Look Around You

Look Around You is quite possibly my favourite comedy show ever. (Particularly series 2, which this review relates more to.)

A lot of people might not see why it's so funny, and I can understand that reaction. After all, it's pretty slow-paced and has hardly any "jokes".

All I can tell you is that when I watch an episode, I sit there laughing hysterically almost uninterrupted for 30 minutes. (And I'm not someone who laughs out loud much while watching TV.)

So what's so good about Look Around You? For me, there are five main reasons:

1. ACCURACY. First, it's funny because it's an uncannily accurate pastiche of early 80s educational programmes. The attention to detail is staggering, and it's those little details that are funny. Things like over-use of camera zooming; the announcer noisily opening his mouth before speaking; the somewhat more formal manner of TV presenters of the time. It's all so subtly done, and all these subtle little details are where the humour lies. If you don't fondly remember 70s/80s television, this will be lost on you completely.

2. SURREALISM. Hidden below the surface of this apparently serious TV programme are all kinds of completely off-the-wall, surreal elements (such as people flying, or people french-kissing in the most inappropriate of contexts). But these surreal elements are usually either very brief or not immediately obvious, giving them more comedy impact when they do surface. For me, Look Around You is bit like one of those "What's wrong with this picture?" drawings: at first all seems to be normal, but when you notice something is "wrong", it's extremely rewarding and funny.

3. IMPRACTICAL INVENTIONS. A large part of the fun of the programme is that almost all the inventions are impractical, idiotic, dangerous, or often downright sinister and creepy; yet they are all presented in the most cheerfully optimistic manner. As with the surreal elements, a lot of the fun comes from "spotting" that something is very wrong with the invention, despite the presenter assuring you that all is well.

4. NOSTALGIA. Humour aside, I just can't help but adore this programme for the nostalgic quality. It's a heart-warming trip back in time to my childhood, only with the tongue-in-cheek sensibility of a contemporary comedy show.

5. TALENT. On top of it all, I have such admiration and respect for creators Peter Serafinowicz and Robert Popper. These men are creative geniuses. Writing and producing the show, they also created all the music themselves, and every piece of music is utterly outstanding in every way, from the title theme, to the unforgettable entrants for "Music 2000" competition (which I can't stop singing/rapping). There seems to be no end to the talents of these two men. They also both make extremely charismatic and likable TV presenters. Watching the show, it is quite clear how much care, attention and scrutiny these men have put into every detail.

Overall, this is just a perfect comedy series for me. The Prince Charles finale (with the two "Hanks" at the end) is an amazing conclusion. I only wish there were more episodes.

The series is full of funny jokes and absurdist humor but it really should be watched it in small increments. It's essentially the same set of jokes onward and onward. If you watch it one here and there. It'll still seem goofy and fresh. If you want to binge it you may come across feeling disappointed.

With the United States churning out more garbage per minute than ever before by way of TV and cinema, this debut from Robert Popper and Peter Serafinowicz is a refreshing change.

Some might call it the greatest show of the last few years. Others might say the greatest show of the decade. I would say this is the funniest show ever to air on BBC2. Ever.

Eight ten-minute episodes in the style of the Open University programs we all know and love serve as nostalgic reminders of 'the way things were', sticking to the dean-pan formula to provide constant entertainment and never-ceasing hilarity.

Popper and Serafinowicz, who will no doubt continue to flourish, provide excellent comic timing, with this perfect parody.

With a second series in the works, things can only get better!

10/10, *****/*****, fabuloso!

------------------------------------------------------ Review by Sam Baron.

For those of you that haven't ever seen any British schools' TV, especially that of the golden 1970's-1980's period, Look Around You is a send-up of some educational programmes that were, and still are, shown to school children in the UK in order to augment their classroom experience. In the 1970s-80s, having the treat of a TV show to break up the day was a looked-forward to experience for most, as it meant you didn't have to actually do any work whilst the programme was on, not to mention it was about the maximum interactivity availbale at that time (no PCs in the classroom until about 1983!) others seem to think it's an OU send-up actually it's probabaly closer to a 1970's/early 80's school's programme called "Experiment", dangerously close in fact. I think the guy who narrates the series may even be the same one that narrated the proper educational programme.

Look Around You is superb, keenly observed from its source material and surreal in execution. Well worth a watch, especially in the 25-40 age group who witnessed it all for real, but others may well enjoy the silliness of it all as well.

Wonderful show - both series.

Series one is based on Schools programmes of the seventies while Series two does Tomorrows world.

Series 2 wins for me as it has Olivia Colman looking stunning.

Look out as well for The Peter Serafinawitz Show - all should be more well known.