Miranda

Image c BBC

Miranda
5 / 5

Series: 3 plus specials
Aired: 2009 - 2015
Channel: BBC Two & BBC One
Writer: Miranda Hart
Cast: Miranda Hart, Patricia Hodge, Sarah Hadland, Tom Ellis and Sally Phillips et al

Miranda Hart announced on Steve Wright In the Afternoon on BBC Radio 2 that her hit TV programme, Miranda, was coming to an natural end. A natural end for most television programmes, particularly comedies, is quite rare as most of them can be found to peter-out and are cancelled without so much as a word (unless you follow BBC press releases, that is). As with a lot of televisual comedies, Miranda started out life as a stand-up routine and a radio show and was born of a lived-in character that was already developed.

I'll say it now; I'll say it loud and I'll say it proud: slapstick is my favourite type of comedy. People hitting each other, falling over, shouting a lot... It's childish, childlike and, despite first appearances, the most innocent of all comedies. Slapstick only survives if it is written in the most clever and concise manner and Miranda certainly is. Miranda Hart is an extremely intelligent woman; this fact bleeds through every minute of Miranda with a certainty that perhaps hides too often behind Miranda as she falls off her chair.

The premise is rather simple, as with most comedies: Miranda is in love with Gary (played by Tom Ellis, who fortuitously manages to be slightly taller than Miranda, well done him) but finds it hard to tell him. She also owns a Shop which isn't doing as well as anyone would hope. Her mother Penny is, what I call, always on her back about everything. She isn't the most swan-like socialite to ever grace the world and her knickers are more often than not on show.

"What have you done today to make you feel proud?"

It's quotable. "What I call", "Lady Ga-ga", "Bear with", "Rude", to name but a few. All of the characters are likeable; even Sally Phillips' super posh, rather over abundantly chirpy character Tilly is likeable, but I suppose that's personal preference. There's an innocence to it all that is never direct; a sublime British behaviour where taking the piss out of one's self is the most basic of our Human Rights.

Watching Miranda, I have those moments. You know those wonderful moments when you realise it's not just you? Like the idea that "thrust" is a bloody good word. Or disgust at the very thought of a savoury muffin. Or just tripping over air. Those moments. And it's just good fun.

It's really good fun.