Loaded

Solid British comedy with many laugh-out-loud moments, this show started well and keeps getting better. How very British to see making lots of money as a natural source of problems and conflict. Reminiscent of classic Ealing comedies, with a superb cast and solid one episode cameos. Great to see Nigel Planner as the miserable old school teacher that one time, I wish Brit shows didn't have such short series runs. Please let there be a second season!

Adapted from an Israeli series - Loaded is the story of four friends who design a mobile game and become multi-millionaires. Released in the age of austerity it likely rankled with its wild depictions of spending excess but the real heart of the series is the relationship between the central four - it can be clunky but the chemistry between them is palpable and it's a series I've always been oddly fond of. It should also be said that even after three years the depiction of mobile gaming is very dated (NO MICRO TRANSACTIONS?!?) but the central themes of "selling out" and artistic vision are still quite relevant.

The real draw here for me is the rarely-seen Jonny Sweet as the hyper-nervy anxietylord Ewan. His comic timing is glorious and although he appears a fair amount on BBC radio you rarely get to see his magnificent visage. Additionally there's some great Brit comedy cameos. Underrated I'd say.

Four friends Josh, Leon, Watto and Ewan become loaded after selling their app game Cat Factory. They start spending their money in wild and crazy ways. Josh is their mild mannered leader obsessed with his ex. Leon is the aggressive one. Ewan is the often ignored co-founder. Watto is the mercurial one. Their new American boss Casey (Mary McCormack) arrives demanding changes.

This is essentially the British Silicon Valley. The difference is really the characters. I don't find these guys particularly loveable. At times, I find them infuriating especially Josh and Leon. At other times, I do find them cluelessly hilarious. The arrival of Casey does help to soften their edges. She's a good foil for them to gain some likeability. I grow to like them somewhat but the show is cancelled quickly after only one season.

* Nice settings and atmosphere * Interesting characters * sometimes too shallow * i assume it contains hidden "easter eggs" * all in all quite good

I get the premise. What happens when 20 somethings hit the jackpot with their business and sell it to a big corporation? I liked the different types of characters that play off each other. The party animal with little technical talent, the geeks, the oddball genius, etc.

Definitely a series that requires watching a few episodes to appreciate what they're trying to do with this setup.

The biggest problem is that none of the sub plots and story lines really go anywhere. None are delved in to deep enough to make them interesting, none of the character's back-stories are made compelling enough to care about them. You're left just watching these 4 likely-lads and their farcical antics.

There's also some rather glaring plot holes and stories that are started and cut short for seemingly no reason.

The series finishes with a half-baked story-line option for a 2nd series but I can't really see where it could go from there. Maybe spend more time with each character and have one good story-line rather than lots of half decent ones.

The casting is great, can't knock any of the actors. But I think this may not get a 2nd series.