Such Brave Girls

If it hadn't been for a brief iPlayer promo of this series after a tribute to Caroline Aherne I would never have known it even existed; it's as if the BBC likes to keep some of its best shows well hidden.

It starts off as warped, then progresses through some very black comedy into filth; sheer, utter filth, but very, very funny. At times it strays into territory that even The League of Gentlemen (or Something About Mary if you're American) might have shied away from, but the writing is so incredibly sharp and witty that it casts aside the usual boundaries with ease.

It wasn't until I looked them up on here that I discovered that one of the sisters (Kat Sadler) was actually the writer, with no previous acting credits at all. Then, stranger still, it would appear that Lizzie Davidson, who plays her sister Billie, has never previously featured in anything of any kind. Completing this wildly dysfunctional family is the rather desperate mum, wonderfully played by Louise Brealey, who somehow seems incredibly familiar to me, but not from in anything that I recognise.

Paul Bazely, as mum's prospective suitor Dev, seems one of those characters who you have seen pop up in minor roles for years, without ever really taking much notice. His character is a seriously creepy widower/divorcee/fraudster/murderer - who knows? With his odd lifestyle and strange behaviour, he is the one thread which remains loose and unexplained.

This is of of those very British comedies which could almost certainly never be shown in America, where exploding heads are fine, yet subjects such as abortion within the context of comedy are completely out of bounds. Also ruling out a US showing is the absence of a laughter track, which is thankfully absent here and would have killed it stone dead.

There are probably enough loose ends to make a second series if there was sufficient demand, but I feel it might be better to leave this as a true classic of a one-off (see also Bridget Christie's The Change). I feel that one thing we can be sure of though is that we certainly haven't heard the last of those involved.

I found this by chance and I found it weirdly compelling to watch it all. Absolutely loved it, I really need a season 2 as it left me with my questions than answers, I found the dynamics of the family played well of each other.

It felt very like dry humour, I am autistic so I think that's why I used the words weirdly, it felt very much like mother land sort of vibe like you New something would go wrong but you could help but watch it

I really liked it how ever, all the actors played their roles well and the writing was fantastic. I might watch season 1 again to understand it better.

Defo give the first two eps a try to make your mind up.

Such Brave Girls is definitely one of the best British comedies in recent years. The writing is strong and the performances hit the mark without fail. In some ways I felt I developed a morbid fascination with watching a slow motion car crash of a family dynamic, if that makes sense. It's pretty dark and deals with some fairly serious issues in a totally unsensational way, driven throughout by the sister's dysfunctional relationship with each other and with their mother. The only minor gripe I had was that sometimes the (almost) constant abuse Josie receives verges on the gratuitously cruel and that is walking a fine line. However, the series overall is a gem and the best thing I've watched in quite some time.

Such Brave Girls is a return to the best of British comedy. With clear inspiration from Peep Show and The Inbetweeners, it is fresh, dark, clever, and hysterical from start to finish. Every character is unique, weird, and hilarious - I have genuinely never seen a show where each character adds so much value like Such Brave Girls. The sisterly love/hate between Billie and Josie is relatable and loveable, and every other line is quotable.

I have not laughed at a show like I did for SBG in about 5 years. Got my girlfriend, her housemates, my family, even my grandparents watching this and every single person has LOVED it. You will be in hysterics!!

This script is incredibly sharp, with very few wasted words or predictable lines. The dialogue seems to go from one ridiculous and funny line to the next. And there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments in every episode, usually when somebody says something in an unusual way. I particularly enjoyed the absence of any moralising. There is a whole spectrum of opinions on things like mental health, and this comedy lampoons them all. It is more interested in the absurdity of human nature, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

All the genuinely funny sitcoms seem to be created by women these days (Sharon Horgan, Alma, Miranda, Roisin Conaty etc). I don't know if it's because the BBC and Channel 4 have stopped commissioning any men with original ideas, or if the men just prefer to do the inane banter on panel shows. Such Brave Girls was written by Kat Sadler, who also plays the central part of Josie. Her acting is equally as subtle as her writing. The mum is played by the excellent Louise Brealey, who also played the funniest character in "Back". Lizzie Davidson plays the part of Billie, a feisty sister who is the opposite of Josie in every way imaginable. The scenes largely involve the three "girls" plotting to either attract or reject three totally unsuitable men. I really hope there is a second series, as these girls haven't yet resolved any of their issues (and, of course, they never will).