The
lowdown: 'People Like Us' is a mockumentary series in which
interviewer Roy Mallard (played by Chris Langham)
spends a day with a person
in a specific profession, such as a lawyer, bank manager, journalist or
company executive.
It began as a radio series
on BBC Radio 4, where it ran from 1995 to 1997 before making the transition
from radio to TV,
where it ran for three seasons
on BBC Two from 20 September 1999 to 24 June 2001. A total of 12 episodes
were made,
and it has spawned a number
of similar programs.
The
episode: 'The Actor' was the fourth episode of the second series,
and was broadcast on BBC Two on 10 June 2001.
It starred David Tennant
as an actor named Rob Harker. Mallard spends a day with Harker as he attends
auditions for
a movie role, a fast-food
commercial and voice-over work for a new magazine. Rob is also an aspiring
scriptwriter, and
he visits a literary agent
to receive feedback on his film script (whose main character is a woman
whose name is similar
to that of Rob's ex-girlfriend,
whom he has not gotten over). Mallard also interviews Rob's parents and
his best friends,
although his female friend
is more concerned with impressing Mallard rather than talking about Rob.
Incidentally, the
literary agent is played
by Nina Sosanya, who appeared with Tennant in 'Fear Her', in the second
season of 'Doctor Who'.
The
verdict: 'People Like Us' is an entertaining series that will
appeal to people who like the style of humour of 'The Office'
and similar shows. The humour
is very subtle and ironic, and the actors who star as the main characters
are all very good.
Indeed, some have since
gone on to much bigger things in the acting world. 'People Like Us' is
highly recommended to
those who enjoy quality
British comedy. Sadly, Chris Langham is now more likely to be remembered
for serving jail term
for possessing child pornography
rather than for making what is an excellent series.
|
|
