Once again, my low-brow preferences are underlined by the start of this tape. “Now the Thames Summer Seasons continues with the Rennaissance Theatre Co-” at which point the recording switches to Sean’s Show on Channel 4.
Sean’s Show is Sean Hughes’ sitcom, based loosely on the same gimmick as It’s Garry Shandling’s Show, but with Hughes’ loser character as the central character.
His local barman is played by Michael Troughton.
There’s a funny cameo from Windsor Davies.
Victor McGuire plays Tony, from upstairs.
In the first episode, Sean discovers the script to the show, written by Samuel Becket.
In the second episode, Sean sings a lot, and tries to make his girlfriend jealous.
Before the next episode there’s the end of The Golden Girls.
Oddly, the theme tune and titles is different for every show. And he sings it in a different key. Or different octave, anyway.
Tracey MacLeod from The Late Show turns up to interview Sean.
Also, Steve Coogan does a voice on the phone.
There’s a special announcement before the next episode: “Due to certain unforeseen production problems, some of the script used for tonight’s show has been incorrectly typed, rendering parts of the programme incomprehensible.”
Sean is on holiday in Greece. Some nice fourth wall breakage here.
Next, an unscheduled programme, with Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer in The Weekenders, part of the Bunch of Fives series.
Apart from Vic & Bob, lots of familiar faces, like Paul Whitehouse
Simon Day (credited as Tommy Cockles)
Human League frontman Phil Oakey
I’m not even going to try to synopsize this. It’s one of the most surreal things I’ve seen.
Speaking of credits, Reeves is credited in the writing credit under his real name, Jim Moir. And his character’s name is Jim.
After this, there’s the start of a 4-Play programme, ‘Itch with Alexei Sayle. This recording stops at the end of Part One and underneath there’s a special showing of George Michael’s ‘controversial new video’ Too Funky. It’s got lots of famous models in it.
Then, the recording stops during another 4-Play presentation, Shalom Joan Collins.
And underneath, an even older recording. Gene Hackman and Anne Archer running through a train. It’s Narrow Margin. Actually, it’s a film programme with Archer discussing doing her own stunts, from Sky movies.
Then, a behind the scenes for Basic Instinct. It’s amusing that, in this hyper modern thriller, to show that Sharon Stone’s character is a writer, they show a close-up on a dot matrix printer printing something out. The recording stops during this.
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VHiStory 