Lee Nelsons Well Good Show... Is It Well Good?

Is it wrong to judge a TV show on an advert?

If the saying ‘never judge a book by its cover’ is correct, then no you probably shouldn’t judge a TV show on the advert. But I can’t help myself. I figure if they’re putting these clips in the adverts then it must be the top stuff they have in the show because otherwise why would they show it.

So I’m going to do it again now. I am judging Lee Nelsons Well Good Show purely on the BBC3 advert, and I judge that it looks diabolical.

Like I said, I’ve never seen it so this is opinion is based solely on what I’ve seen from a BBC 3 advert, but it just seems that Lee Nelson belongs in the late 90’s, Released on the back of Ali G when lampooning the London geezer was in. Wait, is that what BBC 3 are trying to do? Are they trying to do their own version of Ali G, 15 years too late?

If they are trying to remake Ali G then they’re going the wrong way about it, as this the whole ‘Well Good Show’ seems well, stupid. Especially as it’s a character that you could probably do quite a lot with, and from what I’ve seen they haven’t if anything it looks a little lazy. I’ve heard quite a bit about Simon Brodkin about and he doesn’t seem like a lazy unimaginative comedian. In fact, from the interviews I’ve read he seems really quite funny. So, who knows maybe we have a Ricky Gervias - Extras ‘Is He Avin A Laff’ type situation on our hands?

In a world where Angry Boys, Outnumbered, Modern Family and The Inbetweeners rule the comedy land, Lee Nelsons Well Good Show just doesn’t seem like it fits. Thinking about it, it actually looks like an old Harry Enfield sketch, which of course is no bad thing at all; it’s just all a little bit too late...

But hey, this is purely based on an advert so I may be completely off the mark. If anything I’ve talked myself into watching it, I may even prove myself wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time!

Wilfred - No Dog Puns Were Made During The Making Of This Post

Based on an Australian show, which never reached these shores, Wilfred is an oddity, to say the least. Ryan is a depressive, out of work lawyer, who after a failed suicide attempt, suddenly sees his attractive next door neighbour's dog as a big Australian bloke in a dog costume.

What makes it even weirder is that Ryan is played by Elijah Wood and his presence elevates the show to a level it perhaps doesn't quite deserve. That might be a tad unkind, because Wilfred pretty funny. The title role is played by co creator Jason Gann and he makes a first rate pooch, letting us in on the inner workings of a dog's mind and particularly his sense of smell. Ryan and Wilfred are a surreal couple and at times looked a little like Donnie Darko and Frank and, like that duo, there is a dark side. Wilfred leads Ryan into some tricky situations, like breaking into a neighbours house to steal his weed and dump in his boots, then Wilfred leaves Ryan's wallet outside the broken window. This wasn't followed up, perhaps that is to come, because you feel Wilfred needs a strong storyline to carry it along. There is a limited shelf life to a man dressed as a dog, if it doesn't take us somewhere.

On the upside, Elijah Wood and Jason Gann have a good on screen chemistry and the first two episodes moved at a swift, amusing pace. And I won't end with any sort of dog pun, so a bit of a let off there.

Over.