Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Rev

Last night on BBC 2 saw the first episode of this sitcom.

The beginning of a new comedy series is often about character establishment. Tom Hollander, as the Rev'd Adam Smallbone, is the fish out of water as a country vicar transported into the inner city. His sinister archdeacon, riding around London in taxis and dropping his clergy off when he has finished talking with them, wherever they are, urges him when money is needed to fix a stained-glass window, to find 'an inner-city solution to an inner-city problem.'

It is an intelligent comedy. No canned laughter helps you along. It makes good points (people do start attending church if a church school offers the best bet for the kids). Apparently Hollander was quite moved by some of the stories from clergy he heard in researching the programme which he co-wrote.

I've yet to see a portrayal of a vicar as leader rather than pastor. But it isn't, thank goodness gas, gaiters or Dibley.

Worth another week. Apparently an evangelical turns up in episode two. I'm a bit scared.

4 comments:

David Keen said...

judging by the clip on the programme site, the evangelical wears a tank top and likes to put sofas in church. I'm with him on the sofas.

Steve Tilley said...

I have a sleeveless pullover.

Marcella said...

I agree, I quite enjoyed episode 1.

I met a bishop once who said that he wished he had a diocesan arsonist to deal with the issue of pews v comfier chairs in churches...

Mike Peatman said...

yep - I put a sofa in our College chapel (and I also got the better chairs sorted - advantage of no pews in the first place and no faculties required!)