Review of Uncle

Relatively few TV comedies even in the 21st century start with the central character about to commit suicide in the bath by cutting a string holding a portable radio above the water.Just as the eponymous Uncle tells himself he will allow his ex a few seconds to phone him and save his life the phone does actually ring,but it is his sister wanting him to pick up her son,his nephew,from school.Just the encouragement he needs to postpone the felo - de - se to a more convenient time. The boy,as weird in fact as his uncle,is pressed to accompany him on a strange odyssey to the gym where his ex's father runs a school for male pole dancers.The father is an ageing transvestite,looking like a cross between Freddy Mercury and Alice Cooper,but less feminine. A completely random musical number is inserted here and my cup runneth over. At last the BBC have realised the true meaning of "off the wall". "Uncle" makes absolutely no sense whatsoever - it's like suddenly tuning into a soap that's been running for years and having no idea what's going on.I loved it.