Sean Mason on the BBC's recent comedy flops

Recently the BBC has given us two Wednesday evening comedies that have been panned by the critics.

I'm not going to dwell on Big Top, which, after its pre-release fanfare, more or less dropped from the view, swept under the carpet and spoken of only in hushed whispers; very much the sitcom equivalent of Guantanamo Bay. We know it’s there but if we try not to think about it, maybe it'll just go away.

In fact the prison analogy is quite apt. The cast looked like they were serving time for a crime they hadn't committed, had been worn down by the system. They were there for the money.

Except for Amanda Holden, who is, quite frankly, a comedy black hole, from whom no one else could escape. That's not to say the entire mess was her fault - I'm just saying that even if the script wasn't so utterly terrible, she wouldn't be very good. But the script was awful. The jokes were unforgivably predictable. It aimed to be accessible to all, but lost any edge or bite. And I'm not saying all sitcoms need to be edgy, I'm saying the characters need to be interesting. Tony Robinson was the best one in it and he had the best lines - but the best lines in Big Top, would only be considered good lines in other, better sitcoms.

Having probably decided it was too whacky for BBC One, BBC Two gives us The Persuasionists, which is trying so hard to be The IT Crowd it's almost embarrassing.

Actually, I don't think this sitcom is that bad, it's certainly given me cause to laugh every so often. Of course, next to Big Flop this is an absolute classic. However, the BBC have recently bumped it from its Wednesday night slot to 11.20pm on a Thursday, just after Newsnight. A slot well known for its discerning comedy audiences and high ratings obviously. This is the scheduling equivalent of sweeping something under a rug.

Production company Bwark have denied claims presented on Chortle that it was poor editing that damaged the show so badly. Which then, must be them conceding that the scripts weren’t very good to begin with.

Simon Farnaby flitters between being the best one in it and being incredibly annoying, but at all times you see a man trying to do his best with uneven material, an actor thinking laterally to get as many laughs as he can. Adam Buxton's character is so infuriating, not because he's so wet, but because Buxton is capable of so much more yet is tied down by his character. Iain Lee plays it straight, but his character is such a git it's hard – ie impossible – to like him. Daisy Haggard plays every blonde office bimbo/bitch ever committed to sitcom - but again it's not her fault, it's the character she's been given. Jarred Christmas is also wasted, and you get the feeling yet again, of a man capable of much more. In fact his character is probably the most consistently funny.

The main problem here is that these sitcoms have forgotten what makes other sitcoms, like The IT Crowd work. Relatable characters and a whole lot of charm. And in Big Top's case, err, jokes.

Yes The IT Crowd is whacky, but the three main characters, particularly Chris O'Dowd's Roy are all very human, relatable, and quite down to earth. Roy is put upon, knows better and frustrated. Jen is single, trapped, and wants to be noticed. Moss, is a loveably simple character, but capable of great insight. We all know or are those people.

Neither Big Top or The Persuasionists have these hooks. There is a writing tip I was taught very early on, never sell out character for a gag. They seem to have got raound this by not having very developed characters in the first place.

And the charm factor is very important. The Persuasionists seems oddly flat - shocking considering the talent involved in front of and behind the camera - and almost too clean cut. It's hard to put into words but if you watch it I'm sure you'll understand what I mean - something seems to be missing.

This is not to say that the show won't turn out to be a grower like Miranda (which started out poorly, but by the end was something quite lovely, light, and again, charming), and maybe it'll find it's legs - though with the recent schedule bump I doubt it.

Big Top will hopefully never see the light of day again.

This is not an attack on the BBC. I love the Beeb and its many wonderful comedy shows but please, please stop diluting your comedy output with stuff like this.

If anything what I've written here is a warning to all prospective sitcom writers - and something I have to remind myself as I sit and write my own pilot. Don't forget characters or charm, because it’s the characters who sell your jokes and make the audience come back.

And on that note, don't forget jokes either.

Published: 5 Feb 2010