Tittybangbang

BBC three released two comedy sketch shows within two months. One was rotten, but TBB was a gem. When TBB started being advertised I was of course very reserved in my enthusiasm, little Britain is a hard act to follow...

TBB really is unique and brilliant for many reasons. The editing couldn't be better, the choice of music is inspired, just look at the use of Divine comedy's national express as the entertainers theme. Then at the start of Peacocks scene you can hear the music coming up through the floor of his apartment!

So many funny characters, I am very hopeful for a second series.

I was really excited about this show when it first aired last year as the trailers looked fab, and then I have to admit I was initially disappointed.. However, the originality of the characters, and quality of Lucy Montgomery's performance in particular, won me over. I was thrilled to see the new series advertised as I was not expecting the show back. I am glad to see the swinging rabbit sketch has disappeared though - very tasteless and not in the least funny. I love Maxine - you can't help but feel so sorry for her, and the Tom Cruise sketch is pure class. Overall, a fresh and funny selection box of caricatures. I love it!

*sigh*

A new year and the promise of BBC3 shoving yet another over-hyped and under-written comedy down the nation's collective throats is already enough to make me seriously consider not making it to midnight.

If the utterly hateful trailer was not enough to make you despise this rubbish then I'm delighted to say that I'm sure the pilot will be more than adequate (though it's not really a pilot the series will be airing regardless of whether anyone watched the pilot).

This series manages to bring together much of what is wrong with British comedy today. It offers a subtle blend of unfunny catchphrases, unchallenging and dull 'adult' content (that TV producers seem to think is hilarious) and endless mugging to weak jokes and a script that could have stood to have been re-written seven or eight times and should probably still not have been made.

• Lesbian Lion Tamers

• Necrophilliac morticians

• Exhibitionnist cleaners

Basically this is comedy that is all about marketing and viral spreading of catchphrases and ultimately not about good writing and good characters. In this respect it's quite typical of BBC3's output. Because the writers lack the skill required to put together a good line of comedy there's a tendency to systematically go for the shock... to reach for some sexual or "dark" angle that is essentially used to mask the inherently weak nature of the comedy. The problem is that A) this requires all the comedy skill of children shouting "Poopoo" and B) it doesn't fool anyone because it's not particularly shocking anyway because this tactic has been so over-used by weak comedy writers that it no longer has any effect.

Expect it to be hyped so heavily that it will become inescapable like Big Brother and Catherine Tate.

Hateful.

With the quick-fire sketch show format of "The Fast Show" (1994), the risqué crudity of "The Catherine Tate Show" (2004), and the random absurdity of "Little Britain" (2003), clearly BBC3 were convinced they were onto a winner with this new all-female production.

Except, er, somewhere someone forgot to put the jokes in. Painfully unfunny, so far the programme has desperately relied on the repetition of catchphrases which weren't amusing in the first place. Maybe the quality will improve as the series progresses, but at the moment I'm not sure I've got the will to stick with it.

Some of the characters may have potential, and there were occasional flashes of inspiration; however these were more often due to skillful camera-work and editing of the scenes than any dialogue in the actual sketch that was taking place. Overall, if for some reason you crave an all-female sketch show, stick with "Smack the Pony" (1999); this was very weak indeed.

I feel the above comments are overly harsh, there are some genuinely funny sketch's present in both series ie the Darts women, the Geordy girls,women/man as the fisher woman, the pee man, the seepage woman, need I go on?!. O.k there are bits that craze you, but that happens in most comic series. The above comments should not be used as a definitive guide to the program as they are judging comedy on the BBC to that of live, or pioneering material. Its a comedy show on the BBC it is meant to appeal to a wide audience and that may compromise its originality, but compared to the comedy out there at the moment i.e Katherine Tate and two pints of lager its good! Watch it and judge for yourselves!!