Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby

This is school humour at its best. As a secondary teacher, this series rings so true to life, that at times, I can only cringe. Whilst there have been opinions about it's political incorrectness, and I'm not saying that it is actually politically correct, in fact, far from it. It is close to one of the most politically incorrect shows I have ever seen... but that's what makes it so endearing and an enjoyable show.

Mr. Gormsby (David McPhail) is an incredibly... shall we say... odd... teacher who strives to control a class of misfits. McPhail nails the character down so well that he (scarily) reminds me of an old maths teacher I had in my high school days.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who is in education, been in education or has had an education... and can take a joke in this increasingly PC world...

The series is compact, the story lines and the comedy are free free flowing, and the characterisation is sharply focused and consistent.

Those who have found the individual performances poor, in particular one "Cranky Carrot," will be unable to enjoy the total production, which is a great shame, because the performances are actually very even and extremely well controlled by excellent direction and supported by first class script work.

Perhaps it helps to have lived and worked in NZ, but I had no problem associating with the character types and found great delight in the profoundly human elements of the story lines.

Here is a beautifully constructed piece of theatre, where comedy, drama and the truth about social politics meld, to create a satirical and sociological comment that all people should be able to grasp and appreciate, as it lampoons social politics; both the so called incorrect, and the so called correct.

Wonderful scripts with a cast of absolute misfits. The UNpolitically correct antics of this school will have you cringing and laughing throughout. Gormsby is a standout character as is Steve the Guidance Counselor - what a despicable person he is. Some side-characters could have had their backstories worked out a bit more. There are touches of sentiment but these only make the show more endearing. All episodes of both seasons are on YouTube. Enjoy.

The characters are deliberately predictable, being a parody, except for the star Mr Gormsby. Predicting his next action is a little like picking lotto numbers, as his behaviour often appears to contradict his beliefs, until matters unfold. The second series shocks less than the first and seemed a little tamer. Never-the-less it is a very funny show. Those with no understanding of Kiwi multi-cultural values will struggle with some of the humour and may be intellectually challenged by this series. I was not aware of any New Zealand comedy shows, before coming across this on Oz television, except rugby shows where English and Australian commentators whine about how good the All Blacks are.

Everything about this show is genius. It's laugh out loud funny, every minute. You'll find yourself watching and rewatching just to remember some of Gormsby's funniest lines so you can repeat them to your friends. But at the same time the characters and their circumstances are well developed and believable. The show frequently comes up with lines and moments that tell us a lot about the world we live in.

You have to have a thick skin and a healthy sense of humour to watch Gormsby. If you're easily offended, don't bother. This is a show for people who love life and love to laugh.

Ten stars.