February 02, 2007

Johnny Vegas' 'Benidorm' Begins, And It Features Steve Pemberton.

(Posted In Comedy Drama Random Geek Talk TV UK / Ireland / Australia / New Zealand )

benidorm.jpegPerhaps the holiday habits of a nation speak a lot more of what we're like than we'll admit? It seems to strip away a lot of things with British Folk at least, and here's a comedy about some of those British Folk on Holiday in the form of 'Benidorm' - which started last night on ITV, and I missed it's first episode.

'Benidorm' sees Johnny Vegas' second attempt at an ITV Sitcom (a channel not really known for comedy success) after a relatively recent outing with 'Phoenix Nights' co-writer Dave Spikey in "Dead Man Weds' which pretty much bombed but was still perfectly good. That show was about the activities of local newpaper reporters, and was actually pretty good... for ITV.

This one is set in Spain, with the antics focussing on a group of sparring families on Holiday to relax, and it the usual stories are anything to go by they either actually manage anything but relaxation or get so relaxed they're out of control for a whole other set of reasons. Other than Vegas, a man whom I rate highly as a comedy actor, this show also features a role for 'The League of Gentlemen's' Steve Pemberton. Good chance this will appear on DVD at some point down the line, it's written by 'Catherine Tate' scribe Darren Litten, produced by Geoffrey Perkins and done through Tiger Aspect, so it has a good pedigree and some well-regarded stars within it. Now, Vegas is hit-and-miss to say the least (the best for me still remains 'Ideal' for BBC Three) and despite his failings he hits the mark with great style when it works; this is why I am a little aprehensive about this one, but still interested none the less...

Unfortunately, this show kind of popped-up out of nowhere and hasn't really been advertised much, so, I didn't really know it was coming until a couple days back and then I managed to not see it's first episode like I mention - anyone catch it?

'Benidorm' Interview with Steve Pemberton at The Sun.
'Benidorm' Information at Wikipedia, Information at Tiger Aspect (Production Company), Article at A2 Media Group.
'Benidorm' Official Website with Preview Clip.

If you want to know a little more about the basis for the show, it seems to be set around something that's kind of come and gone with most of the British Public - there was a time (which seemed to last a decade or several decades) in which Brits packed up and headed out for the sun of Spain. Back then, and to some extent now, cheap flights and cheap hotels attracted people looking for a bargain, an escape from unpredictable U.K summertime weather. It's true, although it's a stereotype they no doubt use fully in 'Benidorm', that mainly the working classes disappeared on such holidays and it's given us a reputation abroad.

It's a reputation of talking slowly and loudly rather than learning other languages, a desire for cheap alcohol (and lots of it), the need to pratically cook ourselves alive in the sun and generally live some aspects more freely, cheaply and comfortably - though it's a sign of people looking for old-fashioned British desires that are often seen as basic requirements in return for having survived another year on this little island, and it has gone out of fashion in the last decade or so, but it still remains some peoples idea of a good time whilst others have progressed to looking for similar pleasures in different countries, under apparently different cover stories.

» Posted by logboy at February 2, 2007 06:01 AM
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Reader Comments

I didnt see it either, I hadnt heard a thing about it until my dad said "Are you going to watch this new show with Johnny Vegas" he then told me it was on ITV1, to which i respectfully declined.

» Posted by Ramen89 at February 2, 2007 08:12 AM

i haven't laughed so much in ages. packed full of classic lines, its been the topic of conversation at work, a real gem

» Posted by deborah edge at February 18, 2007 12:38 PM

Well who ever has written this has done there homework because I think its tells it exactely as it is. I have been to Benidorm 7 times and never had a bad Holiday yet. This comedy will most certainly go down as an all time classic along side of Pheonix Nights. I do hope they make another series maybe they could try Marjorca or Ibiza next time

» Posted by Mansfield Lad at February 24, 2007 04:20 AM

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