Sean Hughes Classic 'Sean's Show' (Series 1 of 2, 1992) R2 UK DVD October 8th 2007.

Heading straight back to the golden age of Channel 4's comedy, which, given how vague my memory is about the period around this show (hey, it's 15 years ago) and the times around it, could well have lasted many years only to gradually fade away into general dross. Anyway, 'Sean's Show' is something which proved popular at the time, yet has gone on to become something almost entirely forgotten about, it seems. The reason being that Sean Hughes subsequently became comedy royalty in some people's eyes, only to disappear to BBC Two and head up one of the teams on still-running music quiz 'Never Mind the Buzzcocks' for some years and become even more well known - he was later replaced, after Hughes quit, by Bill Bailey - and he also began to turn his hand to something else comedy names like to head towards... writing, and stepped up another level into establishment to the point of being very familiar to all those that have lived through life here during the 90s and beyond.

Now, as Hughes is both contemporary and old school (as many great names of the late 80s and 90s scene are) it's worth remembering his roots in terms of TV - this show, although using the same kind of idea as Garry Shandling in how it consciously knows it's a TV show, does (well, did) something different with it. It's not entirely a show, it's more of a series of stand-up comedy moments drifting in and out of a scattered narrative, making fun of TV at the same time as being a different kind of TV. Let's just say that once you see it, it's clear it's doing more than copying, it's taking a by now familiar idea and giving it enough of it's own spin, and it's superbly odd, full of great little ideas that are both easy to spot as well as easy to read on different levels. Case in point : the burglars that Sean suffers didn't break in a steal things, they broke in a took pity on him, leaving him stuff he might find useful. He also can't stop mentioning his love of Morrissey.

Nice stuff, good to see it coming back around again, as I'm not sure if it ever got an airing beyond it's initial broadcast.

Sean's Show at Information at Wikipedia, Information at BBC Comedy Guide.
Pre-Order Sean's Show (Series One) at Amazon.co.uk for R2 UK DVD Release October 8th 2007.