Victoria Wood – As Seen On TV – tape 1284

This is a rerun of the first series of Victoria Wood As Seen on TV. It’s like the opposite of Thompson – a sketch show entirely written by its star, but which works completely. I think it’s just the comic sensibilities – Wood has always had a style that’s very reminiscent of a surreal Alan Bennett. And let’s not underestimate the presence of Julie Walters, who can play virtually anything, and be funny about it.

There’s not much I can write about this, apart from it’s fabulous. The writing is sharp and tight, and the production matches it. The faux documentaries are all shot on 16mm, matching the style of the time, and Acorn Antiques is a masterpiece of production. Not only is the acting just wooden enough, the blocking of the actors is always funny, the cameras are always not quite in the right place, and the microphones in shot are just there for the briefest instant. It’s teetering on the edge of being over the top, but never quite falls over it, making it a joy to watch and rewatch.

The documentary in the first episode features a lovely performance from Jim Broadbent as A Fairly Ordinary Man.

BBC Genome: BBC Two – 17th January 1992 – 21:00

The next episode sees the first appearance of Patricia Routledge as Kitty, a bit of a reworking of a character Julie Walters played in their LWT series, Dotty. And, I suspect, the major inspiration for Roy Clarke creating Hyacinth Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances.

There’s also a duet with Denis Lawson.

It also has my favourite Susie Blake announcement. “We’d like to apologise to viewers in the North. It must be awful for them.”

BBC Genome: BBC Two – 24th January 1992 – 21:00

The next episode has a lovely song with a full brass band, which has more than a hint of Peter Skellern.

The dcumentary To Be An Actress has a scene that’s always remained with me. Mary Jo Randle plays an aspiring actress, Sarah, and during a workshop audition, the director gives them some instruction. “We’re going to play leapfrog… with a difference. You’re Hamlet. You’re Hinge. Brackett. You’re a bottle of milk. Marie Lloyd. Milton Keynes.” And turning to Sarah, “And you’re Lady Godiva.”

There’s a pause. A cut to an older, distinguished actor, staring at her. And she starts reluctantly taking her top off. “Three hours later, Sarah got the job.”

It gets a huge laugh, but it’s always made me uncomfortable, since I imagine this is not far away from the reality of being a young woman starting out acting.

BBC Genome: BBC Two – 31st January 1992 – 21:00

In the next episode, they clearly spent a bit of money on the doctor’s surgery, as they use it in several sketches.

The documentary is On Campus about a young music student. As her parents wheel a chest freeer into her room she says “I’m not sure where it should go until I put my Simon Rattle posters up.”

BBC Genome: BBC Two – 7th February 1992 – 21:00

Next episode features guest appearances from both Denis Lawson and Maureen Lipman.

There’s an astonishingly young looking Felicity Montagu in a documentary about private school.

And there’s a marvellously rousing closing number to mark the end fo the series.

Except it isn’t the end of the series, there’s one more episode to go.

BBC Genome: BBC Two – 14th February 1992 – 21:00

In the final episode, Gretchen Franklin from Eastenders makes a brief appearance.

Susie Blake: “Oh I don’t like things in Black and White. I just hate the fact that someone could walk in while you’re watching a black and white film and they might think you can’t afford colour.”

Kitty: “The first day I met her she said ‘I’m a radical feminist lesbian.’ I thought ‘What would the Queen Mum do?'”

Patrick Barlow appears as director of a stage musical of Bessie Bunter.

“Two days and a bottle of scotch later, we finished Bessie! A day to write the show, and a day to think up the exclamation mark.”

BBC Genome: BBC Two – 21st February 1992 – 21:00

After this, recording continues with a trailer for My Sister-Wife with Meera Syal.

Then, the start of Arena on the legal case that arose after the production of Six Degrees of Separation. This looks like a terribly mannered documentary, in which one of the lawyers involved also plays Jack Nicholson, and where Jonathan King is a talking head. There’s only 9 minutes of this before the tape ends.