At last. Something to moan about. I am filing this one under Grumpy Old Dad. But wait. There is a point to this. This is a review of a TV show called “Trip to Spain” starring Steve Coogan and Rob Bryden. It seems that the duo made a similar series loosely based on being in Italy and people liked it. Or so we are told. Personally I think the TV company got suckered into a deal to make at least one more series and can’t wait to get out of it. That really is the impression this show gives. Like nobody really cares or is in charge of production. Ah!   let these two just get on with it, keep them fed and watered, film bits up and down the country and we can stick them together later and call it a TV show.

It annoyed the hell out of me and I would advise against watching it. Of course, if you are reading this you will now want to see what all the fuss is about. Shit! Not my intention at all….

What is it supposed to be?

I can see why people might want to watch the show. Both are popular comedians in their own right. But this TV show doesn’t seem to know what is it supposed to be. It is neither travel show, comedy, food show?. It pretends to be all of these but fails to deliver on any.

It seems to be part scripted on the one hand and part ad-lib on the other. There seems to be an attempt at a (very weak) storyline. The jokes seem to be mainly between the two characters (if that) and little detail is shown of the places they are passing through or staying. It quickly becomes totally pointless fly on the wall crap.

Where’s the real info?

People are interested in road trips as well as in Spain and its history. Somehow tis TV series manages to avoid showing some of the more interesting aspects of the places they are supposedly visiting. Apart from the odd token historical factoids generally spouted by Coogan – there is nothing of interest. In fact, it is hard to tell if they are meant to be genuine history or part of some experimental form of comedy. Like some hidden joke that only the select few can understand.

Many people like to see the culinary delights of countries like Spain but this show only shows quick flashes of the dishes being served up, in restaurants which remain nameless. We are not even sure in which towns the restaurants are. We can only make an educated guess. The truth is the way this programme is put together they could be anywhere.

Spain has many great restaurants and judging by the look of some of the dishes they are served these eateries appear to be high end. It is a real shame they do not get a mention.

This show is all about them – the two “comedians”. Trying to outdo each other like a couple of 5 year olds. Apart from one odd moment they fail miserably.

Coogan of old…

I used to think Steve Coogan was OK. Way back, before he started doing cocaine, whoring and thinking he had something useful to say in the political arena. I even paid to see him doing a stand-up show in Stockport (his “manor” – more or less). And he was quite funny.

But this show is best summed up by the famous line from one of his early characters – a certain student hating Paul Calf:

Bag o’ shite!

For proof that Coogan was quite funny back in the early 90s click here.