The Sarah Millican Television Programme press clippings - British Comedy Guide (original) (raw)
Press
Press clippings
It's no longer surprising that what comes out of Sarah Millican's mouth can be more than a bit cheeky, but it's unsettling to hear her abandoning the Shields vowels for a low, posh accent. It's all in an evening's work, of course, and in honour of guest Gabriella Ellis, ex of Made in Chelsea. Gabs is both posh and game, but with quickfire slots it's the guests who know their stuff who answer back best.
As part of Sarah's forensic investigation of money-saving telly tips, Martin Lewis is asked whether any of the shampoo in his house is not nicked from a hotel, while Dan Cruickshank must defend the entire scope and nature of his subject, including oral history.
Emma Sturgess, Radio Times, 22nd October 2013
Dr Christian Jessen from Embarrassing Bodies plants his enormous arms on the interviewee's desk and braces himself for Ms Millican's questions. He does OK until he has to refer to a certain part of the male anatomy and crumples. "I can't say that word in front of you!" Why not? He gestures to her floral dress: "Because you're dressed all nice!" "I'm dressed all nice but it all comes up and there's bits underneath," she points out, as their conversation takes the primrose path towards the saucy single-entendres she so loves. There's a funny section on Game of Thrones, too - can three of its stars explain what the series is all about? The answer is: "Boobs and death."
David Butcher, Radio Times, 15th October 2013
Review: The Sarah Millican Television Programme
The show is clearly just a vehicle for showcasing some of Sarah's stand up with a couple of guests bundled on for good measure. It's short and sweet, has no aspirations to change your life but gets the job done.
Scott Barnett, Giggle Beats, 2nd October 2013
Our host sounds understandably delighted as she introduces a gem of a guest: Michael Palin. The great man is mildly thrown by Millican's technique of lobbing risqué one-liners at her interviewees ("Do you think travelling men make better lovers because they're good at finding stuff?") but there are treats for Monty Python fans: Palin sings the Lumberjack Song in German and brandishes a dead parrot at one point - for a moment it's as if the ark of the comedy covenant has been opened a chink. Elsewhere there are good riffs on deleting programmes from your set-top box and In The Night Garden, plus a typically cheeky query to antiques expert Tim Wonnacott: "How often do you polish your tallboy?"
David Butcher, Radio Times, 1st October 2013
Sarah Millican's whole deal is being quite a bit ruder than she looks like she's going to be. This works well for a stand-up, but it's a modus operandi that makes her harder to place in a TV setting. This show has the visual trappings of an early evening, shiny-floor affair, but with a mild smut factor more characteristic of the end of the pier.
Perhaps Millican should just go for broke and unleash the full gobshite - she might have to shuffle back to a later spot in the schedules but she'd surely be more comfortable with the situation.
Tonight's third series opener includes some low-level Top Gear baiting, a slightly awkward interview with Bradley Walsh and an encounter with Richard Osman from Pointless ('You filled Anne Robinson's old slot'). Not dislikeable, but still a bit of a muddle.