Saxondale
- TV Series
- 2006–2007
- 30m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
3.3K
YOUR RATING
Tommy, an ex-roadie, runs a pest control biz in Stevenage post-divorce. He lives with Magz and mentors his assistant Raymond, seeing himself as a maverick dispensing wisdom.Tommy, an ex-roadie, runs a pest control biz in Stevenage post-divorce. He lives with Magz and mentors his assistant Raymond, seeing himself as a maverick dispensing wisdom.Tommy, an ex-roadie, runs a pest control biz in Stevenage post-divorce. He lives with Magz and mentors his assistant Raymond, seeing himself as a maverick dispensing wisdom.
- Awards
- 1 nomination total
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Featured reviews
Having been one that has enjoyed the brilliance of Steve Coogan's comedy in it's various visages; before i watched Saxondale I wondered if Steve could keep up his spotless record. Once again Steve failed to disappoint me. Saxondale is not about a bitter man but a man who shook the pillars of heaven as a youth but like many of us has been slowed down by the cruel joke known as 'age'. Unlike most of his comedy this one has a tender side that shows itself at unpredictable times throughout the series. Steve really hits the trigger on this one and i don't doubt there are many like me who know where Saxondale is coming from and where he is heading. This series reveals Steve Coogan for the comedy and indeed, acting genius that he is. I look forward to series two.
We all know him. The mildly intellectual ex-hippy who twists himself into knots with cliché upon tongue-in-cheek rock reference upon flipped round adage...
Yes it is set pieces. Eery episode has the secretary scene, the neighbour scene. and so forth.
but its really funny. steve coogan is an actor as well as a comedian, inhabiting the role with tics and grimaces.
Morenna Banks (rarely on screen at mo) has her chance to shine every week and Rasmus Hardikeris a brilliant newt-faced straight man.
worth a watch, especially mid-week when there's sod all else on TV!
Yes it is set pieces. Eery episode has the secretary scene, the neighbour scene. and so forth.
but its really funny. steve coogan is an actor as well as a comedian, inhabiting the role with tics and grimaces.
Morenna Banks (rarely on screen at mo) has her chance to shine every week and Rasmus Hardikeris a brilliant newt-faced straight man.
worth a watch, especially mid-week when there's sod all else on TV!
10eddiez61
The Character that Steve Coogan has created, or rather perfected, of Tommy Saxondale is deeply, profoundly demented. But it's Coogan's mastery of the nuances of bitter, disillusioned, middle aged neurosis that makes his character so appealing, so universal. It's impossible not to identify with the short tempered, self centered, frustratingly inflexible, outrageously arrogant pest exterminator. And he's joined in his excellent performance by a rich constellation of equally quirky and brilliant supporting characters, such as the chatty, oddly attractive pest control company dispatcher so wonderfully played by Morwenna Banks. It's hilarious, the casual ease with which she presses his excruciatingly sensitive buttons - perhaps lovingly teasing him - and thus with a few sharp, well placed jabs utterly undermines his ruggedly assembled self-image. It's like watching a Medieval fortress collapse under the weight of a playful butterfly.
Saxondale's life is all behind him. He lives in the past where all his great heroes and great ideals were born and died along with his philosophy & references & hair style & car. Actually, the yellow fastback Mustang is quite fashionable and very cool, but that's about all he's got left to show for his former career as a professional rock band roadie where everything, understandably, was so much more exciting, outrageous, wonderful, vivid and meaningful. Tommy now finds himself nearly alone in an absurdly shallow & tedious world of crass, corny, crappy materialism overly populated by semi-intelligent optimists; his once noble passions increasingly doused by the conspiring encroaching forces of suburban mediocrity, or so he likes to believe.
His adoring and sweet but occasionally flustered wife, Magz, owns an alternative lifestyle shop in the mall where she conceives tee shirt slogans to shock and disgust the straight world which she does this with the casual innocence of a florist. Magz may sometimes test Tommy's brittle patience but somehow she avoids his fiery wrath because, well, he loves her. His rage unleashes at the most absurd inappropriate moments, usually after someone has failed to grasp the obviously stunning genius of one of his savagely witty if awkwardly esoteric quips.
Saxondale is a hostile hybrid of Ricky Gervais' "The Office" and any other show in the history of broadcast TV that features a misunderstood dreamer. It's an undervalued, criminally ignored treasure of a programme that has saved me from many a laugh-less evening. Series 2 actually surpasses the first. One of my all time favorites that grows more wonderful each time I climb aboard for another action packed adventure in the fast paced, wild & wacky world of commercial pest control.
Saxondale's life is all behind him. He lives in the past where all his great heroes and great ideals were born and died along with his philosophy & references & hair style & car. Actually, the yellow fastback Mustang is quite fashionable and very cool, but that's about all he's got left to show for his former career as a professional rock band roadie where everything, understandably, was so much more exciting, outrageous, wonderful, vivid and meaningful. Tommy now finds himself nearly alone in an absurdly shallow & tedious world of crass, corny, crappy materialism overly populated by semi-intelligent optimists; his once noble passions increasingly doused by the conspiring encroaching forces of suburban mediocrity, or so he likes to believe.
His adoring and sweet but occasionally flustered wife, Magz, owns an alternative lifestyle shop in the mall where she conceives tee shirt slogans to shock and disgust the straight world which she does this with the casual innocence of a florist. Magz may sometimes test Tommy's brittle patience but somehow she avoids his fiery wrath because, well, he loves her. His rage unleashes at the most absurd inappropriate moments, usually after someone has failed to grasp the obviously stunning genius of one of his savagely witty if awkwardly esoteric quips.
Saxondale is a hostile hybrid of Ricky Gervais' "The Office" and any other show in the history of broadcast TV that features a misunderstood dreamer. It's an undervalued, criminally ignored treasure of a programme that has saved me from many a laugh-less evening. Series 2 actually surpasses the first. One of my all time favorites that grows more wonderful each time I climb aboard for another action packed adventure in the fast paced, wild & wacky world of commercial pest control.
10Tony-166
Maybe you have to be a similar age to Tommy Saxondale to really appreciate a lot of the humour. Well, I am and Steve Coogan has created one of the most unique comic creations ever seen on TV.
Look out for the subtle use of tics and mannerisms that make Saxodale such a watchable character. And fantastic support from all.
Rasmus H. is just right as Tommy's assistant, basically playing the same character he portrays in "Lead Balloon". Ruth Jones is dead sexy and Morwenna Banks is a treasure.
This is a multi-dimensional comedy. Always varied and not just playing on the idea of an ageing "hippy" out of place in the modern world. Poor old Tommys' encounters with some squatters was pure comic brilliance.
I love it.
Look out for the subtle use of tics and mannerisms that make Saxodale such a watchable character. And fantastic support from all.
Rasmus H. is just right as Tommy's assistant, basically playing the same character he portrays in "Lead Balloon". Ruth Jones is dead sexy and Morwenna Banks is a treasure.
This is a multi-dimensional comedy. Always varied and not just playing on the idea of an ageing "hippy" out of place in the modern world. Poor old Tommys' encounters with some squatters was pure comic brilliance.
I love it.
This is one of those series that I can watch once a year and never get tired of it. I do think you have to be a certain age to appreciate it though.
Did you know
- TriviaThe theme music and end credits music are both by the Dutch band Focus. The intro is House Of The King while the end credits music is called Hocus Pocus
- Quotes
Tommy Saxondale: I don't lack an awareness of spirituality, but I am aware of the utter lack of the spiritual in this realm.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Top Gear: The Boys Build a Caterham (2006)
Details
- Runtime
- 30m
- Color
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