Such Brave Girls

There's plenty of dark humour in 'Such Brave Girls', the story of mother and her two daughters trying to make sense of their lives and loves; and I smiled fairly often while watchig it. But great sitcom (as opposed to a quick sketch) doesn't just need a set of self-sabotaging characters: it also needs something they can sabotage. And if they're deluded, it helps if this delusion is in essence believable. In 'Fawlty Towers', Basil is always so close to, but also so far from, running his idea of a quality hotel. Black comedy is best when you recognise that something like it could happen to you. But in 'Such Brave Girls', the failings of our trio (and also those of their menfolk) are so front and centre that disaster feels inevitable; the most telling moments are foreshadowed by the essence of the setup, while spritely music connecting individual scences invites us not to take the story too seriously. The script does have merits; but the feeling of pervasive cheapness lets it down.

Such Brave Girls is definitely one of the best British comedies in recent years. The writing is strong and the performances hit the mark without fail. In some ways I felt I developed a morbid fascination with watching a slow motion car crash of a family dynamic, if that makes sense. It's pretty dark and deals with some fairly serious issues in a totally unsensational way, driven throughout by the sister's dysfunctional relationship with each other and with their mother. The only minor gripe I had was that sometimes the (almost) constant abuse Josie receives verges on the gratuitously cruel and that is walking a fine line. However, the series overall is a gem and the best thing I've watched in quite some time.

Such Brave Girls is a return to the best of British comedy. With clear inspiration from Peep Show and The Inbetweeners, it is fresh, dark, clever, and hysterical from start to finish. Every character is unique, weird, and hilarious - I have genuinely never seen a show where each character adds so much value like Such Brave Girls. The sisterly love/hate between Billie and Josie is relatable and loveable, and every other line is quotable.

I have not laughed at a show like I did for SBG in about 5 years. Got my girlfriend, her housemates, my family, even my grandparents watching this and every single person has LOVED it. You will be in hysterics!!

Sometimes it is worthwhile to remember that British comedy tends to set the bar, and then other countries belatedly copy the best of the best for their own audiences. This is an example of razor-sharp comedy that both explores brand new territory and yet, at the same time, will be extremely hard to copy or imitate. Because the writing is not only based on the real life experiences of its creator, but in fact the stars (Sadler and Davidson) are real life sisters. WOW. No matter how much you think you know about comedy writing and snappy dialog, this show will teach you a lot of new tricks. The 25 minute episodes move so quickly you will invariably be left wanting more. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

This script is incredibly sharp, with very few wasted words or predictable lines. The dialogue seems to go from one ridiculous and funny line to the next. And there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments in every episode, usually when somebody says something in an unusual way. I particularly enjoyed the absence of any moralising. There is a whole spectrum of opinions on things like mental health, and this comedy lampoons them all. It is more interested in the absurdity of human nature, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

All the genuinely funny sitcoms seem to be created by women these days (Sharon Horgan, Alma, Miranda, Roisin Conaty etc). I don't know if it's because the BBC and Channel 4 have stopped commissioning any men with original ideas, or if the men just prefer to do the inane banter on panel shows. Such Brave Girls was written by Kat Sadler, who also plays the central part of Josie. Her acting is equally as subtle as her writing. The mum is played by the excellent Louise Brealey, who also played the funniest character in "Back". Lizzie Davidson plays the part of Billie, a feisty sister who is the opposite of Josie in every way imaginable. The scenes largely involve the three "girls" plotting to either attract or reject three totally unsuitable men. I really hope there is a second series, as these girls haven't yet resolved any of their issues (and, of course, they never will).