special mention must go to Will Poulter, Max Brown, Beth Rylance, and Ella and Lilly Ainsworth, who really are top notch. Overall, as with a lot of sketch shows, there are hits and misses, but I found there to be more hits in this than in a host of other so-called comedy sketch shows currently airing. The wonderful spoofs of 1940's Noel Coward plays, but with added gayness are hilarious, as are the Saffa's, and the Polish workers taking advantage of the stupid English. I also love the Museum Perv, the therapy sessions, and the various music spoofs, when the cast launch into miming a popular song, whose lyrics match the nature of the sketch. All in all, a good series, which deserves a better response than most appear to have given it on this site.

Unfortunately E4 have a habit of pimping out shows that turn out to be awful. We've had the 'School of Comedy' all but forced down our throats for the past few weeks in the form of adverts, text within other programs, and the promise that we're going to wet ourselves laughing at children acting like adults.

Unfortunately it failed to deliver. It's a good concept if the thought of children acting like grown ups is enough to make you go into fits of laughter, but if you're expecting anything deeper you'll be disappointed. The child actors are not to be faulted in the slightest, there's some very promising performances from them, especially given they work through different accents and characters quite seamlessly. The writers appear to think that we'll simply be bowled over by children swearing, and don't bother to try and include any deeper reaching comedy; a shame since it seems these children are quite capable of it.

In short, very impressive acting from such a young cast, ultimately let down by poor and very lazy writing. Here's to hoping they buck up their ideas, or that these endearing children get a chance to go on and star in something decent.

I was dubious about the idea behind this show, and at times am still uncomfortable about gaining laughs from children swearing, whether they are behaving as adults or not. Of course they know all of the words but that doesn't mean using them is right. Fortunately the best sketches so far are the ones without any swearing - with the sole exception of the farmer sketch for episode 1 which depended on it for the punchline.

I agree however that some of the sketches just aren't funny, and yet it has little to do with the performances of the child actors. Will is very good and I'm looking forward to seeing him as Eustace in the next Narnia film.

When the writing is good it is very good. The Job Interview sketch from episode 2 with the names confusion was classic two-handed comedy. But too many fail to deliver clear comedic content and should have been rejected. Better to have made a shorter series with premium content instead of thinning out the laughs with weaker material. Perhaps those with recurring characters will become funnier as they develop over time, but so far the Pub Landlady has failed to impress.

I will continue to watch in the hope that it delivers on the potential that I believe is in the show.

5.3 is not a truly reflective score for this show. Available on 4od.com, I return to it quite often to cheer me up. Complaints about the writing or the concept of kids doing adult humour fall flat on the ground with me. The true concept is that here we have young teenagers developing enough of an understanding about adult life and using their comedic talents to poke fun at it. As for the writing, it is subjective to British life. That said, the viewer needs to overcome the fact that it is being delivered by children, albeit teenagers. When you can appreciate both points, teens making fun of adults with adult based humour, then you are in for a treat. The French taxi passenger who finds football boring and prefers opera and small boys, the estate agent reluctant to show the last room and the (sublime) sketches of the two immigrant South African security guards. Even the thought that teenagers can make fun of these tickles but to see it enacted, and so well, is hugely enjoyable.

Didn't expect much from this but it's brilliant. The kids really pull off the comedy. Definitely give this a try if you like a laugh