The lowdown:  'Miranda' is a British comedy series that was written by and stars Miranda Hart (of Hyperdrive fame).
It was broadcast on BBC2 from 9 November 2009, and is based on a BBC Radio 2 series called 'Miranda Hart's Joke
Shop', which itself was based on the pilot episode of a proposed TV series. Miranda is single and in her 30s, and her
mother Penny (Patricia Hodge) is so keen for her tall and rather unfeminine daughter to marry that she once tried to
give her daughter away. Miranda's height means that people often mistake her for a man. Miranda has bought a joke
shop which is managed by her old school friend and flat-mate Stevie (Sarah Hadland), and the other regulars include
Gary (Tom Ellis), who works as a chef at the cafe next door, and whom Miranda has had a crush on for many years.
Gary has recently returned to England after some time in Malaysia.  The first episode sees Miranda arrange a date
with him, with disastrous results. She is pleased to find a store that stocks clothing that is her size, but it turns out
to be a shop for transvestites...

The episode:  'Teacher' is the second episode of the series, and was broadcast on 16 November.  Miranda is hoping
for a relationship with Gary, and he agrees to have her become his "safety wife" - they will get married if they are both
single at the age of 55.  Meanwhile, Stevie is taking French lessons at night school, with the aim of gaining overseas
sales for the joke shop. She persuades Miranda to join her French class, where she discovers that the teacher is Mr
Clayton (Peter Davison), her French teacher from school.  Clayton remembers her from 20 years ago, and she flees
from the classroom with a plastic chair stuck to her behind. Miranda learns that Stevie has begun dating Clayton, who
has spent the night with her. Meanwhile, Miranda attends tango lessons with Gary, but he is more attracted to their
female dance teacher.

The verdict:  'Miranda' is one of those British comedies that people will either love or hate, but it can be very funny at
times. Miranda Hart is excellent in the role, and the show allows her to showcase her comic talents. Her practice of
frequently talking direct to the camera is unusual but quite effective, as the premise of the show is very much about
the character of Miranda letting the viewer into her private life. The series also has a nod toward British sitcoms of the
past, which the closing credits featuring the "You have been watching..." line that was made famous by 'Dad's Army'
and other comedies of the 1970s.

Video clips:    Mr Clayton        9.6mb                          Call me Keith       8.2mb
 
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