Latest news with #TheInbetweeners
NZ Herald
10 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
The 10 best comedy series to see before you die, according to the Herald's entertainment team
Seinfeld (1989-1988) Jason Alexander and Jerry Seinfeld on Seinfeld. A series that's essentially about nothing doesn't seem like the right grounds for a comedy masterpiece, but thanks to Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld's impeccable writing, Seinfeld stands as (in my opinion) the best sitcom of all time. Spawning unforgettable pop culture references like Festivus and 'yadda yadda yadda', this show takes the concept of social normality and turns it on its head, letting the intrusive thoughts win every time and creating some of the funniest situations ever seen on screen. It paved the way for sitcoms to come, no matter how bad or good they ended up being. – MH Friends (1994-2004) Friends became iconic to a generation over its 10 seasons. The comedy series about six friends living and learning in New York City gave us the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and Matthew Perry and became iconic to a generation over its 10 seasons. It was an easy watch, kept us laughing and ultimately gave us the endings we wanted. There was a character everyone could relate to, with every 90s girl declaring themselves a Rachel, Monica or Phoebe. As a Monica, I neatly put this on the list while declaring she should have ended up with Richard. – JM It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-Present) Andy Buckley, Danny DeVito, Kaitlin Olson, and Charlie Day were among the cast in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. At its core, this is a show about very bad people doing very bad things ... and boy, is it wild to watch. Danny De Vito is having the most fun he's ever had on screen playing a gremlin of a man who eats cat food for breakfast, and the rest of 'the gang' are equally despicable. Crimes are committed, psychopathic traits encouraged, and there's no filter when it comes to the moral depravity at play, but it's both a cautionary tale and a raucous romp. This show lets its characters' inner demons out in a cathartic and hilarious fashion, unlike any other show seen on screens, and deserves a spot on the list for proving that surreal comedy does have a place on TV. – MH The Office UK (2001-2003) Rickey Gervais as David Brent. Photo / BBC It was The Office that started it all, with the deeply unlikable David Brent at the helm of the show. It was its own brand of sharp comedy, and it pioneered the mockumentary-style show. In typical British comedy style, it offered us far fewer character arcs than were later seen on the US version, far less warmth and not an ounce of American cheese. But Ricky Gervais as Brent showed us a show could be grotesque, offensive, get it all wrong, fluorescent lit, set in Slough, and we would still all follow along. - JM The Inbetweeners (2008-2010) The Inbetweeners is the ultimate coming of age comedy. While The Office, Black Books, Blackadder, and The IT Crowd paved the way for British comedy, The Inbetweeners cemented it in modern pop culture history. Still as relevant as ever in the TikTok age, this series about growing up has just the right amount of gross-out humour and heart to make it appealing as a comedy series. While the actors for Will, Simon, Jay, and Neil may have grown up, their spirited mishaps and quotable quotes (some too rude to share here) will continue to stay in the minds of comedy buffs everywhere for years to come. Just make sure you read up on British slang before watching to get the full comedic effect. – MH The Office US (2005-2013) The Office US featured Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, Jenna Fischer as Pam Beesly, Steve Carell as Michael Scott, B.J. Novak as Ryan Howard and John Krasinski as Jim Halpert. Photo / NBCU Photo Bank The softer US iteration of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's series gave us Steve Carell as Michael Scott and plenty of beautiful and horrific characters to follow – I still detest Toby more than any character, ever. But The Office US gave us the UK Office with optimism, and more unforgettable moments and quotes than virtually any other show. Pam and Jim's love story is elite. Dwight's character is unmatched, and Michael finding love with 'the hottest girl in the world' warmed even the coldest of hearts. Dunder Mifflin forever. – JM The Simpsons (1989-Present) The dynamic of our favourite yellow family, The Simpsons, never gets old. Photo / Fox A best comedy series list isn't complete without the longest-running American animated comedy series ever, and The Simpsons has stood the test of time for good reason. It continues to reflect the world we live in, satirically touching on relevant issues with just the right tone and style to still entertain. The dynamic of our favourite yellow family never gets old, and new and legacy characters create an iconic world worthy of the movie and theme park rides it spawned. To this day, we