The
show: 'Swiss Toni' is a spin-off of BBC sketch-comedy 'The Fast
Show', and stars Charlie Higson in the title role,
as an egotistical but ultimately
insecure second-hand car dealer who compares almost anything to making
love to a
beautiful woman. Swiss Toni's
staff comprises Miranda (Emma Rydal), his secretary; Geoff (Simon Day),
the senior
salesman who has a drinking
problem; and Paul (Rhys Thomas), a junior salesman. The other recurring
characters
are Swiss Toni's wife Ruth
and his elderly mother (played by Elizabeth Spriggs, known to Doctor Who
fan as Tabby
in 'Paradise Towers'). Mark
Benton from 'Rose' also appears in two episodes as Crazy Alan. In the second
series
Swiss Toni's marriage has
failed, his wife is having an affair with Geoff, Swiss Toni is living with
his mother and his
business is on the rocks.
A total of 16 episodes of 'Swiss Toni' were broadcast on BBC3 between 10
February 2003
and 14 September 2004.
The
episode: 'Cars Don't Make You Fat' was the first episode of
the series, and features Tom Baker in a marvellous
performance as Derek Asquith,
a film director who was famous in the 1970s for films such as The Nun
Devils. The
episode begins with Swiss
being angered by a TV advertisement for a nearby store, Crazy Alan's Bicycle
Madhouse.
The ad stars billiards champion
Steve Davis promoting the bike shop, saying that bicycles keep you fit.
Swiss thinks
the ad states that his cars
make people fat, and he decides to make his own ad. Who should walk into
Swiss Toni
Motors asking to use the
toilet? None other than Derek Asquith, of course. Derek agrees to make
an ad for Swiss,
but his idea of a TV ad
features a midget dressed as Swiss Toni, a nun and a goat... and the cameraman
is in a
wheelchair. Needless to
say, production of the ad does not go according to plan, but things work
out in the end and
the ad finally airs with
the midget, the nun, the goat ... and Steve Davis using the same script
as the Crazy Alan ad.
'The
verdict: 'Swiss Toni' is one of those British sitcoms that you
either love or hate. The character of Swiss Toni is
entertaining enough, but
was beginning to get a bit stale by the end of the second series. Its main
appeal would
probably be to fans of 'The
Fast Show', although it works well as a stand-alone series and has some
funny moments.
The first episode is worth
watching for Tom Baker's appearance alone.
|
|
