User reviews

I'm a huge Matt Berry fan anyway but I loved this show, very funny with great characters and all set up for a second season until channel 4 pulled the plug on it. I think this could be one of those series that people didn't really know existed but wouldn't be disappointed once they stumbled across it.

I laughed so much watching this off beat comedy and what they did with the John Merrick (Elephant Man) character was hilarious.

I'll just have to watch it again.

Like Marmite, you will either enjoy this or you'll hate it. It's not perfect. I have watched the first three episodes. It works well as a parody of historical crime dramas, it is surreal and has a good sense of camp. The writing has a wonderful turn of phrase. It is definitely not everyone's jar of London fog, but it's worth a look.

This ribald romp has the reassuring benefit of a terrific cast who know what they are doing. Matt Berry is at the helm and it is very difficult to imagine anyone else in the role of "high functioning fried breakfast" Inspector Rabbitt. Susan Wokoma and Freddie Fox as Rabbitt's police colleagues are wonderful, as is Alun Armstrong as their Guv'nor and Mabel's Dad.

I would love to see much more of David Dawson's fantastically arch Elephant Man and the sublime Ann Mitchell (of blessed 1980's Widows memory).

People who are unable to cope with the odd rude word (ok, lots of rude words) should perhaps look elsewhere.

I do hope Year of the Rabbitt will be recommissioned by Channel 4 and that it will not suffer the fate of BBC Victorian medical comedy Quacks, which was inexplicably pulled after only one series.

I just binge watched all 6 episodes- and loved it! Humour is subjective- and although there is lots of swearing, it didn't bother me. It was funny enough to carry it. Matt Berry is terrific as always- but everyone involved was good. It was like Bluestone 42 was sent back in time to Jack the Rippers London. Hope it's not too long until their next series and their mission from Queen Victoria. :)

I'm obsessed. This show has been on my queue for a while and I don't like watching things with one season because if I enjoy them, I'm devastated when they aren't or haven't been renewed. But this show and it's full cast of characters was absolutely brilliant! The stories worked well and the humor was there. It is rare that I write these review unless something is TERRIBLE or ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC. This was the latter, it's understandable that Covid cut network budgets but honestly this is one of those shows I would sign each and every petition for because it worked on so many levels. Everyone's performance had me on the floor. I am just going to watch it on an endless loop until Britbox, Hulu or any steamer renews it.

Detective Inspector Eli Rabbit is a policeman in Victorian era London. He's a hard-bitten, tough-as-nails veteran whose seen just about everything. He's given a new partner, a young, inexperienced and naïve Sergeant, Wilbur Strauss. Together they investigate crimes, often in the sleaziest parts of the city.

I watched this because it stars Matt Berry (The IT Crowd, What We Do In The Shadows, Toast of London, amongst others) as Rabbit. He is well cast for the role and puts in a decent performance and the episodes are reasonably funny. The Victorian setting contrasted with some modern vernacular and sensibilities makes for some great gags.

Berry is upstaged, however, by Susan Wokoma as Mabel Wisbech: she has the best lines and delivers them perfectly.

However, while good the show is not brilliant, lacking that special something to make it so.

Dan of most of Matt Berry's other stuff, wasn't 100% sure about Year of The Rabbit after the first episode, but cracked on with the second, then third and then the rest. Loved it. Different type of character played by Berry in this to his usual pompous type but very believable and interesting. All other cast are well suited and it just seems to work very well indeed. 100% recommended.

Clever writing, intelligent use of language (obscure, period based and obscenities) are all timed and delivered beautifully. Great acting, uniquely scripted and very well casted. All the characters are perfectly chosen for their roles and do it so very well. I can only think those who don't like this show obviously do not appreciate Matt Berry humour. Loved him in IT Crowd, he was awesome in Action Team and in this one he really shines.

I cannot wait for more of this series. Deserves Nine Stars, Year of the Rabbit is a return to clever British comedy that keeps you engaged with every episode.

