The Catherine Tate Show - Series 1 [DVD] [2004]

Catherine Tate started her comedy doing stand-up routines. She cut her teeth on the front line, getting up in front of live audiences. But she deviates from most other successful comedians by having already studied acting (at the Central School of Speech and Drama), and having worked a year with the Royal Shakespeare Company! This is not just somebody with a brass neck who got lucky - there's a touch of class here, a depth of experience and knowledge which stands out from the pack.

Ms.Tate's ability to act her roles, to present her characters as three dimensional and not simply as delivery vehicles for a cheap gag, is a crucial factor in the quality of her comedy. She is not simply feeding off a funny catchphrase or funny situation, she builds up the character's role and situation, creating tension and expectation, luring you into that situation with hypnotic storytelling. You might know the catchphrase or joke is coming - but you'll have to wait for the twist of that knife!

'Surreal' has become a hugely overworked and abused adjective - and 'surreal' doesn't actually mean funny. Catherine Tate's comedy is not surreal. She employs a nicely judged, diffused reality, putting that twist on situations we could all recognise, adding that little touch of the ridiculous and outrageous to characters we could all recognise.

This is very well acted comedy. This is very well observed comedy. This is very well written comedy. This is comedy which will stand the test of time, comedy you can keep on your shelf, treasure, and watch again and again without it wearing thin. When some of the more over-hyped comedy has long been forgotten, Catherine Tate will remain an outstanding performer and a passionately incisive commentator on English life and foibles. A superb package!

Recently a new, small, comedy sketch show came onto to British TV, 6 episodes brodcast on BBC2 over a 6 weeks run. The show starred the little known Catherine Tate, and began with very little advertising. IT WAS AMAZING.

This is without doubt the funniest sketch show ever, Catherine Tate is a genius and uses obseverational humour (with a mix of surrealism)to present to us her characters. In the show Tate plays several characters, male/female, old/young, shes plays all of these superb characters with excellent comic timing and great one liners.

This show is amazing, the characters are just amazingly funny, she is now the queen of the catchphrases. If you like to laugh, you'll love this, simple.

The swearing nan, the "BUT AM I BOTHERD THOUGH? LOOK AT MY FACE, DOES IT LOOK BOTHERD - ARE YOU DISSIN' ME, ARE YOU DISSIN' MY FAMILY!?" and how about you "Have a guess!?" as you try to wonder "What am i like!?"

I'm not sure how much more i can say, the show became a success, she is now running a 2nd series, which is doing very well in the ratings. A very good, solid comedy show - you'll love it, BUY IT! :D

Thanks for reading.

Catherine Tate started her comedy doing stand-up routines. She cut her teeth on the front line, getting up in front of live audiences. But she deviates from most other successful comedians by having already studied acting (at the Central School of Speech and Drama), and having worked a year with the Royal Shakespeare Company! This is not just somebody with a brass neck who got lucky - there's a touch of class here, a depth of experience and knowledge which stands out from the pack.

Ms.Tate's ability to act her roles, to present her characters as three dimensional and not simply as delivery vehicles for a cheap gag, is a crucial factor in the quality of her comedy. She is not simply feeding off a funny catchphrase or funny situation, she builds up the character's role and situation, creating tension and expectation, luring you into that situation with hypnotic storytelling. You might know the catchphrase or joke is coming - but you'll have to wait for the twist of that knife!

'Surreal' has become a hugely overworked and abused adjective - and 'surreal' doesn't actually mean funny. Catherine Tate's comedy is not surreal. She employs a nicely judged, diffused reality, putting that twist on situations we could all recognise, adding that little touch of the ridiculous and outrageous to characters we could all recognise.

This is very well acted comedy. This is very well observed comedy. This is very well written comedy. This is comedy which will stand the test of time, comedy you can keep on your shelf, treasure, and watch again and again without it wearing thin. When some of the more over-hyped comedy has long been forgotten, Catherine Tate will remain an outstanding performer and a passionately incisive commentator on English life and foibles. A superb package!