People Like Us

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For other uses, see People Like Us (disambiguation).
People Like Us

Chris Langham as Roy Mallard
Genre Mockumentary
Running time 30 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Languages English
Home station BBC Radio 4
TV adaptations People Like Us
Starring Chris Langham
Writers John Morton
Air dates 10 June 1995 to 9 August 1997
No. of series 3 on radio, 2 on TV
No. of episodes 17 on radio, 12 on TV
Audio format Stereophonic sound
Ending theme Unsquare Dance by Dave Brubeck (Radio programme only)

People Like Us is a British comedy programme, a spoof on-location documentary (or mockumentary) written by John Morton, and starring Chris Langham as Roy Mallard, an inept interviewer. Originally a radio show for BBC Radio 4 in three series from 1995 to 1997, it was made into a television series for BBC Two between September 1999 and June 2000.

Contents

[edit] Radio version

Each episode features the affable, bumbling Roy Mallard following a day in the lives of representatives of a particular career or lifestyle. This he does in his own manner. A comedy of wordplay and misunderstanding, People Like Us could be a metaphor for life, in that, while the protagonist is an idiot, everyone else is a bigger idiot - Mallard's questions are usually sensible yet misinterpreted.

There are hints (particularly in "The Photographer" – with Bill Nighy) that Mallard is unattractive – his subjects often ask in passing if he is married, and their reactions range from surprise to incredulity when he tells them he is. Another recurring theme is Mallard's quest for a coffee – or even lunch. At the end of each episode the cast are never credited. Instead, over Dave Brubeck's "Unsquare Dance", statements of the kind, "Roy Mallard would like to thank Chris Langham" appear.

The character of Roy Mallard was based on an exaggeration of the writer John Morton himself.[1] Morton had been a fan of Chris Langham's performances since seeing him on Smith and Jones, and had Langham's voice in mind when he was writing the scripts.[1]

The radio show was critically acclaimed, being awarded "Best Radio Comedy" in both 1996 and 1997 at the British Comedy Awards[2][3] as well as winning a gold Sony Radio Award for best comedy.[1]

[edit] TV version

Eleven of the radio episodes were adapted for TV, with one original episode – The Actor. The TV version featured an array of acclaimed guest stars including Bill Nighy, David Tennant, Geoffrey Whitehead and Tamsin Greig.[4]

Mallard is hardly visible in the TV episodes. He is usually just out of sight, but viewers can spot him, or part of him, in every episode – on one occasion reflected with the camera in a shop window. Much of the humour is verbal as characters take a literal interpretation of what others say, use redundant expressions and non-sequiturs. Alongside this verbal aspect there was more conventional humour. Mallard encountered bizarre behaviour from his featured characters and their counterparts. For all his own mediocrity and haplessness he could appear sane and competent compared to those alongside him. The lack of laugh-track and the dead-pan approach led some viewers to believe they were encountering a "straight" documentary.

A third series was planned but was cancelled in favour of The Office.[5]

The TV version was well received, with the first series winning the 1999 Silver Rose D'Or for comedy.[1]

[edit] Home video release

The first TV series was released on VHS and DVD on 16 September 2002. The second was due to be released in 2003 but was cancelled, eventually being released (in Australia only) in November 2007.[6] In September 2009 the complete two series were released in the United States on region 1 NTSC DVD.[7] The second series was finally released on DVD in the UK on 24 May 2010.

[edit] List of episodes

[edit] Radio series

Series Episode Title First broadcast
1 1 The Farmer 10 June 1995
2 The Headmaster 17 June 1995
3 The Journalist 24 June 1995
4 The Vicar 1 July 1995
5 The Doctor 8 July 1995
6 The Solicitor 15 July 1995
Special 1 Unnamed (a.k.a. The Christmas Panto) 23 December 1995
2 1 The Managing Director 8 June 1996
2 The Artist 15 June 1996
3 The Ski Courier 22 June 1996
4 The Estate Agent 29 June 1996
5 The Policeman 6 July 1996
6 The Hotel Manager 13 July 1996
3 1 The Mother 19 July 1997
2 The Bank Manager 26 July 1997
3 The Air Line Pilot (a.k.a. The Pilot) 2 August 1997
4 The Photographer 9 August 1997

[edit] TV series

Series Episode Title First broadcast
1 1 The Managing Director 20 September 1999
2 The Estate Agent 27 September 1999
3 The Police Officer 4 October 1999
4 The Solicitor 11 October 1999
5 The Photographer 18 October 1999
6 The Head Teacher 25 October 1999
2 1 The Vicar 20 May 2001
2 The Mother 27 May 2001
3 The Journalist 3 June 2001
4 The Actor 10 June 2001
5 The Bank Manager 17 June 2001
6 The Airline Pilot 24 June 2001

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d http://www.bbcprograms.com/pbs/catalog/peoplelikeus/docs/presskit_PeopleLikeUs1.pdf
  2. ^ http://www.britishcomedyawards.com/pastwinners96.html
  3. ^ http://www.britishcomedyawards.com/pastwinners97.html
  4. ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0214362/fullcredits#cast
  5. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/peoplelikeus/
  6. ^ http://www.fbo.com.au/movie.asp?ID=31031
  7. ^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002AS460U

[edit] External links

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