Episode #1.6
- Episode aired Mar 8, 2022
- 29m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
65
YOUR RATING
Thomasine and Bannister arrive in Chelmsford but no longer as travel companions.Thomasine and Bannister arrive in Chelmsford but no longer as travel companions.Thomasine and Bannister arrive in Chelmsford but no longer as travel companions.
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Malcom Gaskill
- Hugh Parsons
- (as Malcolm Gaskill)
Ruth Clarson
- Suspected Witch
- (uncredited)
Martyn Mayger
- Villager
- (uncredited)
Toby Sauerback
- Guard
- (uncredited)
- Directors
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Featured review
Season one Review
I'm going to optimistically review this as "season one" in an attempt to manifest more of a sitcom that I enjoyed, but fear has disappeared without enough noise to have earned a second run. Strong central performances and excellent cameos won me over, though I will accept that the opening episode is unfortunately the weakest of the run.
Gideon Bannister (Tim Key) a struggling Witchfinder sees an opportunity to better his career if he can deliver his suspect, Thomasine Gooch (Daisy May Cooper) to Chelmsford for trial and impress the Witchfinder General. The travel though is arduous, Thomasine is a talkative captive, East Anglia is a haven of conmen, puritanical villages and warring soldiers and Hebble (Daniel Rigby) a scheming and cutthroat fellow Witchfinder is on his tail.
As I say, it's unfortunately that the first episode is probably the worst of the run and I suspect a lot of people will have written it off after that one alone. But, written and directed by "Alan Partridge" writers Neil and Rob Gibbons I think that the series improves dramatically after that episode. The central partnership is good, and Cooper and Key spark off each other well, even if both are essentially playing characters that we've seen before. Jessica Hynes is excellent as Bannister's aide, who is separated from him and tricked by Hebble into assisting with the chase for most of the run. You have cameos then from a lot of famous faces of the British Comedy scene; Rosie Cavaliero, Ellie White, Karl Theobald, Katy Wix, Julian Barratt, Phoebe Walsh, Justin Edwards, Cariad Lloyd and Kiell Smith-Bynoe. There is one more cameo, from the person playing the Witchfinder General which is so perfect I should leave their name out, in the hope it can remain a surprise for you if you watch it.
I can see that it's probably a bit too gentle for some tastes and even I'd say that my mood was rather more 'consistently amused' rather than 'rolling on the floor' but it rewarded a tiny bit of perseverance with a witty but still silly show, and I'd certainly watch more of it.
Gideon Bannister (Tim Key) a struggling Witchfinder sees an opportunity to better his career if he can deliver his suspect, Thomasine Gooch (Daisy May Cooper) to Chelmsford for trial and impress the Witchfinder General. The travel though is arduous, Thomasine is a talkative captive, East Anglia is a haven of conmen, puritanical villages and warring soldiers and Hebble (Daniel Rigby) a scheming and cutthroat fellow Witchfinder is on his tail.
As I say, it's unfortunately that the first episode is probably the worst of the run and I suspect a lot of people will have written it off after that one alone. But, written and directed by "Alan Partridge" writers Neil and Rob Gibbons I think that the series improves dramatically after that episode. The central partnership is good, and Cooper and Key spark off each other well, even if both are essentially playing characters that we've seen before. Jessica Hynes is excellent as Bannister's aide, who is separated from him and tricked by Hebble into assisting with the chase for most of the run. You have cameos then from a lot of famous faces of the British Comedy scene; Rosie Cavaliero, Ellie White, Karl Theobald, Katy Wix, Julian Barratt, Phoebe Walsh, Justin Edwards, Cariad Lloyd and Kiell Smith-Bynoe. There is one more cameo, from the person playing the Witchfinder General which is so perfect I should leave their name out, in the hope it can remain a surprise for you if you watch it.
I can see that it's probably a bit too gentle for some tastes and even I'd say that my mood was rather more 'consistently amused' rather than 'rolling on the floor' but it rewarded a tiny bit of perseverance with a witty but still silly show, and I'd certainly watch more of it.
helpful•30
- southdavid
- Apr 25, 2022
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