Director: John Henderson
Cast: Steve Coogan (Tommy Saxondale/Keanu), Ruth Jones (Magz), Rasmus Hardiker (Raymond), Morwenna Banks (Vicky), James Bachman (Alistair) & Darren Boyd (Jonathan)
Tommy becomes involved in a dispute over some squatters that have moved into the neighbourhood...It's true there are more wry smiles than belly-laughs in Saxondale -- which is no bad thing if you're in the mood for that. The characterisations and intricate dialogue are so finely drawn that you can forgive the lack of big laughs. That said, it would be nice to have more overt humour in the show, as I sense bigger potential for Coogan and Maclennan's characters if they'd target a wider audience. But, as it stands, Saxondale is a curate's egg.
Increasingly common is how the first 15-minutes of Saxondale is all slow-burn build-up, paving the way for resolutions in the last 10 minutes. Episode 3 is easily the most disappointing instalment of series 2, but its second half manages to make the journey worthwhile (just about), thanks to some nice moments with Tommy's porn tapes and some squatter's rancid abode.
Darren Boyd gets increasingly brilliant scenes as neighbour Jonathan, playing the acolyte, whilst brimming with ulterior motives. Likewise Morwenna Banks as Vicky the receptionist. But it's a shame Saxondale has never really provided dependable Ruth Jones with a particularly funny character, as Magz just comes across as a nonentity.
Steve Coogan performs double duties again this week, returning as dreary slacker Keanu from series 1, a whiny northern kid with pale complexion and little brainpower. He's extremely two-dimensional compared to many of Coogan's other creations, so seems slightly out of place in the show. The comedy that surrounds Keanu is far more obvious and fun in nature -- from his squalid living conditions (cheese in a cup!), to general apathy towards getting a job...
The story again presents Tommy with a difficult choice; following his rebellious nature to fight for the rights of squatters, or ensuring they're kicked off the estate because his own living standards are above theirs. The meat of the story doesn't kick in for quite some time, meaning the first half is somewhat meandering. It remains true that you can often cut entire scenes from Saxondale and it would rarely impact the episode's structure.
Overall, despite some later scenes that rescue Episode 3 from the dolldrums, this is quite a downer overall. I never expect big laughs from Saxondale (as it's more a character study than a gag-fest), but the lack of narrative drive, weak comedy at a town meeting and a very slow first half flags Episode 3 as one of the weakest.
6 September 2007
BBC2, 9.30 pm
