This Time - TV Review

Steve Coogan was back on our screens last night playing his most famous creation Alan Partridge who finds himself co-hosting a BBC magazine show. Due to the sudden illness of its regular host, he joins regular Jennie Gresham (Susannah Fielding) on the sofa.

Partridge’s presenting style is has brash as ever and still annoying – he’s still as tactless, incompetent and ego-driven as ever and a pleasure to see him back. His co-star soon gets her taste of his wacky personality when welcoming him as a safe pair of hands for the show then Partridge bangs on about his hands and changing of hand cream.

Over the course of this half-hour “live” programme, which reminds me of the One Show the BBC’s real early evening show he soon finds himself in trouble when he talks about oil disasters caused by Shell after his co-star remarks with a guest about Shell. He just can’t stop waffling nonsensically much to the dismay of his co-presenter.

There was also appearances from some of Partridge’s old regulars from his old show such as his PA Lynn (Felicity Montagu), who becomes concerned that Jennie is stealing Alan’s jokes, and Alan’s radio sidekick Simon (Tim Key), with whom they try to present a feature on a touch-screen computer which is a fail.

Alan will always be the star of the show, perhaps best evidenced by the fact that we don’t see most of the filmed features. When the show cuts to them, we stick to the studio cameras and see our hosts trying to relax as best they can. Although, when talking about Alan Partridge, “best” is probably not the word to use.

For me, his unexpected turns of phrase are some of the big highlights. These include comparing the country’s lush countryside to a buxom woman, although as he himself states, it might not be a woman, but instead, “a smooth, fat teenage boy”. Then there is complicated demonstration of how he uses a train toilet without using his hands.

Even after all these years, Coogan is able to get some top quality comic moments from his creation, one that has been developing for nearly 30 years. Given all that experience, perhaps it shouldn’t be that surprising. As long as there is something still being broadcast, his creation will still be there trying to make himself the big star he thinks he deserves to be.

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It was a good start and looking forward to more.