Queen of Oz

Halfway through s.1 and getting funnier by the episode. Just when you think this is cheerfully broad clowning, and all the better for being Catherine Tate leading the circus, the snappy one-liners kick in and keep on coming. Royal caricatures destruct-tested in an unlikely Aussie parallel universe. The unfinished koala joke from episode 1 is capped by the traumatic kangaroo event of ep.2 (which, shamefully was even funnier). Before the end of this first series, will there be a regal cock-up with the prawns at a Palace Barbie? An unspecified Vegemite Scandal by Royal Appointment? Will - and already I wouldn't put it past Her Australian Majesty - we see her Christmas Speech on the beach? More please.

Ive not been a Catherine Tate fan in the past. I didn't think I would like this at all but I found it surprisingly enjoyable. In fact, I very much warmed to her character by the end and really hope for a series 2. I don't find shouty and rude humour funny but with the dynamics of our own royal family unraveling over the last few years, I think its very cleverly wrote. As a royalist who has an interest in the families dynamics, this had some very clever hidden references to many generations of the Royal Family. She depicts different royals in just one character. You'd automatically think it was Harry acting like a spoiled brat and he was probably the inspiration but I could see multiple people coming through. Fingers crossed for season 2. Marc is a total dish.

The absurd premise should be your first hint that this show is hilarious. The characters and plot develop nicely through the episodes.

From shrieking self-obsessed alcoholic Queen Georgiana develops into an understandably damaged, self-centred but not irredeemably so, woman managing the best she can in difficult circumstances.

Anything that could go wrong in her life does, and she reacts accordingly. Not necessarily sensibly, but accordingly. Not everything is her fault, although some of it really is. The band of misfits around her somehow survive.

I'm disappointed to read that it's been cancelled because the end of episode 6 is just leading into the next round of comedy-of-errors!

Nice structural symmetry, having the first and last episodes with very convincing vomit.

Queen of Oz

It took me a little time to get into it, but overall it was really very funny. It all seemed a very unlikely scenario that would produce some comedy gold but Katherine Tate really worked it.

The whole cast really had some great comic timing, the golden scenes were the hunting, the wedding, the beach cabin and the ginger eyebrows

I look forward to season 2, the character was a likeable monster and she really grew on me, I thought Matthew was great "I can't go hunting, I'm a vegan" lol with the small hands.

I'm giving this a weak 7 outta 10, perhaps too high a mark but I laughed out loud several times and I'm a hardened critic.

An unwanted, ginger haired member of The Royal family has become a national disgrace, and to spare The Country and family any more torture, she's packed off.....

.....and so begins the reign of Queen Georgiana of Australia.

Catherine Tate where on Earth do you get such weird and wild ideas, I can only imagine.

Already this show has been fairly unfairly maligned, but if like me you're a big fan of Tate, you'll enjoy it, it's typical of her brand of humour. How nice to sit down to something funny on a Friday night, it's been a while.

It's a bumpy opening, but it develops well as the series progresses, there are some fun characters and great one liners, lots of jokes about Britain's standing on the world stage.

It won't be to everyone's taste, but I enjoyed it, a funny take on the madness of The Brits abroad.

7/10.