The Smoking Room

This show is just what witty dialog should be. If you don't have a attention span then you probably wouldn't like it, but if you can really listen, it will have you in stitches. It's just so funny because it's what someone would really say without trying to be funny. There's no real plot, its just hilarious people who are very relate-able in a setting that's very relate-able. You can really get to like the characters after a while with a lot of running gags. The punchline at the end of the first episode is pure gold. Why can't there be more shows like this, i mean Clint is one of the funniest characters ever. Just good actors and great lines in very down to earth situations.

I missed this program when it first appeared on BBC 3 around two years ago. The BBC, and the UK in general have produced some dreadful "sit-coms" of late, so when I seen advertised what looked like a hybrid of The Office and The Royle Family I gave it a miss. That's not particularly true though. It's like The Office only in the fact it's set in an office and like the Royle family only because it's set entirely in real time. Few will agree but I think it's much better than both.

If I were to compare it to other sit-coms I'd say Friends crossed with Daria( MTV cartoon, very cynical.) I think you have to watch quite a few episodes to get the feel of it. Initially they all seem quite ordinary and not especially likable characters. Over the course of the series though you realise the cause of all their irritating habits. Annie is irritating and irritable because she is massively self-deluded about her life being a success. Lilan initially seems desperate but you later realise it's because she's starved of attention. Janet appears prissy and stern but she's seems to be trying to shed that image by socializing with the smokers( even though she doesn't smoke) in nearly every episode. I could go on with the other characters but they'd definitely be spoilers.

It's now half way through the second series and we now have a very well developed set of characters, excellent writing( just look at some of the quotes on this site) and brilliant actors and actresses. The sort-of-main character( he's on screen from beginning to end of every episode unlike any other character) is played excellently by Robert Webb. He seems to get bleaker every episode. Robin is clearly more intelligent than everyone else around him, but prefers to make snide( and hilarious) comments about others stupidity than do anything with his own life. It's an excellent character as it's one which is common in real life. This is true of the rest of the cast and show in general. It's strange but not a contrived way. It's the genuine oddness and humour you can find in the real world, though obviously compacted into a shorter space of time. It doesn't get bogged down in the dull realness of The Royle Family either though. Nor is it as ridiculous and pained as The Office or Friends often were.

It's probably fair to say that The Smoking Room has stolen ideas and inspiration from other sit-coms. But unlike many others it stole the best parts. A good example is the sit-com device. How many sit-coms have never seen characters, love triangles or a will they, won't they relationship? A lot, and they all have the same outcome. The Smoking Room uses a much better, though already used one,; The never directly mentioned, long running storyline. It actually makes people think a bit more about what their watching and makes people notice jokes they may otherwise have missed. The only other example I can think of was in Daria. It's a difficult thing to do correctly, it can just look blatant and stupid. The strength of the writing and acting though hold it together excellently, like the show itself. Forget Little Britain or anything Peter Kay's in: This is the best British comedy around by some distance.

This is an excellent Show but what the hell is it with this 'The Office' fixation that so many reviewers have? it is nothing like 'The Office' except for the fact that there is probably one around. Is 'Dad's Army' like 'Mash' like 'Green Wing' 'cos they share a military kind a thing and a medical kinda thing? This like that cos it's about life. If one must compare shows do it for more than something superficial. Otherwise judge on the shows merits, of which getting to the point SR has may. brilliant well observed writing, brilliant well observed acting, brilliant well observed direction, to say nothing of props, lights, SFX, casting and subliminal mind control.

The Smoking Room (TSM) is only ever compared with The Office because both are set in workplaces! Where TSM differs is that the daily grind of worklife does not drive the story.

In TSM, office discussions are banned. Our regular set of smokers skive off their working day and discuss biscuits, holidays, Eskimos, crosswords, and any number of other topics. Characters wander in and out of the room, and leave their day job outside.

It's part of the joy of the series to try to piece together what the characters do: Annie and Sally are graphic designers; it's clearly a major company with several different branches. Occasional glimpses of the outside world are provided: a vitally important Japanese client visits, and is in need of a cigarette. No lighter or matches can be found. The tension rises as the regulars try to keep their VIP happy, and she demonstrates her dislike of all things British (notably Penguin bars and Jim Bowen's gameshow Bullseye).

There are plenty of asides regarding unseen characters (Lil's friend Tess Pownall is described as having a chest like "a pair of wizened yams"), plenty of huge laughs, scathing one-liners, running jokes, and some great ongoing stories. The story of Ben from the post room, hints about a past relationship for Sharon the non-smiling boss, Janet's desperation to be included leading her to a not-necessarily happy ending ... two series and a Christmas special have been made, and I can only hope for a third. The second series ends with a number of colossal cliffhangers: the characters are so believable and their situation so genuine that I can't wait to see them again.

The Smoking Room is one of the simplest set ups I have ever seen for a show. All episodes have been set in a single room (with the odd exception of a shot outside the room)but to be honest I think this is a great strength.

To set up is simple, as mentioned above a Smoking Room in a workplace that is frequented by a select group of workers who's conversations and interactions go from normal to simply strange.

A run down of the regular cast is ...Theres Len the foul mouthed Security guard, Sally and Annie the best friends (or at least as far Annie is concerned), Barry who just cant handle the crossword, Heidi the woman so boring no one noticed she was on Maternity Leave, Lilian the 40 something divorcée who is rediscovering her youth, Sharon the Boss who is as mad as her employees, Clint the handyman who just isn't very handy, Robin the not very good closet gay man, Gordon who is just odd and my personal favourite Janet who is the bosses long suffering PA.

My favourite thing about this show is its so deadpan. It has not been written for laughs and this makes it all the more funny. The cast is top notch and everyone fits together like a jigsaw.

As mentioned above my favourite Character is Janet, played by the wonderful Selina Griffiths who is just fantastic and steals every scene she is in, having been in a similar job position myself, I cant believe how similar we seem, funny in one respect, quite scary in another.

Anyone who hasn't seen this show, it is repeated all the time on Digital TV or you could go and buy the DVD, series one is out now and Series 2 will be out 16th October.

So to sum up, THE SMOKING ROOM, SMOKING HOT! 10/10