Episode 4 of David Mitchell and Robert Webb's sketch show was a noticeable improvement over last week's atrocity. There were quite a few funny sketches, while most were amusing on some level. Sure, there were a few clunkers this week, but the hit rate was back on-track for the most part.A sketch-by-sketch:
East Indies: Columbus and a shipmate walk ashore and name the land they've discovered "East Indies" (despite it being to the West of the Indies). Sly digs at the often ridiculous names given to countries, in short sketches that recurring throughout the episode. Raleigh discovering Virginia (is it appropriate to name a place after the sexual status of your monarch?), Captain Cook discovering New South Wales (as if Australia reminded anyone of Wales!), and a brilliant punchline for Greenland. Not hilarious (individually), but a really nice ongoing idea to tie the episode together.
I'm Sorry Your Dad's Dead: A man delivers inappropriate greetings cards to a newly-wed couple (to cover their entire future life's possibilities), before revealing he has terminal cancer. Quite a strange idea that didn't really work, for shock-value or comic value.
The Mrs Patricia Wilberforce Programme: What would a Jerry Springer-style daytime chat show look like if it were made in the 1940s? We find out here with "elevenses television". Funny stuff, if never quite doing justice to the idea. Nicely written, though.
Violin Serenade: Unwanted return for last week's farmer character who thinks his horse is cleverer than it is. This time he serenades it with a violin. Terrible.
Snotty Librarian: A woman loaning Shane Ritchie's autobiography has her book choices and boring personality picked on by a condescending, contemptuous librarian. Great writing and nicely acted by Robert Webb, heading into quite creepy territory when the woman breaks down and is offered a date. Funny.
Stalingrad / Clever One / Sex: The behind-the-scenes sketches, this time covering a few topics throughout the episode. Only the sex one really sticks out in the memory, but they weren't terrible.
Everything Is Fine: Amusing look at news reporting, where 99% of the time "everything is fine", with the anchors and field reporter both focusing on how quickly crimes and disasters come to an end, and normality is resumes. Strong comedy idea, played for as much laughter as it could have been, without overstaying its welcome.
Roman Video: A Time Team-style archaeological group find a box containing a video-cassette from the Roman period. After reviewing the footage of people wearing Roman costumes, they believe they're on the brink of worldwide professional fame with this extraordinary find. But, one team member is amazed nobody has remembered that video-tape didn't exist in Roman Britain. Fun idea, with some good moments, although it went on too long.
New Words: Those geeky office characters are back, with one now sharing his life with a time-traveller and the other keeping score on a "using new words" chart. Quite funny at times, and I like the characters – plus, M&W always work better in the studio-based sketches with a live audience.
Wanking: Two men at a social function discuss the problems of running successful businesses from home, when all they really want to do is wank all the time. Amusing idea, if a little too obvious and just there for mild shock value.
Flamingo World: The conman character played by David Mitchell is back, this time running a fake Flamingo World nature reserve. The sketch goes into dark League Of Gentlemen-style territory, when the father whose family are taken in by the scam (Webb) rows across the river to get a better view of the "flamingos" and finds they're just two men dressed in bright pink suits – and he becomes one of them. Creepy and good fun, with an enjoyable element of dark absurdity.