are still waiting for the next opening credit couch gag, and will no doubt continue to look forward to it. – MH New Girl (2011-2018) Seasons 2-4 of New Girl were lessons in elite comedic timing. While the series starts slow, and season 1 of the Fox show can be considered anything but its best, seasons 2-4 of New Girl were lessons in elite comedic timing, perfect casting and characters who seamlessly feed off each other. The greatest TV friendship of all time sits in the form of Nick and Schmidt, Winston's mess-arounds will forever live rent-free in my head and Jess (played by Zoe Deschanel) and Nick's fiery (literally) love story reminds us that sometimes your person comes in the form of your best friend. – JM Veep (2012-2019) Veep, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, was over the top but scarily real. Scarily real, yet ludicrously over the top, this political satire from the genius mind of Armando Iannucci acts both as a warning and an expose of just how stupid politics can be. With some of the best comebacks and one-liners ever constructed, this show paints fictional US politician Selina Meyer (played by the superb Julia Louis-Dreyfus) as an unfiltered, morally despicable clown who will do everything and anything to retain power – and the result is rib-shatteringly hilarious. What makes the show even better is its supporting cast, who bend to the will of Meyer, often at their own expense, resulting in a circus of errors that leaves viewers in hysterics. – MH Derek (2012-2014) Ricky Gervais in a scene from Derek. Photo / Netflix Ricky Gervais as Derek could easily be misconstrued by pictures or even trailers. But Derek is one of the most beautiful characters in comedy history, showing us that kindness and believing in others are undervalued qualities. The gullible Derek, who works in a retirement home, shows us through the lens of humour, shows us that despite all odds, it's possible to find the good in everything. The cast of Kerry Godliman, Karl Pilkington, Barry Martin and Brett Goldstein (of Ted Lasso fame) turn a high-risk storyline into a comedy masterpiece. – JM Mitchell Hageman joined the Herald's entertainment and lifestyle team in 2024. He previously worked as a multimedia journalist for Hawke's Bay Today. Jenni Mortimer is the NZ Herald's chief lifestyle and entertainment reporter. Jenni started at the Herald in 2017 and has previously worked as lifestyle, entertainment and travel editor.
Daily Mail
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The Inbetweeners star James Buckley reveals the shock moment he was mistaken for a drug smuggler by US airport officials
James Buckley has recalled the moment he was mistaken for a drug smuggler after he attempted to bring OXO cubes into America. The actor, 37, who portrayed foul-mouthed Jay Cartwright in hit E4 show The Inbetweeners, had been travelling to visit his wife Clair's aunt Dora when he was stopped by US Airport Security. And the contents of his suitcase very nearly landed him in hot water after officials discovered the small stock cubes, used to make gravy, wrapped in silver foil among his belongings. Speaking on the couple's podcast, The Buckleys, James told how as a result of the incident, he is now 'flagged straight away' anytime he tries to enter North America. He explained: 'Anytime that I go to America, I have to, at the other end, open my suitcase up and show them everything that's in the suitcase. 'Not because I was smuggling drugs or anything cool like that. No, it was because I tried to get some OXO cubes into the country. And that was a big problem. 'When I go to America, I stay with your family. They're Scottish.' Clair chimed in, saying: 'My Auntie Dora wanted some OXO.' Her husband continued: 'She was like, "Can you get us some OXO and some Bisto and bring that with you?", 'I was like, "Yeah, absolutely". 'To be fair, OXO cubes are tiny little powder cubes wrapped up in tin foil, and they were like, "What is that?" 'And I was like, "Oh, it's gravy." And they took them from me.' James, whose character Jay is known for his farfetched and outlandish tales, went on to say that despite US security satisfied that he was not smuggling drugs, the beef OXO cubes were still confiscated from him due to strict due to import laws that prohibit meat products being brought into the United States. Explaining the situation, he remarked: 'I wasn't allowed to take them because it's like beef, isn't it? It's a beef extract. 'So it's like meat and veg, certain meat and vegetables you can't take from one country to another. 'So now, anytime I go to America, I'm flagged straight away. I can't just go straight through. I have to have this whole thing at the other end.' The couple, who share sons Harrison, 13, and Jude, 11, then went on to recall how they were forced to put the suitcases under Clair's name when they later took a family trip to Florida. Clair, 37, who married the comedy actor in 2012, shared: 'And then don't you remember the last time when we went to Florida, you put everything in my name?'
