Writersroom interview: Bob Kushell

Writersroom talks to TV comedy writer and producer Bob Kushell about Way To Go - his comedy series for BBC Three.

Way To Go may prove that some things just aren't funny

TV review: Way To Go was brave, but there was a sense of a mark coming perilously close to being overstepped.

Way To Go: Episode 1.1 review

Way to Go has the near-the-knuckle edge and wit of your typical BBC3 sitcom but also blends a somewhat unexpected sweetness which isn't quite touching on Gavin & Stacey territory but is undeniably present within the half-hour.

Three down-at-heel, down-on-their-luck blokes decide to set up an assisted suicide business. In common with a lot of shows on BBC3, it's not very good at all, despite having been written by US-writer Bob Kushell (The Simpsons, Third Rock...) and featuring Blake Harrison of The Inbetweeners, but that's largely down to both the filming and the cast, which both work against any actual comedy occurring. It also falls victim to the other "US writer discovers British creative freedoms" syndrome - a substitution of things that would be banned on US TV for things that might be funny.

The basic plot involves vet receptionist and former medical student Scott (Blake Harrison) agree to kill off his terminally ill neighbour in return for some valuable football boots that once belonged to George Best. Part of Scott's reasoning for doing this is so he can help out his half-brother Joey (Ben Heathcoate) who has a gambling problem and is struggling to pay off the debts he owes to loan sharks who are currently breaking his figures one by one.

Together the brothers approach their friend Cozzo (Mark Wootton) who initially declines their suggestion that he build them a suicide machine and in turn they'd split the profits with him. Later though Cozzo discovers his girlfriend his pregnant so agrees to go through with inventing the 'McFlurry of Death' in order to provide for his unborn child. Cozzo successfully builds his contraption with help from Scott who nabs some drugs from work which are normally used to put dogs to sleep but in this case eventually help kill off his neighbour.

Way to Go is an odd beast as it tries to laugh off the theme of attempted suicide as the three decide to set up a business using their machine to help to kill people who want to die. I definitely felt that this first episode showed promise though personally I didn't find it that funny although I did like the concept.

Way to Go's biggest attribute though was definitely Blake Harrison, who played the straight man against Heathcoate and Wootton, and whose drifter Scott was a million miles away from dopey Neil from The Inbetweeners. I think it's too early to judge whether Way to Go will be BBC3's next hit sitcom as it could either grow stronger in the coming weeks or become awfully formulaic however I'm going to catch at least the next couple of instalments to see which way Way to Go does go.

Way To Go - Review

An interesting start. This comes across as a BBC stab at one of these quirky US comedies like Weeds, in which a well-known actor indulges in a dark subject and threads the comedy/drama needle. This could end up being one to watch, and I'll certainly be back next week.

Way To Go: Writing a highly-charged comedy

Mel Brooks once said - and I'm paraphrasing here - "Cutting your finger is tragedy. But falling down a manhole and dying... now that's comedy." He's right. Heightened situations of hopeless desperation are far funnier than tiny, subtle moments of pain.

Assisted suicide as the subject for a sitcom? Well, it's different. Inbetweener Blake Harrison gives this dark comedy a human heart, taking the lead as well-meaning vet receptionist Scott. A medical school dropout, all he needs is an injection of cash so he can complete his studies. That is exactly what his terminally ill neighbour (Tom Georgeson) offers - in the form of a pair of George Best footie boots - in return for bumping him off. But to carry out his macabre mission, Scott needs a little help from his equally cash-strapped mates. With a machine called the McFlurry of Death, surely nothing can go wrong?

British TV: What a Way to Go!

"What's the difference between a plum and an elephant? They're both purple. Except for the elephant." I remembered that joke when I sat down to write this post about Way To Go, my new BBC3 comedy (Thursdays beginning January 17 at 10:00pm) about three guys who start an assisted suicide business.

Scott's life is in freefall: his girlfriend has just left him, he's dropped out of studying medicine and has ended up in a dead end job as a receptionist in a veterinary practice. Then out of the blue his terminally ill neighbour comes to him with a favour - to help him commit suicide.

This black comedy aims to mine humour out of the darkest of circumstances and, in this first episode at least, it seems to have worked. Inbetweeners star Blake Harrison manages to deliver some edgy gags while still keeping hold of our sympathies. But as his ingenious suicide machine - nicknamed the "McFlurry of Death" - turns from a favour to a promising business proposal, will the series maintain its balance?