Twenty Twelve

I received the boxed set edition of this "spoof" series as a birthday gift and am pleased to say that this is one collection that won't sit on the shelf unwatched. It's a droll, if not laugh- out-loud comedy satirising the doings and undoings of the team set up to ensure the smooth operation of the then impending London Olympic Games of 2012.

Peopled by just-exaggerated-enough characters all too believable in their ineptitude, it gently mocks their blundering officiousness with fly-on-the-wall scrutiny, pieces to camera and occasional interaction with them by an unseen interviewer. Heading the team is the bumptious Ian Fletcher, played by Hugh Bonneville, the archetypal 24-7 workaholic, whose private life is foundering under the strain, while carrying an Olympic-size torch for him is his super-efficient P.A. Sally, forever plying him with massive portions of fast food, played in best scene-stealing fashion by Olivia Colman.

Of the remainder, Jessica Hynes as Siobhan Sharpe, the domineering on-the-go "Head Of Brand", with her catchphrases "Cool" and "This is the thing" and Karl Theobald as the crisp-munching but out-to-lunch Head of Logistics are particularly funny while for added realism, real life bigwigs Lord "Seb" Coe and London Mayor Boris Johnston are happy to put in cameo appearances too.

The format of Ian arriving for the daily hot-air group-meeting does grate a little after a few episodes while some of the supporting characters lack definition but I think the humour improves when the scenarios are opened out, for example the crazy coach-trip with the Brazilian Olympic delegation or the unveiling of the bizarre backward-counting Olympic Clock complete with its artistically-temperamental creator. The actors cope very well with the demands of their supposedly off-the-cuff, overlapping dialogue although as the DVD-extra cast interviews make clear, not a single line is improvised.

All in all, I think this fresh take on the "mockumentary" concept is a winner, not quite gold-medal standard, but certainly on the podium somewhere.

Having not seen the Aussie "The Games" that this is supposed to strongly resemble I don't have anything really to compare it to other than The Office (US and UK both). I don't think it's quite as funny as I expected but not all that dull either. It was amusing to see all the dancing around sensibilities, especially with the "countdown" clock silliness, and it was nice to see Olivia Colman in this, I liked her a lot in "Rev.". All in all I was entertained by the first episode but I hope for better as the episodes progress. I would hope there were a lot of inside jokes that Londoners would get better than myself on the other side of the pond. I can't help but wonder if this might not have been funnier to follow around the actual people involved in carrying this off and showing that during the games. If they have time to watch this I hope they are suitably amused.

I cannot give the single reason that makes this series is so perfect . Sharply observed narration by David Tennant is superb and each of the actors were superbly cast . Understated stereotypes all contributed in perfect measure to execute this really witty script . The ending with Hugh Bonneville and Olivia Colman is the best ending I have ever seen, bar one (Blackadder). Please give this a watch ! So that's all good.....

Anyone tuning into this show hoping it to be a match for W1A, forget it. This has none of the wonderful casting of W1A, missing essential components Hugh Skinner's Will and David Westhead's profane under-the-breath pronouncements that spoke for us, the audience. The rapid fire idiocy around the table is stilted, having none of the hilarity of its successor. But all is not lost. Hugh Bonneville is as expected, wonderful, although his character is much more refined in W1A, here more abrupt and a bit mean. And Olivia Coleman is wonderful as always.

They've tried to take the functionality of office(UK) into this. But the storyline is boring. Characters are mediocre, plotl ine is meh. Overall nothing great to watch tbh.

I only watched this for Jessica Hynes, came here from watching Spaced. But this is really disappointing.