THERE are few things the British do better than the comedy of embarrassment, and there are few better practitioners than Steve Coogan and his best-known alter ego, Alan Partridge, a clueless and socially inept DJ in provincial English radio who was introduced to British audiences with two TV series in 1997 and 2002.
Coogan released Alan Partridge Alpha Papa over this past summer, a feature-length movie featuring the character. The movie did well in the UK but has struggled to find a distributor in the USA, although reports suggest the movie may appear on these shores in the New Year.
In the meantime it’s well worth revisiting the show on Netflix. The six-episode first season, which I binge-watched this week, introduces Partridge presenting a graveyard shift program on local radio in Norwich following a failed TV host stint for the BBC in a low-rated show called Knowing Me, Knowing You. He is now living in a dingy Linton Travel Tavern hotel room close to the radio station and still dreaming of the big time. When not concocting elaborate schemes for fame that are doomed to fail, Coogan spends his waking hours offending people with tasteless jokes and clueless observations. Among his victims are Felicity Montagu as his faithful, mouse-like personal assistant, Lynn Benfield; Simon Greenall as the Geordie Travel Tavern handyman Michael and Phil Cornwell as disc jockey (DJ) Dave Clifton.
This series were written by Peter Baynham (who also appears in one episode), Coogan and Armando Iannucci, who has gone on to huge success in the States with the hit movie The Thick of It, and his current HBO show, Veep.
Among the highlights of season one are the first episode, “A Room with an Alan” in which Lynn view a show-home, where Alan displays his usual behaviour, and manages both to confuse and to bore the estate agent. Later in the day, Alan attends a luncheon at the BBC headquarters with Hayers (David Schneider), the fictional programme commissioner of the BBC, about the possibility of a second series of his disastrous Knowing Me, Knowing You show. Apparently unaware of how low his chances really are, he puts the nail in the coffin by desperately offering a range of ridiculous, badly thought-out ideas for new programs (monkey tennis, anyone?) that bore, bewilder, and eventually upset Hayers. When he is told that he is not to be re-commissioned, Alan attacks Hayers with a lump of cheese and flees the restaurant while shouting “I’ve got cheese, this is cheese!” Truly hilarious stuff.
In the second episode, “Alan Attraction”, Alan faces the tricky task of firing the staff of his production company while seducing his (admittedly eager) middle-aged receptionist. Alan’s idea of a date is a visit to the local owl sanctuary followed by a passionate encounter in the Travel Tavern complete with excruciating commentary as the pair get to grips. At this point I was laughing so hard I had trouble staying on the couch.
The series continues for another four episodes, each of which reveal the new ways in which Alan Partridge can both embarrass himself and infuriate others. It’s toe-curlingly hilarious stuff, and highly recommended.
I’m Alan Partridge, Season One. 2 DVDs. 1997. 3 hrs. Not rated. Starring: Steve Coogan, Barbara Durkin, James Lance. Studio: BBC Home Entertainment.
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