Should ‘Semi-Detached’ be commissioned for a full series?

It turns out, that in the early part of the year, a bunch of comedy pilots are made and aired – if the audience or critics like them, they could possibly get commissioned for a full series later on that year. One of these efforts, Semi-Detached, features an interesting gimmick, as well as tons of laughs and a top cast.

When Stuart’s (Lee Mack’s) girlfriend (Ellie White) goes into labour, he doesn’t expect that it will be the beginning of the worst 20 minutes of his life. His promiscuous gay father (Clive Russell) is entertaining a guest, his criminal brother (Neil Fitzmaurice) unexpectedly turns up, his daughter Madonna (Sarah Hoare) is showing unmistaken signs of teenage rebellion on her birthday – add in the drama with his ex-wife Kate (Samantha Spiro), who lives over the road with her smug husband (Patrick Baladi), and things start to pile up. As the chaos begins to unfold, Stuart’s frenetic desperation leads to him making decisions that lead to his situation becoming all the worse.

…there’s nothing particularly novel about the set-up, which is a great mix of family sitcom and old-fashioned farce, but it feels realistic

The gimmick in Semi-Detached is that the action unfolds in real-time, and that really adds a sense of urgency to the show – there’s nothing particularly novel about the set-up, which is a great mix of family sitcom and old-fashioned farce, but it feels realistic. The jokes don’t feel like jokes, but rather like lines the characters may naturally say, and that’s a hard thing to pull off. There are some more darkly surreal but really funny moments (Stuart needing to open a box of frozen waffles for reasons I shan’t explain here is a standout scene), and it all adds up a packed and comprehensive whole.

Cast-wise, we have got a treat. Mack excels at playing the funny everyman (look at the success of Not Going Out for proof of that), and he does so perfectly here. You don’t often get to see Clive Russell playing such a risqué and comedic role, and he’s clearly enjoying the opportunity. Baladi brings his usual charismatic smarm as the neighbour who is soon to be having a miserable morning of his own, and Geoff McGivern rocks up as a fellow neighbour who delights in the fun of the unfolding chaos. Everyone is on their A-game, although some do have a bit less to do (I feel sorry for White, whose role is mostly heavy breathing and panting because of the labour, as she doesn’t get to join in on the fun).

I really enjoyed this show, but there are certain elements that I think didn’t quite hit the mark. The way in which Stuart’s brother adds to his collective misery is a bit of a downer one, and it both fails to gel with the comic nature of his other misfortunes and doesn’t go anywhere – it’s just something that happens, but it doesn’t contribute to the bigger picture (all the other misfortunes interact with and exacerbate each other in some respect), and that feels a bit of a let-down given how layered the rest of the sitcom is.

This sitcom is going for laughs, as it should, but it loses a touch of dramatic impact along the way…

The focus on the humorous incidents and the real-time gimmick impact on the moments where the show tries to be a bit more serious, presenting some actual emotional issues. There are suggestions in Semi-Detached that Stuart’s new partnership is a rebound one and he’s not entirely happy with himself, and there are scenes where he is concerned about his connection with Madonna, but these hints feel a bit out of place because there’s not the time to develop them. This sitcom is going for laughs, as it should, but it loses a touch of dramatic impact along the way (there is an exception to this, as Stuart heads to the bathroom for a quiet moment away from the stress).

Semi-Detached is not anything new or game-changing, but it is an incredibly confident and funny comedy, and the real-time gimmick gives it an energy and a forward pace that many sitcoms lack, I almost hope that it doesn’t get fully commissioned if only to prevent it losing its magic. I’d recommend Semi-Detached to you – it’s well done and really funny, and you’ll enjoy the madcap 20 minutes you spend with it.