There's only so many food and drink "documentaries" and "reality TV" shows I can take and, needing a laugh, I decided to try some food and drink-related comedies.
And thought I was on to a winner when I caught Shelfstackers (1.15pm, BBC2, 16 October), a sitcom about a bunch of teens working at Grogan's supermarket. It was pretty funny, especially when they started playing ten tin bowling (geddit?) for the motivational 'Grogylmpics'.
Unfortunately it was a repeat... and the last episode... and by the time you read this you probably won't even be able to watch it on iPlayer.
Luckily, it's not too late to check out another BBC2 food-related sitcom, Whites (9pm, 19 October). Alan Davies plays Roland White, a bloated, temperamental, but genius celebrity chef based on guess who? White may lack the mania of his namesake (how brilliant would it have been if Marco Pierre had played himself?) and I'd be lying if I said this was the funniest thing I've ever seen. But it grew on me.
It kicked off with hotel owner Celia catching Roland gazing out of the window at restaurant manager Caroline. "Being a dick?" she inquires, meaning detective but being one in the other sense of the word, Roland's not sure. Cue lots of eyebrow raising but not many laughs.
Fortunately, we swiftly move on to the real comedy: the war between long-suffering sous chef Bib and apprentice Skoose, who's after Bib's job and belittles his nemesis at every turn. The health and safety inspector is about to visit, but when Bib asks him to clean the walk-in fridge, Skoose refuses, calling him a virgin, later apologising he'd been "virgin on disrespectful".
An exasperated Bib begs for a holiday and Roland, thinking the usual inspector will turn up (and turn a blind eye in exchange for a nice bottle of plonk), lets him take it. But the guy's been fired and a real jobsworth arrives. Roland's in a fix until he spots a Parkinson's charity wristband on her wrist, and pretends his brother has the disease in a bid to get sympathy while showing her a picture of him and Bib.
And, of course, Bib turns up just at the wrong moment (he's forgotten his camera) and has to do his bit to maintain the façade. Tasteless I know, but it made me laugh.
More from this column
And thought I was on to a winner when I caught Shelfstackers (1.15pm, BBC2, 16 October), a sitcom about a bunch of teens working at Grogan's supermarket. It was pretty funny, especially when they started playing ten tin bowling (geddit?) for the motivational 'Grogylmpics'.
Unfortunately it was a repeat... and the last episode... and by the time you read this you probably won't even be able to watch it on iPlayer.
Luckily, it's not too late to check out another BBC2 food-related sitcom, Whites (9pm, 19 October). Alan Davies plays Roland White, a bloated, temperamental, but genius celebrity chef based on guess who? White may lack the mania of his namesake (how brilliant would it have been if Marco Pierre had played himself?) and I'd be lying if I said this was the funniest thing I've ever seen. But it grew on me.
It kicked off with hotel owner Celia catching Roland gazing out of the window at restaurant manager Caroline. "Being a dick?" she inquires, meaning detective but being one in the other sense of the word, Roland's not sure. Cue lots of eyebrow raising but not many laughs.
Fortunately, we swiftly move on to the real comedy: the war between long-suffering sous chef Bib and apprentice Skoose, who's after Bib's job and belittles his nemesis at every turn. The health and safety inspector is about to visit, but when Bib asks him to clean the walk-in fridge, Skoose refuses, calling him a virgin, later apologising he'd been "virgin on disrespectful".
An exasperated Bib begs for a holiday and Roland, thinking the usual inspector will turn up (and turn a blind eye in exchange for a nice bottle of plonk), lets him take it. But the guy's been fired and a real jobsworth arrives. Roland's in a fix until he spots a Parkinson's charity wristband on her wrist, and pretends his brother has the disease in a bid to get sympathy while showing her a picture of him and Bib.
And, of course, Bib turns up just at the wrong moment (he's forgotten his camera) and has to do his bit to maintain the façade. Tasteless I know, but it made me laugh.
More from this column
No comments yet