It doesn't have the same charisma as the original series, which was all about grotesqueness. The old puppets looked far more rubbery, as though the rubber was alive & almost melting. At least that's how I remember it. It's possible that's partially about the higher definition of the new series but I suspect it's beause they just don't have the same spitting image workshop, the same talented puppet creators, whose talent in particular was not just creating a satirical likeness but turning that likeness into something far more obscenely exaggerated than we have in this version.
Actually some of the puppets aren't bad but none of them really seem alive in the same way as the original. With the original series the introduction of a new character was always something of an event: you never quite knew what they'd do with a character. I think they've tried to an extent here: Boris isn't bad - basically a bristly mop but not obviously larger than life than the real thing. Same could be said of Trump. I quite liked the Greta character, but none of them have that 'oh my god, look what they did to X...factor' & some of the almost grotesque takes like Pence seem to be more about political dislike than any kind of wit.
Which brings us onto the comedy side of things. The puppets in themselves aren't enough to bring us to the table. Unfortunately the script & the jokes aren't any better really. It's difficult to be objective here. Comedy & the world with it has changed a lot, but funny is still funny so long as you can suspend whatever political prejudices one might have & there was very little that made me laugh. For information, the above review is based on episode two, & there were a few times I almost chuckled & I actually did laugh at the final joke, but mostly I just watched out of curiosity. The Pelosi sequence wasn't bad but the comedy seemed 'logical' rather than to just flow of its own accord. Maybe it'll get better but I kind of doubt it.
There are worse ways to spend half an hour but it's not something to tune in especially for
