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The Midnight Beast - In The PressMain News Stories About 'The Midnight Beast': Having enjoyed The Midnight Beast to distraction - what's not to love about a 21st-century Monkees with a sharp line in pop music parody? - it's sad to report that the south-east London likely lads let themselves down with a final episode that was simply a loosely linked compilation of their best songs from the previous five shows. Keith Watson, Metro, 10th August 2012 The Beast's series finale is basically a clips show - one that focuses on The Midnight Beast's famed music videos. Not a bad idea, as the fake promos are probably the most successful aspect of this show. It's never easy for meagre TV budgets to compete with the megabucks music video directors have to chuck around, but these cheap and very cheerful ones manage far better than most. So sit back and enjoy the complete versions of Medium Pimpin', Strategy Wanking and other "hits". There's friction in the band this week. Ash is warned that his randy gland is among the issues causing the fissure, as is Dru's distinct lacking in the same department. A romantic intervention in the caff seems to have a temporary effect, until Dru's new love interest proves less a steadying influence than an obsessive loon. With a hit rate of about one in 20 gags, the sitcom from these YouTube sensations is considerably less likely to grab the 40-odd million views it has had online. The Midnight Beast to appear at DVD signing The Midnight Beast are to perform at HMV on Oxford Street on Monday 13th August 2012, plus sign copies of their new DVD. British Comedy Guide, 23rd July 2012 I have stuck with E4's Flight Of The Conchords-esque teen comedy. I still wish it was better written, have to say. The trio are very likeable and most of their songs are fun (if getting slightly repetitive in style), but each episode's story and the jokes haven't grabbed me. It's a pleasant diversion, but nothing I'm in a rush to watch. Think The Flight of the Conchords reimagined by whoever was responsible for that 'Being a Dickhead's Cool' hipster-spoof and you're somewhere near the tone of this show. Sadly, while the songs are okay in a one-trick-pony sort of way, there isn't an equivalent degree of charm; this trio are just harder to like than Bret, Jemaine and Murray. Still, it delivers a few sniggers even if it's hard to see these YouTube sensations ever resonating like our amiable Kiwi chums. Tonight, a tussle with an allegedly cooler rival band (who weirdly, resemble pantomime metal losers The Darkness) causes The Beast to reappraise their own image in search of integrity. Sadly, they premiere this new direction on a kids' TV show. With, if not exactly hilarious, then mildly amusing consequences. Phil Harrison, Time Out, 19th July 2012 After having their image (or lack thereof) mocked by rival band Shadow Rack, who look just as ridiculous and desperate but at least display some uniformity, the boys set about sorting out their style. With a live appearance on national telly looming it's pretty clear they're going to get things drastically wrong. Bit of a weak week storywise but still some good lines ("Integrity? That's not even a word") and, apart from a well-done but hopelessly out of date Rage Against The Machine parody, some funny songs. Our hapless hip-hopsters are drawn into the murky world of a video artist, as this grungey new sitcom continues. Unsavoury characters are the order of the day, while the band's comedy songs including Medium Pimpin' are the undoubted highlights. But fans of Spaced might have a feeling of déjà vu... Mark Braxton, Radio Times, 12th July 2012 The music's great, the three leads are irresistible, and the production's slick and visually smart... but it just wasn't funny whenever The Midnight Beast weren't performing. Written by Dan Owen. Dan's Media Digest, 7th July 2012 Review: A shambolic charm despite its flimsy plot Set in a slacker flat in which lads flop around eating pizza The Midnight Beast was not concerned with glamour a la Made In Chelsea, but its characters were all the more likable for it. Written by Keith Watson. Metro, 6th July 2012 The Midnight Beast: making the leap from web to TV Can E4's new sitcom from internet hit The Midnight Beast make a successful switch from web short to 30-minute TV show? Written by Scott Bryan. The Guardian, 5th July 2012 If you've ever seen Flight of the Conchords, then the format for The Midnight Beast will be a very familiar one: a sitcom about a failing, penniless band interspersed with their own brand of comedy songs/music videos. And, while their compositions may not reach the lofty hilarity heights of Bret and Jemaine's offerings, Midnight Beast still has much to recommend it. Songs about ninjas and kicking a shark in the face are surprisingly catchy and entertaining, even though the subject matter is well-trodden internet ground (along with bacon, cats and unicorns). With Midnight Beast's drug-addled 'band manager' Chevy, token crazy neighbour Sloman and the band's compulsive scrounging for food and money, there's plenty of comedy mileage in the concept, even though it doesn't feel particularly original. Dylan Lucas, Time Out, 5th July 2012 There's a ready-made audience for this bumpy slackercom, and a big one too. The YouTube channel of comedy group The Midnight Beast has had 40 million views to date. Mark Braxton, Radio Times, 5th July 2012 A poor bunch of comedy musicians dream of superstardom: so far, so Flight Of The Conchords. But YouTube faves Stef, Dru and Ash (aka The Midnight Beast) won't be knocking Jemaine and Bret off their pedestal, as this is brighter, breezier and geared firmly towards the Skins/Fresh Meat generation. Though people of all ages will find their slick parodies of commercial pop - including dance-floor 'anthem' Ninja and the sexually charged Begging - have a dorky appeal. Sharon Lougher and Larushka Ivan-Zadeh, Metro, 5th July 2012 Time to see if the millions of hits the titular comedy band have generated on YouTube can translate to viewing figures. This gets off to a great start, as we're introduced to the combo, playing a poverty-stricken, unsigned version of themselves ("We're unsigned because corporations suck ... and because we're shit!"), then it's straight into a cracking music video of them dressed as cardboard tower-block Transformers, rapping about kicking sharks in the face. Like major reference point Flight Of The Conchords, they're too good to pretend to be this bad for long. Video: The Midnight Beast on 'crazy' new series The Midnight Beast have promised that their new E4 comedy series will be full of nudity, "eightsomes" and "a lot of crazy things". Digital Spy, 4th July 2012 Think, perhaps, of a rap version of The Monkees meets Flight of the Conchords and you might get an idea of this promising new sitcom featuring unsigned comedy band The Midnight Beast. Stefan Abingdon, Dru Wakely and Ashley Horne made their name with a YouTube cover of Ke$ha's Tik Tok and now have their own show which blends music videos and a storyline of them struggling to make ends meet while living in a high-rise squat in east London. Tonight, they try to scam free pizzas and are kicked out of a club for stealing drinks. |
