Television Show Review: Spy

Spy: Series One created by Simeon Goulden (Hat Trick Productions, 2011.)

Starring Darren Boyd, Jude Wright, and Robert Lindsay.

Same Old Story

You’ve assuredly heard the story before. Man gets divorced, wife hates him, and son has the sarcastic and sardonic wit of a 45 year-old. He works a dead end job at a computer store, all the while unaware that he is a failure. Or, maybe you haven’t heard the story.

Created by writer Simeon Goulden, Spy is a new brand of television. It was created explicitly to be aired on the BBC digital-only channel, Sky 1. The resulting Hulu release in America is the American response to the innovation. 

Silly Spy Spoof

The basic premise of the television series is that of a silly spy spoof. Tim (Darren Boyd) is a single father that has a semi-evil and brilliant son named Marcus (Jude Wright). Tim is fairly boring, and has a penchant for Sudoku puzzles. 

Tim, an under-achieving divorcee, accidentally stumbles into a job with MI5 after going to the job center. Now with the ability to hold a gun and be a part of Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Tim is suddenly insidiously  cool. What’s more, his boss (Robert Lindsay), completely unhinged from reality, reminds the viewer of the guy from the Dos Equis commercials.

Misfortune and Absurdity

Tim’s best friend, Chris (Matthew Baynton) is the only one in the “outside world” who knows of Tim’s accidental fortune in taking a job at MI-5. So, sadly, Tim is unable to tell his son Marcus of his cool job. He has to deal with his son at home, who constantly judges Tim for his poor intellect, lack of financial fortune, and lack of quality employ.  

For further misfortune, Tim has to meet up with Marcus, his former wife Judith (Dolly Wells), and her new partner Philip (Tom Goodman-Hill), who is the headmaster of the school Marcus attends, for frequent counseling sessions. Philip, for some strange reason, absolutely loves hugging Tim in a far-too-close-for-comfort sort of a way. The therapist, Paula (Rosie Cavaliero) has also developed a major crush on Tim in stalker-like fashion.

With total absurdity, the show doesn’t disappoint. Lindsay is absolutely hilarious as the boss, and Jude Wright plays a great demonic mastermind of a son. The whole show is a delight to watch, which only shows that absurd British wit will always entertain. The good news is BCC has renewed Spy for a second series, as well as a Christmas special.  I recommend you check Spy out very soon.

Verdict: 4.5 out of 5
What do you think? Do you enjoy the series? Why? Share your thoughts below.
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Posted by: Andrew Jacobson

Affiliate Links: Hulu.com

Television Show Review: Doctor Who

Doctor Who created by Sydney Newman, C.E. Webber, and Donald Wilson (British Broadcasting Corporation)

Currently starring Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Arthur Darvill, and Alex Kingston.

His Name Is the Doctor

Currently listed as the longest-running science fiction television show by the Guinness World Records, Doctor Who follows the adventures of a time-traveling alien named The Doctor. Traversing the universe with a time machine called the TARDIS which possesses an outward appearance of a blue police box, the Doctor typically travels with a female human companion and, together, they encounter numerous villains and work toward saving people groups, worlds, and righting injustices in the universe.

Although the series began in 1963, the current version of Doctor Who premiered in 2005. With a sharp and dry wit, the actors playing The Doctor carry the show through brilliant dialogue and colorful acting.

Connecting with the Innate Desire to Get Away

The TARDIS

While I enjoy the humorous dialogue, what intrigues me about this series is the companion figure. Each character who travels with the Doctor finds the banal reality of everyday life in London to pale in comparison with traveling with this humanoid alien. For these people, escape leads to real life.

I don’t claim to know the underlying themes that define humanity, but it certainly seems like we all share an innate sense of discovery. When my wife and I travel, we find joy in wandering the streets of a new city exploring nooks and crannies.

In Doctor Who, the viewer lives vicariously through the companion. If you were offered free travel anywhere in time and space, wouldn’t you say yes with no questions asked?

As an example, with the obviously caveat that it could be pre-ordained, I think of the times that Conan O’Brien grabs a random fan during a show and tells him or her that the show is paying him or her to travel for a week. Each time, the audience member jumps on the airplane with no questions asked.

Of course, Doctor Who is an entertaining show that combines action adventure, science fiction, and humor. Yet, I am drawn to these deeper themes beneath the surface plot. If you realize the human condition for discovery and you like science fiction with a good dose of British humor, I recommend watching Doctor Who from its current inception in 2005.