There's a new BBC2 comedy on the horizon. Remember when BBC2 was the go-to place for great comedy in the '80s and '90s? Oh, happy days. Whites is set in a hotel kitchen run by Roland White (Alan Davies), a faded chef who once came close to winning a Michelin star. The full BBC blurb is below:
"Set in the kitchen of a country house hotel, Whites follows the trials and tribulations of head chef Roland White (Alan Davies) and his long suffering sous chef Bib (Darren Boyd).The series is written by Matt King (stand-up comedian, co-star of Peep Show), who appears to be diversifying lately, with this coming after a prominent role as a ghost for Aussie TV's Spirited.
Having been on the brink of success 15 years ago, Roland has since lost the sparkle and drive needed to win a long-coveted Michelin star. He can cook with the best of them when he puts his mind to it, but laziness gets the better of him, much to the annoyance of restaurant manager Caroline (Katherine Parkinson).
Bib, meanwhile, is under pressure and hasn't spent time with his wife for months. It doesn't help that Skoose (Stephen Wight) the apprentice chef, has zero respect for him or that quirky waitress Kiki (Isy Suttie), takes an order for an eggless omelette.
Despite all their problems, Bib knows he is lucky to be working alongside a true culinary genius and Roland knows that Bib is a true friend. But this doesn't stop things from getting heated in the kitchen."
Like many sitcoms, it's the cast that will draw me in for a sampling. I just hope it's funny enough to lure me back for seconds. I really miss having a must-see sitcom that isn't skewed towards teens or geeks (IT Crowd, Inbetweeners), don't you? I'm not sure what tone this will have, but I get a strange feeling it'll resemble Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies. Or is that a premature insult? A funnier version of Chef with Lenny Henry? Let's wait and see.
Whites starts Monday 27 September @9pm on BBC2, starring Alan Davies (QI), Darren Boyd (Smack The Pony), Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd), Isy Suttie (Peep Show), Maggie Steed (Jam & Jerusalem), Stephen Wright (The Great Outdoors), Oli Lansley (FM) & Matt King.
