Mar/1119
Jessica Hynes best in show
Jessica Hynes, who I have always thought doesn’t seem to get as much work as her talent would suggest she should, is absolutely brilliant in Twenty Twelve (BBC4). She is absolutely stand out in the Olympic organisation committee based comedy, no mean achievement considering how good both the script and the cast is.
Thus BBC4 remains the home of all things great and scripted.
The idea I assume may have been inspired by a similar Olympic mocumentary from Australia. Actually some cursory research has shown that worse claims have been made. Whatever the case (and this show was definitely known about pretty widely in production circles in my day) it is a good idea either way.
I also assume the BBC got the rights to use the terms Olympic, London and 2012 in the same programme as part of their sport broadcast deal. Using them is highly expensive and legally challenging by the way. So good for them.
The programme… wait for it… deserves a medal of its own… …
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9:37 am on March 20th, 2011
I expect that this series will prove to be the best thing to come out of this whole, ludicrously expensive, exercise.
3:29 pm on March 24th, 2011
In the mould of Ad Fab, TT is all that’s brilliant about really cleverly written and pin-sharply accurate parodies.
The bloated, self-important committees and commissions, B***S*** corporate-speak, PR nonsense and emperor’s clothes sycophancy.
I love it, and the casting is absolutely fabulous!
10:34 pm on March 29th, 2011
I’m sure someone has already spotted this but prior to the Sydney Games in 2000 there was a wonderfully funny – and hauntingly similar – programme called The Games. It was one of the best comedy documentary/reality/dramas Australia has produced; along with the hilarious – even side splittingly funny – evening commentary by Roy and HG – actually during the games themselves – these two programmes were for me the most memorable parts of the whole event. Twenty Twelve is absolutely cringingly great! Thanks.
1:36 pm on March 30th, 2011
Thanks for the comments. I mentioned the The Games briefly in the post but I haven’t yet watched it myself. I am getting hold of it on DVD and will review, but by all accounts it is excellent.
4:51 pm on April 13th, 2011
TT is fantastic very funny and the cast are all brilliant . I love it!
3:08 pm on April 15th, 2011
Absolutely brilliant; cringeworthy but oh so funny.
8:27 am on April 19th, 2011
Totally brilliant series – could not stop laughing. Just watched the last in the present series and will really miss it. Well done BBC.
6:16 pm on April 19th, 2011
This series was hysterically funny. There’s enough time before the games to squeeze in at least another two series.
10:56 pm on April 20th, 2011
Brilliant series, the best comedy I’ve seen in a while. Agree about the cast, all excellent, but Jessica Hynes certainly stands out. Those who played one off roles in individual episodes were also ideal. I hope there will be another series.
1:32 am on April 21st, 2011
It is a piteously observed commentary on bureaucratic oafishness. A quite brilliant series and I’m really disappointed it’s over already. There should be time for at least one more series before the real event, I hope. I agree about the underuse of Jessica Hynes but the whole cast is great.
5:03 pm on May 12th, 2011
Have watched the repeated series of Twenty Twelve on BBC4 this weekend and it was even funnier the second time around. That’s the sign of a classic comedy. I really hope there is a second series.
5:10 pm on May 12th, 2011
Just to let you know folks, it has been commissioned for a second series. Thanks for the comments.
2:47 pm on May 18th, 2011
Hurrah, can’t wait, the best show on tv, with Jessica Hynes and Hugh Bonniville playing the parts to a tee
9:19 pm on July 22nd, 2011
We watched this first on BBC4 and howled with laughter and enjoying the repeat on BBC2 now, plus using the iplayer – love all the cast and especially David Tennant’s monotone voiceover – superb!! Glad to hear you’ve commissioned “the commision” for a second series.
11:15 pm on July 25th, 2011
Totally addicted to the first series, and can’t wait for series 2. Brilliant casting and love the ‘voice’ of David Tennant xxxxx
10:52 pm on July 26th, 2011
We have just seen Episode 2 and laughed so much we upset our cat. It was great. We had no idea it was an actual comedy and thought we were watching a programme about 2012 for the first few minutes then realised and began texting friends to tell them to watch it was so funny. Really sad to find we cannot get Episode 1 on I Player but will be watching all the rest and sad we did not know about it on BBC4 in March. A real gem. The Blackwall tunnel and the M11 bit…. priceless.
1:18 am on August 28th, 2011
Here`s a thing…. as I am meeting life head on, not before & not after it, just head on I have now booked my trip via the Blackwall Tunnel (from Swindon) to admire the London Wild Life Out Reach Stag Beetle Project at Greenwich to include all stumps & marked rubbish bins! And can`t wait for another series!
9:32 pm on September 2nd, 2011
Quite simply the best. I doubt you would ever see anything as sophisticated as this on commercial TV – well done the Beeb. There is still intelligent life left in the universe. Very happy to hear of a second series.
9:33 pm on September 2nd, 2011
Forgot to say, why is it not on Iplayer? I mssed the first 2 episodes.