Watson & Oliver - TV review

There's nothing like a spot of light entertainment on a Wednesday night to pull us out of the mundane midweek malaise.

Unfortunately when the programme in question relies more heavily on "light" than "entertainment", it makes you wish you'd turned the square God off altogether and read a good book instead.

The British are supposedly virtuosos when it comes to sketch shows and are proud to shout it from the rooftops when it is achieved with aplomb.

So it comes as no surprise that this latest offering has fallen somewhat under the radar and we are already four shows in without even a whisper of its apparent appeal.

Best friends Lorna Watson and Ingrid Oliver have recently enjoyed sell-out success at the Edinburgh Festival as well as appearing in a smattering of comedy shows. But the brave duo have decided to create a new show mixing live studio performances with sketches from various characters.

It is a tried and tested formula that has seen many a success and flop lie before them; and it would be very lazy of me to compare them to the likes of French and Saunders because of the obvious similarities.

But they have clearly attempted to emulate their predecessors – for example, they open their show to a chorus line in front of a live studio audience – think Morecambe and Wise without the material to pull it off. Instead you're left praying for it to end and allow the pre-recorded sketches to take over.

First off we see the pair dressed as a married posh couple in bed talking about their very mundane lives. "So what" I find myself asking. It is only when the dark-haired wife starts lamenting her perfect wedding day and kissing on the balcony that I realise we are witnessing a Kate and Wills spoof with a joke about Pippa's pert bottom thrown in for good measure.

It then switches back and forth from a period drama pastiche, to northern secretaries with oversized talons and bored teenagers looking aloof at a bus stop, punctuated with a dark-haired well-spoken man who keeps popping up out of nowhere muttering "humble humble" . . . oh that's supposed to be Colin Firth.

Just when I thought this second-hand comedy show couldn't get any worse, we then had to endure a mock music video from Enrique Iglesias and his father Julio, who turns out to be an annoying competitive father and a womaniser with a "bery bery" bad Spanish accent. Wasn't this done by Messrs French and Saunders and the very talented ladies from Smack The Pony?

It is as if they have brought together the ingredients from all our best loved shows, thrown them into a bubbling cauldron and conjured up a potion that leaves a very bland taste in our mouths.

There were some highlights however – including Watson's portrayal of a middle-aged woman trying to leave an answering machine message, which reminded me of certain relatives who shall remain anonymous.

Something that works in their favour is that they are great actresses and have the kind of facial expressions that induce a cheeky giggle. And maybe with time we will see their true talent shine through.

But unfortunately the content was more suited to 7.30am on CBeebies as opposed to a primetime slot twelve hours later. The mistakes were elementary Watson and Oliver.

Melissa Coombs