As the second series of this gently laddish sitcom nears its end, Tom, Ben and Matthew (played by standup comics Pappy's) are preparing for a holiday, but a predictable episode of comic carnage ensues precisely 26 minutes before they're due to set off. As they relive an old feud at a holiday camp through a series of flashbacks, set-ups about everything from Inuits to terrorism are joylessly over-egged. A talking squid pops up to remind us just how trite the comedy is getting, but meta twists can't save the day here.

Badults, currently and mystifyingly enjoying a second series, continues to spray out a veritable diarrhoea of terrible jokes that even the Chuckle Brothers would have put a line through at first-draft stage. Like this one: "I'm on the five:two diet. I eat five breakfasts and two dinners!".

Rik Mayall certainly didn't do the show any favours by dying and reminding everybody that Badults is basically a very poor copy of The Young Ones with no Rick, Neil or Vyvyan, but three Mikes.

The main problem with Badults, apart from the script, is that the protagonists - fringe legends Pappy's - are virtually indistinguishable except by their hairstyles. It is a show that would definitely benefit from the introduction of a little character comedy or, failing that, some characters. Jokes, even good ones, quickly become boring unless you have some sort of emotional investment in the people making them.

I have it on good authority that Pappy's are quite brilliant live, but whatever their stage alchemy may be it is signally failing to translate to the screen.

Comedy trio Pappy's return for another series of domestic carnage, try-hard laddism and schoolboy humour. Layabout mates Ben, Matthew and Tom (played by their real-life namesakes) are gripped by World Cup fever this week, but when their telly explodes just before an England match they're forced from pillar to pub to get in on the action. Could a nan's house prove a suitable venue? Harmless fun, if you get past the many hackneyed set-ups and the studio audience's disproportionate shrieks of laughter.

Matthew Crosby interview

The Pappy's comedian and star of Badults talks hot dogs, Netflix and whether he's a good or bad adult...

TV Review: Badults, BBC3

I certainly still find Pappy's very funny, but whereas onstage the childishness is knowing, on television if you were unaware of their history you might think that you were watching a children's programme that had been badly scheduled.

Pappy's interview

I spoke to Pappy's to find out all about what to expect from the new series, who their comedy heroes are and what they make of the decision to move BBC Three online.

Interview: Pappy's

Hold on to your takeaway pizzas, Matthew Crosby, Ben Clark and Tom Parry return to BBC3 on June 2 for the second series of Badults.

New age cliches abound in the penultimate episode of this sitcom, as feckless Badult Ben (Ben Clark) finds solace in meditation and kimonos. Meanwhile, Matthew's on a mission to be the coolest person in the office by adopting a middle-class version of street slang, and Tom and Rachel capitalise on Ben's aforesaid spirtual awakening to impress a Tim Westwood-esque DJ. Sadly, heavily signposted jokes and twists make Badults a tepid also-ran rather than the offbeat, cult gem the trio were aiming for.

Matthew Crosby: Working hard to be silly

We've been performing live sketch comedy together as Pappy's for nearly a decade, so it was great to be able to create something that was distinct from our live shows, but that still had the same big, silly, knockabout energy.