Coming of Age

OK, I'm an American (Anglophile) with some good taste. I enjoy independent films, art, and theatre, however there are times I enjoy the occasional comedy situation that is FAR from reality. I think those who gave this show a 1 out of 10 really need to take their own age into consideration before berating the show. Yes, I think most of the material is dry and objectionable, but that is what make the show gratuitous fun. The show has thankfully been commissioned for a third series coming in 2011. I think Ellen Thomas, who plays the principal, is brilliant; she was the best permanent addition to the show! This is the type of comedy that some either love or loathe, but if some find themselves loathing, give "The Inbetweeners" a try; that may be a better choice.

Coming of Age has very few redeeming factors about it, one being the surprisingly intriguing advert showing the main cast performing euphemisms for masturbating. For example one girl was shown flicking jellybeans to represent 'flicking the bean', and one of the boys was shown spanking a monkey with a table tennis paddle, for 'spanking the monkey'. Unfortunately the writers used up all their creative juices in that alone, and left the series bone dry.

The acting is poor, and the jokes are boring, bland and extremely predictable. The characters are one dimensional, something akin to how the cast of 'Two Pints of Larger' after the series had ran out of decent ideas; not a good look for a brand new show. The show runs on toilet humour, mentions to bodily functions and genitalia are supposed to bring in the majority of the laughter.

If you're a big fan of Two Pints of Larger, or a thirteen year old who giggles at 'naughty words', then this show might be for you. It had the potential to be half way decent but falls very short of the mark.

How this ever got made is beyond me. It is not at all funny. The humour is below the level even of a teenage boy who'd laugh at the mere mention of anything to do with sex. It's simply pathetic and childish jokes that almost make me feel embarrassed for the writer, knowing that someone has written this thinking they're funny. If the writer was trying to be controversial, then he's even failed there, it's not funny, it's not offensive (except to human intelligence) it's just bad...so very very bad. And just to add to the misery the acting is awful, if there is a single redeeming feature of this show i haven't found it.

I heard about this gem on a worst programme list and was absolutely delighted to find that my instinct to give it a try led me to a hilarious and fresh comedy from BBC 3.

Every episode has it's moments but sprinkled throughout the three seasons are moments of pant pissing hilarity.

I implore everyone to check it out because it's one of the best televisual discoveries I've made.

This show is just so strange. It's an awful blend of childishness and lurid innuendo. It's just a string of poorly thought out jokes connected by a very loose plot. That's even hard to say. It's not really a plot. Character is scared of needles is not a plot.

The characters are both wildly inconsistent yet flanderised and near indistinguishable between episodes. The show seems to pretend that it's serialized but aside from a few episodes you could jump in anywhere and have no issues at all.

It had some great guest actors like Stephen K. Amos and. Miriam Margoles. They were both fantastic and could have been even better with a barely competent writer. I've watched it. I'm glad I did. I will never be watching it again. Go watch the inbetweeners.