Meaty Beaty Big and Funny

Saxondale Seasons One and Two

Steve Coogan is one of those very talented people that a less well adjusted sort might grow to be very envious of if that person weren’t so darn well adjusted. His grasp of character is superb and in any role he plays he seems to be able to find what is absurd about that character almost instinctively. As a writer he is able to put his creations into situations where their natural flaws and shortcomings stand out and call attention to themselves like beacons in a fog.

Just as in “I’m Alan Partridge” Coogan plays a man who is not entirely in step with the rest of the world. Tom Saxondale is an ex roadie who is now a middle aged owner of a pest control company. He is interesting because he is not a stereotype. He hates conformity, but is well read and a gentleman. He enjoys sticking it to the man, but as he himself is a businessman, this is limited mostly to driving around in his yellow Mustang 351 Fastback. Although he sometimes acts a bit buffoonish Saxondale is smart and competent at his job. All in all the character is a likeable one and Coogan and his cowriter Neil MacClennan allow us to laugh both at and with him.

A lot of what makes Saxondale funny is its specificity. For example, Tom is in love with Magz, an attractive, if rather rubenesque, lady played by the able comic actress Ruth Jones. Any shots taken at Magz’ weight are by characters towards whom we are meant to feel negatively. As far as Tom is concerned he is with Magz because he not only is in love with her, but in his words “She makes me come from my boots”. Their relationship is very real and nuanced.

The only complaint about the show is that there are only two series and each series has only six episodes. Just as I felt I had really gotten to know Tom Saxondale he was screaming off down the street, prog rock wailing, both birds flying. In an age of crap reality shows and sit coms that have to rely on laugh tracks Saxondale is a gift. It is a very funny comedy and on occasion it is a bit more than that.

This is a must rent for anyone who is a comedy fan. At thirty bucks shipped from Amazon for both seasons in one box it would be a pretty good purchase as well.

You should rent this movie if

1. You enjoy character driven comedies.
2. You enjoyed the office
3. You enjoyed Alan Partridge, Basil Fawlty and David Brent.

You should buy this movie if

1. You are big into Steve Coogan.
2. You want to have a very funny show to bang on whenever you need a chuckle.
3. We are talking six hours of quality comedy programming for under thirty United States Dollars. Geez, people, what else do you want?

If you are interested in buying this DVD here is a link to Amazon where you can get it at a reasonable price: