Aug 29, 2013

[TV] Miranda: Series 2

Comedy is such an interesting, well, creature of the entertainment world. There is not consistent formula for what will "work" with any given audience. What is funny today will be tired and boring for the next generation. And so on and so forth.

It's hard to precisely explain what makes Miranda work so much is a challenge in itself. At first I was worried that maybe the show was just funny for me - maybe my friends and I had tapped into a show that works on some sort of a niche level. That isn't exactly a rare occurrence - being a geek means having rather specialized interests at times.

But Miranda is an award-winning show. It's one that has gained a significant following among viewers and it has certainly done enough to last more than just a single season and it has led to some great things for Miranda Hart, its star. And yes, when you love the show, you do tend to fall in love with her as well. And that's not a bad thing.


Synopsis: Miranda is a BBC comedy created by Miranda Hart, who is also title character. The show has won numerous awards including the 2011 Best New British Comedy Award.

At the end of the first series, we were left with the little cliffhanger of Gary (Tom Ellis), Miranda's best friend and obvious love interest, leaving for Hong Kong for a new job opportunity. With this second series, we start with Miranda (Miranda Hart) being all depressed given his absence. She does her best to try to move on and eventually starts to strike up the possibilities of a dating relationship with the new chef, Danny (Michael Landes). But of course we all know Gary is bound to come back - plot twist!

While the first series was a lot more random in nature, this second series had a bit more of a meta-plot carrying across the episodes. Things actually reach a point with Gary and Miranda trying to start something that could be a relationship or could just be two good friends entering murky waters. And it's quite the crazy ride to follow along over the course of 6 episodes.

It's hard to fully appreciate how a show can do so much with so "little" in terms of episodes. Sure, each one is a solid 30 minutes instead of the 22 and some change minutes we get for US half-hour shows. That's almost another full hour of programming to work with during the full series. But one also has to consider how seemingly random the show is in terms of the narratives and gags in each episodes and how that could get in the way of the a coherent meta-plot. But they still manage to get it done and throw in a lot of crazy jokes and gags while we're at it.

I continue to love Miranda's asides and how her continued breaking of the fourth wall engages the audience on the completely different level. Some people may not understand this aspect of the show and may even be turned off by it. But I for one totally enjoy it, and so does my partner, and so do my friends (at least those who watch the show). It seems cheesy and corny but it leads to a lot of laughs. Totally.

We totally love this show. At times it seems almost childish with the slapstick humor and somewhat stereotypical sitcom scenarios. And then it surprises you when you least it expect it with brilliant one-liners, wonderful interactions between characters and yet another zinger delivered by Patricia Hodge, who plays Miranda's mother.

Miranda continues to be a great show and I just wish that there were even more episodes to be enjoyed. I really love the show's quirky writing and rather unique humor and I certainly hope that all of you reading this come to enjoy the show a well. This second series still gets a full 5 failed attempts between Gary and Miranda to do...whatever, out of a possible 5. Such fun!


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