I Hate You (2022)
9/10
Not for U.S.A. or "Telegraph Doofus"
5 March 2023
9/10, not because it is close to perfection, but it is far better than the snap-judgement harsh reviews would suggest.

It's a shame that quirky cannot make it past knee-jerk jerks. Michael Hogan in The Telegraph cites one of his irritations in a one-star review as a "Talking horse". Grossly unfair, because he seems to set out to hate the program. The horse is there, but only for two seconds at the end of the opening title sequence.

And I can't really take the opinion of a bearded fuddy-duddy seriously when his recommendations include "The Wheel", and "Saturday Night Takeaway". Pitiful. One of his scathing criticisms is that it is a storyline about two young women, written by - shock horror - a middle-aged man. Of course, J. R. R. Tolkien failed miserably with LOTR because he wasn't a wizard, elf, sentient tree, or hobbit.

But, back to what I see as plusses for "I Hate You". Two excellent leads, snappy lines, curiously amusing situations and niche comedy brilliance (Sustaining an injury after ignoring advice not to try running while listening to Jazz), and the occasional quickly handled running gags (DOG ADOPTIONS).

It's not for everyone. I mentioned the U. S. A. Because I watched the pilot of "Two Broke Girls", and two sentences in, the "audience" are in paroxsyms of laughter.

No such cues for the dim in "I Hate You".

I found Jonny Sweet's Bob Oxygen had a great name, but a stilted delivery, and a slightly irritating character. "A. Plant" was good enough, but it is Tanya Reynolds and Melissa Saint that shine. They perfectly deliver lines such as the response to "Post-punk, but also retro".

I'm not really a fan of Robert Popper's work - I thought "Friday Night Dinner" was a bit of a dud - but I found lots in "I Hate You" to enjoy, and was hoping for at least a second series. Thanks to lazy journalism and reviews seemingly given after viewing 2-3 minutes of one episode, there will be no follow-up.

I was quickly drawn in by the endearingly zany (and well-choreographed) title sequence, and the debate on whether humans have evolved from bears touches on many aspects of relationships, and fake news, without labouring for one moment.

Why oh why does "Mrs. Brown's Boys" never flushes, but something quite subtle gets culled?

I. H. Y., R. I. P. :-(
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