A one joke sketch doesn't stretch to a half an hour show (Swiss Toni)

Member Name: darren55

Product:	Swiss Toni
Date:	02/11/09 (9 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Charlie Higson - comedy great

Disadvantages: Not enough to keep the viewer engaged

Swiss Toni was a part of The Fast Show as a five minute maximum clip, he's a sex obsessed, oily car salesman who compares everything wiht making love to a beautiful woman. As a five minute clip it worked really well giving the writers plenty of scope to place Toni in a positiin where he can claim something is 'like making love to a beautiful woman' you know the punchline is coming and that makes the humour all the more enjoyable when it comes.

Swiss Toni is played by Charlie Higson and he along with PAul Whitehouse co write the award winning Fast Show, Swiss Toni as an occassional character works brilliantly place him on his own for thrity minutes then the joke is stretcehd too thin.

Swiss toni is a strong forceful character who uses his loud suits, quiffed hair and air of seeing it all and having a story for everything. His character means that any storyline has to compete with his huge ego, ultimately the show struggles to incorporate a strong character and strong storylines. Indeed, the stories have to be on the edge of lunacy to stand any chance of competing with the effervescent Toni.

SAying that though the performance by charlie Higson is a joy to watch, the way he brow beats his younger male workers and fauns to the pretty women who comes his way. His obvious total lack of success with any woman is another running joke through the years he was on the Fast Show, in fact they exploited this in one episode where a beautiful women used her wiles to get a great deal out of Swiss toni before he ran off scared of this 'beautiful woman' In fact his attractions to women are purely in his own head and those who stand back to watch him soon spot that he is in fact a desperately lonely character.

The TV series doesn't really work, its too long and dragging a one joke character out to half an hour was always a stretch. Higson plays the character with ease but the material isn't here to make a successful sitcom. Maybe if he'd come in fresh with this character they could have given him more catchphrases and better storylines rather just giving his wrote catchphrase at various points through the episode.

This series was shown on BBC2 late at night and was never re-commissioned.

Summary: Enjoyable but not good enough