I'm not driving a Mini Metro! (Im Alan Partridge !)

Member Name: mikeb

Product:	Im Alan Partridge !
Date:	14/11/00 (123 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great scripts and a fine cast.

Disadvantages: Series not long enough

This series in the continuing saga of TV star and chat show host Alan Partridge takes place mainly in the travel hotel where Alan now lives. Alan's main aim is to get a second series of his chat show but he soon finds out that he is no longer popular with the BBC TV controller, Tony Hayers (Peter Baynham), especially after he attacks him with a lump of cheese during a meeting at the BBC.

Undeterred he fills in his time by hosting the early morning show, Up With The Partridge, on Radio Norwich. He is also having to do other work, while waiting for his return to the Beeb, including an embarassing promotional video for boating holidays on the Norfolk broads.

Steve Coogans portrayal of Partridge is nothing short of brilliant with his behaviour and attitude varying between funny, embarrassing, cruel and pitiful in an instant. He always manages to get himself into the most bizarre situations in this series. These include being attacked with a dead cow by irate farmers, nearly being arrested for stealing a traffic cone and finding himself in the house of his biggest fan, who turns out to be obsessed with Partridge.

All the supporting cast are also excellent with his put upon personal assistant Lynn (Felicity Montagu) standing out. Alot of the action takes place in the Travel Tavern where Alan is staying. The two receptionists, Susan and Sophie, treat Alan as a figure of fun and he usually ends up as the butt of their jokes.

There were six episodes in this series and in the final one it looks like Alan will get his chance again when he hears the news that Tony Hayers has died after falling off his roof while adjusting his TV aerial. The new controller is a big fan of Alan so it looks like the new series is in the bag, but nothing is ever straightforward in Alan Partidge's life. This last show, and Alan's behaviour at Tony Hayers funeral is superb.

The programmes were written by Coogan himself, Peter Baynham and A
rmando Iannucci. The last two were also behind The Friday Night Armistice and many other TV and Radio shows and nearly everything they have done has been excellent.

This series is one that will remain a classic and is currently being repeated on UK Gold. On Tuesday night (6th February), starting at 9PM, they are showing episodes five and six and I would highly recommend anyone who has not seen the programme to give it a go. There is also a Steve Coogan week on the UK Play satellite channel from 26th March which includes I'm Alan Partridge, its predecessor Knowing Me, Knowing You and The Day Today.

If you are reading this after they have been shown, keep an eye on the UK Gold schedules because this series is so good it is bound to be on again in the not too distant future.

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