BBC Three relaunched last night. Why exactly February the 12th was chosen for this auspicious debut I have no idea, except to note it was a pretty dead night on every other channel. Even Channel 4 didn’t counter-programme Skins against Phoo Action or roll out Charlie Church to battle Lily Allen & Friends. And since I am guessing no-one watched any of it, lets do a quick round up from speeding through iPlayer.
PHOO ACTION
Barely trailed day-glo live action Jamie Hewlett comic adaptation which coupled timid kung fu action hero Terry Phoo with surly teen Whitey Action in a way you can completely imagine if you have ever read a Jamie Hewlett strip. The entire production appeared to cost the same as those flashing lights on the van in Torchwood, and therefore some of the attempts to create live-action versions of Hewlett’s creations looked a bit cheap. BUT THAT’S OK, cos its not as if Hewlett is a consummate draughtsman himself. Instead the half arsed creature designs complimented the half arsed plotting and something semi-magical came out of it. Phoo Action was actually pretty good, playing like a hoodies version of The Avengers. Top marks to the casting of Carl Weathers as Whitey Action’s US police chief Dad and Jaime Winstone herself as Whitey Action. Of course you can’t do kung fu on the cheap, as it showed in the infrequent action sequences, but BBC3 would be mad not to pick this up. Indeed they would be nuts not to pick it up, remove the very minor bad language and then spunk it on to teatime BBC1, which is exactly where it would get its best audience (The Avengers crossed with the Mighty Boosh = kiddie audience). The fact it worked at all was against all odds, and having notice Jessica Hynes hand in the script it suddenly makes a lot more sense. iPlay it! (Also Phil Cornwell as the basketball headed badguy brought back happy Gilbert memories.
LILY ALLEN & FRIENDS
Apparently all the cool kids walked out. HOLD ON, what were the cool kids doing there in the first place. No worse that Charlotte Church’s first show, Lily showed that she was an engagingly gobby presence in the style of a US chat show host (ie, not all that interested in her guests). A good tame first guest in David Mitchell was followed by Cuba Gooding Jr appeared to be on a considerable amount of drugs, and the semi-fear this perked up gave the show some exciting tension. IS Lily a natural TV host? No, but then the idea of an Its Lulu style show is not beyond the realms of being good. The added interactive level was pretty much just second hand Graham Norton, but with a cheery niceness to it. Lily just seems to be enjoying herself which always bodes well. Indeed if the first night of relaunched BBC is anything to go by, its going to be a nicer, more feminine place (so bugger off Reverend And The Makers). Hence the pink straw logo.
So, so far, it was a pretty good night. BUT, Phoo Action was just a pilot, so an odd thing to relaunch with. We’ll check back in a month or so to see if anything has really changed around here.