The Wrong Mans

James Corden and Mathew Baynton star and also co-wrote what can be best be described as a comedy action series.

They play in The Wrong Mans, Phil Bourne and Sam Pinkett. Office workers for Berkshire County Council although Corden is not a council employee he just works in the mail room.

Their lives are turned upside down when Sam (Baynton) answers a mobile phone left lying around after a car accident.

It might be case of mistaken identity but soon they are mixed up in a kidnapping, there are people out to kill them, corruption, nefarious spies. While all the time our hapless duo try to escape from increasingly bizarre situations against the odds.

It would be wrong to call this series a sitcom as this is far away from a sofa in a living room you can get.

Explosions, people being chased through country roads, dropping from the higher floors of car parks this is a topsy turvy show.

Baynton is perfect in the lead role an innocent goaded at work by office politics who just wants to do the right thing and has bitten off a bit too much.

Corden who is a fine dramatic thespian in my opinion can be overbearing when it comes to comedy, but tones his performance down enough as the more adrenaline fuelled one who is prone to taking risks.

The first series was successful enough and seemed to have tied up its plot lines nicely but a second series has been commissioned by the BBC.

Just as it says in the title. Fast paced craziness with an action thriller theme.

Most television or movie comedies are not funny. Fact. You may disagree but how many comedies actually give you the physical reaction of laughter?

Don't misunderstand me, a comedy can be good without actually provoking a laugh. 'Friends', for example was quite good, but laugh out loud funny? Not very often. Like I said, most simply arnt funny, they should be called nicities, or quitegoodities.

Any televisual or movie media should aim for the high watermark of provoking a physical reaction. Horror should make you wince, cower, look away, think. Action should raise your heart rate and get you on your feet. Drama should make you cry or talking. And comedy. Comedy should make you laugh out loud.

The Wrong Mans is the first new comedy for ages that has made me do this. Its genuinely funny. It has characters who I like and care about in absurd situations. It has 2 stand out central performances and has obviously been written by 2 people who know what they are doing and have been given free range to go and do it.

I think it's brilliant. Not 'Father Ted' brilliant, but still brilliant.

From the very first frame of this clever Hitchcockian comedy/thriller you will be glued to the screen wondering how the two leads are going to escape the situations they find themselves in. Time after time, inventive, funny and dangerous escape plans are hatched and executed with a cleverness we haven't seen on TV for a long time.

There are so many moments in the series were it delves into the cliché and tired tropes of thrillers, yet takes them and twists them in clever and unexpected ways which makes it so much fun to watch.

Episodes three and five are stand outs and it's one of those series where you just want to watch the next episode immediately. The production values are great and the acting in general is good.

My only complaints are: 1. I'd like to have seen the love interest developed a little smoother and 2. The last episode does fall into those tired and cliché tropes of movies in general. It feels lazy in comparison to all the cleverness that has led up to the ending, but the journey as a whole is still extremely satisfying and ultimately a blast to watch. Totally recommended.

The Wrong Mans is a TV series that I didn't hear anything about until I saw it advertised a week or so before it aired. It looked like a decent show and I liked James Corden in Gavin & Stacey so I decided to give it a go. As the weeks went on the series just got better and better and it turned out to be very good.

Sam (Matthew Baynton) and Phil (James Corden) are the case of a mistaken identity following a phone call that was not intended for them. They are thrown into some quite bizarre situations. They are always on the run for one thing or another and they are just two innocent guys. The action is quite fast paced and each episode ended on a cliff hanger and you just wanted to see what would happen next.

The action was all sorts such as car chases and being taken hostage. When one thing is sorted out, something worse happens. The drama is really good and you really feel for the main characters. The acting all round is impressive. Then there was also the humour side of things, each episode had its moments. It wasn't the funniest series I've ever seen but it had just enough to give the series a different side. Silly humour in a completely serious situation, like debating how Ginsters is pronounced while there is somebody chasing you who wants to kill you.

The way it ended made me think it was all over but since it has already been confirmed that there will be a 2nd series I am really looking forward to seeing what will happen next. Hopefully it won't go downhill from here because the 1st series was extremely impressive.

9/10.