Uncle (TV series)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Uncle
Genre Sitcom
Written by Oliver Refson
Directed by Oliver Refson
Starring
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of series 1
No. of episodes 4 (List of episodes)
Production
Producer(s) Alison MacPhail
Running time 30 minutes
Production company(s) Baby Cow Productions
Broadcast
Original channel BBC Three
Original run 13 January 2014 (2014-01-13) – present
External links
Website

Uncle is a British sitcom written and directed by Oliver Refson. A pilot episode was first broadcast on Channel 4 in December 2012, before the show was commissioned by BBC Three. The first episode from the series, a remake of the pilot, aired on 13 January 2014. Uncle stars Nick Helm, Daisy Haggard, Elliot Speller-Gillott and Sydney Rae White.

Production

The show was commissioned by the BBC after a pilot was originally broadcast on Channel 4.[1] The pilot episode aired on the channel in December 2012, as part of a strand called 4Funnies.[2] When Channel 4's head of comedy, Shane Allen moved to the BBC, he brought the show with him.[3] Uncle was written by Oliver Refson for Baby Cow Productions.[3] Comedian Nick Helm explained that the show was inspired by Wes Anderson's comedy film The Royal Tenenbaums and thought it fitted in with other comedy shows produced by Baby Cow.[1] He quipped that while the show was not written for him, it was 75 per cent of what he would have done himself.[3] Helm plays Andy, a musician who is on the verge on suicide when he finds himself looking after his 12-year-old nephew Errol (Elliot Speller-Gillott).[3] Of Uncle, Helm said "There's an unconventional family at the show's core – the uncle and nephew and the single mum. They obviously are an actual family, but they create this unconventional revised family unit. That's what's nice about it."[1]

Cast

Episodes

Episode
no.		 Title Directed by Written by Original air date UK viewers
(in millions)
1 "Mind the Cracks"[6] Oliver RefsonOliver Refson13 January 2014 (2014-01-13)0.55[7]
Unemployed Andy is asked by his sister to look after his nephew Errol. The two form an unlikely friendship after they get into a car accident and visit a gay strip club. 
2 "Party Monster"[8] Oliver RefsonOliver Refson20 January 2014 (2014-01-20)0.643[9]
Andy is embarrassed when he gets moved on while busking and he then meets Gwen's new boyfriend. When he is asked to look after Errol, Andy learns that his nephew is faking an illness to get out of attending a friend's party. Andy then decides to teach Errol how to be a party monster. 
3 "I Like-Like You"[10] Oliver RefsonOliver Refson27 January 2014 (2014-01-27)
Andy decides to enter a battle of the bands competition held at Val's club, in the hope of getting close to Gwen. He also helps Errol out with his romantic problems. 
4 "Favourites"[11] Oliver RefsonOliver Refson and Lilah Vandenburgh3 February 2014 (2014-02-03)
Errol's father summons the family to his home to make a big announcement - that he has a new girlfriend. Andy is annoyed by the presence of Errol's other 'perfect' uncle, Rex, who is good at football, is a doctor, is a great cook, and has just returned from helping under-privileged children abroad. Andy's attempts to make Errol choose between himself and Rex do not go well. Sam and Bruce share a moment. 
5 "Last of the Red Hot Uncles"[12] Oliver RefsonOliver Refson10 February 2014 (2014-02-10)

Reception

Sam Wollaston from The Guardian gave the show a positive review, saying "Uncle manages to be warm as well as dark and rude. And hilarious. It could well be the thing to fill the (good) comedy void since Him & Her and Toast of London ended."[13] Gary Rose from the Radio Times gave the show a mixed review. He thought it was hard to find sympathy for Andy, while Errol was "a great little character". Rose liked the song and dance number, calling it a "a satisfying injection of quirkiness."[6]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Fletcher, Alex (6 January 2014). "Uncle: First look at new BBC Three Nick Helm comedy". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 January 2014. 
  2. ↑ "BBC Three picks up Nick Helm's Channel 4 pilot, Uncle". British Comedy Guide. 29 April 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2014. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Gilbert, Gerard (12 January 2014). "Nick Helm: Loud, aggressive – and a big pussycat off stage". The Independent. Retrieved 27 January 2014. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Martin, William (7 January 2014). "BBC Three comedy 'Uncle' launches next week". CultBox. Retrieved 27 January 2014. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Episode 3". BBC. Retrieved 27 January 2014. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Rose, Gary. "Uncle – Episode 1". Radio Times. Retrieved 15 January 2014. 
  7. ↑ "Episode 1.1 - Mind The Cracks". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 15 January 2014. 
  8. ↑ "Series 1 - 2. Party Monster". Radio Times. Retrieved 15 January 2014. 
  9. ↑ "BBC3 w/e 26 Jan 2014". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 4 February 2014. 
  10. ↑ "Episode 1.3 – I Like-Like You". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 22 January 2014. 
  11. ↑ "Episode 1.4 – Favourites". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 27 January 2014. 
  12. ↑ "Series 1 - 5. Last of the Red Hot Uncles". Radio Times. Retrieved 4 February 2014. 
  13. ↑ Wollaston, Sam (14 January 2014). "Uncle; The Great Sport Relief Bake Off – TV review". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 January 2014. 

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.