Mammoth

As a retired PE teacher I was able to relate to a lot of the material in this new offering from the BBC. I've actually worked with people like this in UK schools. Sporting dinosaurs straight out of the "Kes" playbook.

This comedy series has potential but it tries too hard to be nostalgic, sarcastic and obnoxious all at the same time. Tony Mammoth is a mix of David Brent and Mike Bassett, with outdated views on everything (women, cars, education, fashion etc). He's arrogant , rude and belittling to everyone else in the cast and this is where the comedy fails.

He's just not very likeable. It's all too cruel and silly at times, and the main character just carries on regardless, trampling over the cast whether they be family, old friends or work colleagues.

And let's not forget, to engage with this show, you have to blithely accept the "frozen in ice for 45 years" concept. I'm all for time travel and the supernatural but this is a bit daft.

I've watched 3 episodes and that's it for me. Mildly funny in places but by and large, a messy, toe curling cringefest.

Only reviewing this to comment on a review below from Shade Grenade. What the f is wrong with you? Did you have a bad childhood or are you simply still a child? Such a damning review with hypercritical tendencies I feel sure you are damaged and need help!

My review is simply, this is a cracking shoe with good comedic references. I mean it's not side splitting stuff but just good clean harmless fun, I will never understand these weird reviews that must somehow make people feel like they are some over paid Hollywood critic.

Just calm down, sit in a darkened room, cry a little and then go out and make some real friends, this life is going to be tough with an attitude like that!

The premise for this show is simple. PE teacher Tony Mammoth is frozen in ice during a school ski trip in the 70's and gets brought back to life in the modern day. Mammoth returns to his job as a PE teacher but it's full of fish out of water moments as he tries to get used to the new way of things. Bubbins (who also wrote the script) is wonderfully understated as the titular star and delivers the punch lines with little fanfare but lots of laughs. The supporting cast is brilliant, but this is very much Bubbins show and plays it to perfection. Currently there's only 3 episodes but I'm sure this'll go on to be a hit and get commissioned with a 2nd series.

I love the Unexplainers on BBC radio and the podcast so was chuffed to see Mike Bubbins in this and he's a PE teacher again :) Hopefully it will a get a series and we can see more of his story and more of his Capri!

Arriving largely without fanfare, I caught this show on iPlayer. Interesting show which plays to a large extent as a drama with the 'back from the dead' storyline largely in the back ground. Indeed you see nothing of Mammoth's return from the dead but catch up with him a few months later. The 'fish out of water' plot has been done many times before and this show offers no real new twists. However, it does have heart and offers a few laughs along the way. Hopefully it will get a series.