Radio Times review

There's something almost morbidly fascinating about this hopeless, hackneyed sitcom. The more it tries to sell itself as a frothy bit of fun, the more you can feel its gears groaning painfully through the motions. Has a jaunty ukulele soundtrack ever sounded so desperate?

The only mild highlight of the latest episode is a Lycra-clad guest performance from Rufus Jones - you may recognise him from eye-catching roles in Hunderby, W1A and Holy Flying Circus - as Alfie's swaggering South African boss. But even then he's merely a weak facsimile of every comedy alpha male from Peep Show's Johnson to Matt Berry in, well, everything. Very poor.

Alfie tries to resurrect his fledgling romance with Michelle after abandoning her for ex-fiance Carly, who, unbeknown to him, has been seeing Prop Maartie (Rufus Jones), Alfie's aggressively South African boss. Alfie's dad (Michael Smiley) is also back in town, flashy as ever, and this time apparently flush, too. But when he decides to raid Gary and Gary's anniversary celebration kitty, the facade starts to crumble. Robert Evans's B&B-set comedy pootles on amusingly, but plays it far too safe to ever broach real hilarity.

A new series of comedy shorts launches tonight, written by (and starring) notable types such as Johnny Vegas, Katy Brand and Rufus Jones. In Floyd, the first part of a double bill, Charles Dance plays an ageing roadie; he's followed by Jessica Hynes as a befuddled Tory councillor in Patricia. Both central performances are superb, but the 10-minute format is tricky with so much exposition and character to pack in. They work as thumbnail portraits, but feel as though they don't go anywhere.

On this evidence, it's fair to surmise that comedian Tom Basden has some issues with BP: the writer of this week's episode covers the oil industry with a slick of righteous abuse courtesy of the ill-matched housemates. Kingsley, JP and Howard (the latter still subject to an excellent running gag about Lord of the Rings) have their heads turned by BP at a careers fair and find themselves ineptly competing for an internship. All this brings out the eco-warrior in Vod and the lonely neurotic in Josie, while Oregon clashes with a rival as she attempts to launch a magazine. Rufus Jones, so brilliant in Hunderby, makes an excellent fist of the slippery oil exec as the series treads water a little, but in an effortlessly entertaining manner.

Mongrels was one of my favourite shows from last year. Mind you, I'm a sucker for just about anything anthropomorphic. The fact that this and Radio 4 comedy Warhorses of Letters is on at the same time's made me a rather happy man this past week...

This show, often viewed as an animal puppet version of Family Guy, is always enjoyable to a certain degree. It's full of jokes, most of which seem to work, both in the main dialogue and the cutaway scenes. The characters are entertaining, from metrosexual fox Nelson (Rufus Jones) to it-bitch Destiny (Lucy Montgomery), to the f***ing foul-mouthed fox Vince (Paul Kaye).

The second series started with a double bill - which to me felt wrong, primarily because the second episode was a "Horror special" which really should have gone out on Halloween. What on Earth the BBC Three schedulers were thinking of I have no idea.

Still, both episodes were entertaining, with their jokes and musical numbers, especially with a guest appearance from Richard O'Brien as a zombie dog singing a Rocky Horror Show-style love song. The one problem I have with Mongrels is that because it's on BBC Three, it has a very BBC Three idea of what a celebrity is. For example: Clive Anderson - great. Ainsley Harriott - could be worse. Jeff Brazier - never heard of him. Danny Dyer - oh f*** off (as Vince might say).

Still, this is good show on the whole. Certainly one of the better comedies on BBC Three, which probably means it'll be axed...

This comedy drama is an "accurate" retelling of the events surrounding the making of Monty Python's Life of Brian and the accusations against its blasphemy.

You know right from the start what you're letting yourself in for when Jesus comes onto the screen speaking Aramaic and then farts into a disciple's face. The main cast; Darren Boyd (as John Cleese), Charles Edwards (Michael Palin), Steve Punt (Eric Idle), Rufus Jones (Terry Jones), Tom Fisher (Graham Chapman) and Phil Nichol (Terry Gilliam) are great at portraying the original stars, or rather exaggerated versions of them. For example, Cleese is characterised as Basil Fawlty, Palin is the nicest man in the world and Idle is a "greedy bastard."

The programme was full of references to both Python and events relating to the modern day, and introduced by a rolling credit sequence akin to the way many episodes of Flying Circus had, which I personally found hilarious. There are other connections to the Python saga, too, like Palin's wife being played by Jones in drag (Rufus or Terry, take your pick).

Then there are the links to the actual film, such as the debate between bishops and devils which is akin to the People's Front of Judea talking about "what the Romans have ever done for us". Holy Flying Circus also refers to offensive comedy incidents in the present day, like Jerry Springer the Opera and just about anything to do with Frankie Boyle.

My favourite scene in the entire programme, however, was a cameo from Alexander McQueen as the BBC's Head of Rude Words. His wonderfully stiff performance as a typical Beeb executive reading out the rudest words he could think of was delightful. There was no racist, sexist or homophobic language - but there was a member of the Ku Klux Klan earlier on so you could argue that was covered as well.

I know many critics were dissatisfied by the fact it wasn't entirely factual. All I have to say to that is if you want something factual then watch a documentary.

These days it would be blasphemy to suggest that Monty Python's Life of Brian isn't one of the funniest films ever made. But it was a very different story back in 1979 when the Pythons found themselves practically crucified and accused of making fun of Jesus Christ.

Here, Tony Roche's ridiculously funny film pulls off an ingenious balancing trick with its accurate and affectionate pastiche of Pythonesque humour, while looking back at the furore Life of Brian created.

But as well as getting in lots of jokes at the expense of the BBC (the scene starring Alex MacQueen as the BBC's Head Of Rude Words is priceless), it also sends up the comedians themselves.

For instance, Michael Palin (played by Charles Edwards) is described as the nicest man in the world, but what's even more pleasing for Python fans is that his wife really is just Terry Jones in a dress.

Rufus Jones who plays Terry is brilliant, but all the casting is a delight. Steve Punt finally gets to capitalise on his resemblance to Eric Idle, while Darren Boyd, despite cheap-looking hair, is absolutely bang on as John Cleese. Or is it Basil Fawlty?

It all leads up to the now infamous live TV debate on the BBC talk show Friday Night, Saturday Morning, on which Cleese and Palin defended Life of Brian against the Bishop of Southwark and satirist Malcolm Muggeridge. This part of the film needed no script - it's an edited version of the actual debate, which has been partially seen before in other documentaries.

It's being shown again in full for the first time in more than 30 years straight after this at 10.30pm.

Rufus Jones: Making a drama of Monty Python

Hello. My name's Rufus Jones. I play Terry Jones in BBC Four's Holy Flying Circus. I also play Terry Jones playing Michael Palin's wife, because it's that kind of show, and I'm that kind of guy.

Interview: Rufus Jones

Emma McAlpine chats to Rufus Jones, one half of the two-man character act No Son of Mine.