Martin Freeman's 'The Robinsons' Surprise R1 USA DVD Set August 22nd 2006.

A surprise because there has been no UK release for this yet, and there's no date set - pre-order dates easily running into Autumn 2006 and no sign of it, but additions being made weekly - and R1 sets are usually somewhat far behind in no only release dates, but style, trends, popularity, and so on. Anyway, I easily recommend this as Freeman's best work outside 'The Office' (bar none, easily) as although it's clearer with each new projects he isn't so much recycling the performance he gave in that show as much as he is simply that person.

The humour, very dry and slow-burning to say the least, completely flummoxed quick-off-the-mark reviewers (it was pretty universally-slated) and I was initially amongst them. Wondering then how their opinions changed (if they did) or why they didn't like it - it's perhaps an odd mix of the familiar and suprisingly new. So, kept bumping into the show in its fairly low-key broadcast, kept watching and found the jokes coming from the gradual reveal and immersion in the characters.

It's a character comedy then, one that's pretty dark, typically uncomfortable (the key modern trend) and about a family with mixed issues and levels of development. There's the ultra-successful sister, the sufferers of 'foot-in-mouth desease', the far too frank conversations, the badgering and interferance from parents who appear wise enough to know better - but at the centre of it is Freeman's superb performance as a failed ageing guy who has been through a divorce at a relatively young age and finding it hard to settle or develop a life after his own sudden realisation of his lack of comparative progress in relation to those around him.

We've all been through those unnecessary periods of comparison to other people, those uncomfortable situations, so I would say this has a broader appeal that it might at first seem - it's not actively aiming to be mainstream, easy to enjoy, but it does touch a part of life that could appeal to more people than if it had tried to do just that.

Great show, a challenge, but a rewarding one I think.

'The Robinsons' at BBC Comedy Guide & Streaming Clip.
'The Robinsons' Review at Bella Online.

'The Robinsons' Released on R1 USA DVD August 22nd 2006, Pre-order at Amazon.com [Direct Link].