The Herald Scotland
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Review, Bookish: Sherlock creator cosies up to crime
*** IT hardly takes Holmesian powers of deduction to see that Mark Gatiss is deadly serious about his latest creation being a hit. Besides writing and taking the lead, he has enlisted a cast of well-kent faces to tell the tale of an enigmatic sleuth operating in postwar London. To top it all, there is a dog in the cast. That's one star in the bag without lifting a paw. Gatiss plays Gabriel Book, a genial sort who runs a secondhand bookshop when he is not helping the local constabulary solve cases. The latter is his 'little hobby'. Blessed with brilliant recall and a nose for a wrong 'un, the Tolstoy-quoting Book is a handy man to have around. Not every copper is pleased to see him turn up when a body is found, but he has a letter from Churchill which gives him special access. It is one of several clues suggesting Book is not a man to be judged by his cover. This being bombed-out London two years after the war, finding bodies is not a rare occurrence. Just as well Book has a new assistant, Jack (Connor Finch), who has come out of prison that very day. Jack wonders why Book has welcomed a stranger, and an ex-con at that, into his home and given him a job. Book's jolly wife Trottie (Polly Walker, Bridgerton), who runs the wallpaper shop next door, is just as welcoming. Besides a fondness for William Morris prints she is also into crime, so to speak, as is the young woman across the road, an orphan like Jack. All four are looking into an apparent suicide that turns out to be a murder. The case takes two hour-long episodes to solve, which is fair old chunk of anyone's time, particularly when the budget can only stretch to a handful of the same streets and interiors. Gifted TV operator that he is, the writer of The League of Gentlemen and Dracula brings on the dog at just the right time. Not just any dog, mind you, but one that carries messages in a special container attached to his collar. As an idea it could catch on (have you seen the price of stamps?). With a long list of suspects, Gatiss keeps the pot boiling nicely while Daniel Mays (Line of Duty), Blake Harrison (The Inbetweeners), and the rest of the cast do their stuff. The humour, in keeping with the general vibe, is gentle to the point of laid back. Best of all is Gatiss's character, a chap who is highly skilled at uncovering people's secrets, perhaps because he has one or two of his own. What is in that letter from Churchill, for instance, and who was that man he met on a bench opposite Parliament, the one who seems to think he is owed a favour? More of an afternoon drama than evening fare, but worth a look, if only to see that clever dog (named 'Dog' by the by) in action.
The Herald Scotland
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Bookish review - Sherlock's Mark Gatiss cosies up to crime
*** IT hardly takes Holmesian powers of deduction to see that Mark Gatiss is deadly serious about his latest creation being a hit. Besides writing and taking the lead, he has enlisted a cast of well-kent faces to tell the tale of an enigmatic sleuth operating in postwar London. To top it all, there is a dog in the cast. That's one star in the bag without lifting a paw. Gatiss plays Gabriel Book, a genial sort who runs a secondhand bookshop when he is not helping the local constabulary solve cases. The latter is his 'little hobby'. Blessed with brilliant recall and a nose for a wrong 'un, the Tolstoy-quoting Book is a handy man to have around. Not every copper is pleased to see him turn up when a body is found, but he has a letter from Churchill which gives him special access. It is one of several clues suggesting Book is not a man to be judged by his cover. This being bombed-out London two years after the war, finding bodies is not a rare occurrence. Just as well Book has a new assistant, Jack (Connor Finch), who has come out of prison that very day. Jack wonders why Book has welcomed a stranger, and an ex-con at that, into his home and given him a job. Book's jolly wife Trottie (Polly Walker, Bridgerton), who runs the wallpaper shop next door, is just as welcoming. Besides a fondness for William Morris prints she is also into crime, so to speak, as is the young woman across the road, an orphan like Jack. All four are looking into an apparent suicide that turns out to be a murder. The case takes two hour-long episodes to solve, which is fair old chunk of anyone's time, particularly when the budget can only stretch to a handful of the same streets and interiors. Gifted TV operator that he is, the writer of The League of Gentlemen and Dracula brings on the dog at just the right time. Not just any dog, mind you, but one that carries messages in a special container attached to his collar. As an idea it could catch on (have you seen the price of stamps?). With a long list of suspects, Gatiss keeps the pot boiling nicely while Daniel Mays (Line of Duty), Blake Harrison (The Inbetweeners), and the rest of the cast do their stuff. The humour, in keeping with the general vibe, is gentle to the point of laid back. Best of all is Gatiss's character, a chap who is highly skilled at uncovering people's secrets, perhaps because he has one or two of his own. What is in that letter from Churchill, for instance, and who was that man he met on a bench opposite Parliament, the one who seems to think he is owed a favour? More of an afternoon drama than evening fare, but worth a look, if only to see that clever dog (named 'Dog' by the by) in action.
Times
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Blake Harrison: ‘The Inbetweeners was no overnight success'
H arrison grew up in Peckham, southeast London. In 2008 he landed the role of the hapless Neil Sutherland in the Channel 4 sitcom The Inbetweeners. He has since appeared in shows including Prime Suspect 1973 and A Very English Scandal, played Private Pike in the Dad's Army filmand hosts a mixed martial arts podcast, The MMA Fan Show. He is currently in the TV series Bookish with Mark Gatiss. He lives in southeast London with his wife, Kerry Ann Lynch, and their two children. I get up around 6am, when our son wakes us up. He's eight. Our daughter is 11, at the stage where we have to get her up. My wife takes care of breakfast and lunchboxes, while I herd the children into getting dressed and avoid their wrestling moves. We're all addicted to WrestleMania on Netflix. Well, not my wife so much.