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. If you like Matt Berry you will love this

Not many things make the hubby laugh out loud but this did. Loved all 3 characters. John Merrick was hilarious. Hope there's a series 2

Overall a great romp. i don't care the head of police has a black daughter... cause everything is absurd, in a good way. disjointed premise is fine by me, but it breaks the (good) absurdity with "lessons" of racism. funny when mabel gives a beating w/ the very thick bicycle chain. but more of the subject turns a perfectly good farce into a dreadful "vehicle" on racism. i don't want any of that.

If you love Matt Berry you'll love this show, he's his usual funny and charming self. other than that there is nothing there but the standard recent UK tv tropes.

This was much more entertaining than I thought it would be. Could be a hit.

The Year or the Rabbit is splendidly written! Character development is outstanding and I'm surprised constantly by the quality of the production! Staging any period drama is an achievement but doing it so well in a way that makes it so believable you can just sit back and enjoy the hilarious comedy is hard to understand how they achieved it.

The cast is outstanding and the comedic acting is exceptionally on-point! Matt Berry plays everyone's favourite character of 'Matt Berry' and is perfection as always. The rest of the cast play at keeping up with his wit and timing and they all do it exceptionally well.

British Comedy is having a major revival in my personal opinion and this is definitely headlining the comeback!

In this comedy police procedure set in late Victorian times, Matt Berry leads a team of police into a series of unlikely adventures. The plots are silly, but the dialogue, characters and meta-jokes are great.

With this and "What we Do in the Shadows", Matt Berry is finally getting the recognition he deserves. The only thing I miss is that Berry isn't allowed to use his usual bass voice, a voice so fruity he speaks in pomegranates. For that, I suggest listening to his demented BBC radio show "I, Regress".

Brilliant concept and characters, I cannot get enough of it.

Matt Berry plays the same character in everything he does, but damn does he play that character well. But compared to alot of other Matt Berry characters, I found Rabbit much less funny. And the characters around Rabbit add very little.

The premise of a Victorian era cop with some anachronistic stuff thrown in and a conspiracy that fit together rather nicely has promise. But ultimately, it just wasn't funny enough. Too many gags land flat. While the side characters all have their own little bit of wackiness, none really deliver humor. The show needed more.

Ultimately, I can't recommend it. It needed 20% more...something.

An unexpected treat. Everything about this series works extremely well. The humour, the writing, the acting, background music, the setting, the incorporation of modern references etc are all great. We binged watched the entire series and loved it. Hope they make more.

It's a shame "Year of the Rabbit" has only two male writers. It may have historical relevance but it makes the serious sadly misogynistic 😢 Female writers are needed for a female perspective, if that matters?

I'm glad I stuck with it - Episode Three and the swearing suddenly slowed down. What a relief from such lazy reaching for laughs. This is the episode where Merrick teaches posh cop how to be cocker-ney - what a turn, guv! With a gang leader who likes to lean towards a more modern accent and an era where (apparently) Kerplunk has been invented, let's not forget this is a parody - and enjoy the ride.

Ann Mitchell is fabulous, how she reins it in I don't know, and anyone who watched her in Widows will find that makes her all the more enjoyable on this role. I hope she had a grin doing it. Fingers crossed for Episode 4 and etc.

Matt Berry, Alan Armstrong, Paul Kaye Jill Halfpenny Sally Phillips and Keely Hawes some of the countries finest acting talent so what can go wrong? Well nothing really, set against the backdrop of the Victorian Eastend of London. Berry is in fine form as the no nonsense detective who gets results his way. Assisted by Freddie Fox and Susan Wokoma they set about solving the Murders brutal crimes with hilarious one liners. There is more than a passing resemblance to Charlie Brookers Touch of cloth and earlier classics like Police Squad. Overall this is well made well acted piece of costume drama comedy 8/10

I don't understand why anyone would find this funny or even vaguely amusing. I watched the first two and a half episodes in the hope that it would become better, but it became obvious that it just wasn't my cup of tea. To those of you who enjoyed it then kudos to you, but this was a complete waste of talent and seemed to be written by a group of 11 year olds. "Let's put Matt Berry in a historical comedy again, but make him swear more!" is not the secret of comedy gold. I love Matt Berry in almost everything he's been in, but he desperately needs a new agent if this is anything to go by.

Got a good balance of sleuthing, modern battle of prejudice (like any and all) and off the wall humour. Love it and shall continue to watch and giggle.