''Saxondale'' is an English television
situation comedy
A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
programme, starring
Steve Coogan
Stephen John Coogan (; born 14 October 1965) is an English actor, comedian, producer and screenwriter. He is most known for creating original characters such as Alan Partridge, a socially inept and politically incorrect media personality, which ...
and co-written by Coogan and Neil Maclennan. The series is directed by
Matt Lipsey and produced by
Ted Dowd
Ted Dowd is a British television and radio producer
A radio producer oversees the making of a radio show. The job title covers several different job descriptions:
*Content producers or executive producers oversee and orchestrate a radio show or ...
. Coogan and
Henry Normal
Henry Normal (real name Peter James Carroll, born 15 August 1956) is a writer, poet, TV and film producer, founder of the Manchester Poetry Festival (now the Manchester Literature Festival) and co-founder of the Nottingham Poetry Festival. In Ju ...
served as executive producers. The show is set in
Stevenage
Stevenage ( ) is a large town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, about north of London. Stevenage is east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1(M), between Letchworth Garden City to the north and Welwyn Garden City to the south. In 1946, Stevena ...
and depicts middle-class
suburban
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area, which may include commercial and mixed-use, that is primarily a residential area. A suburb can exist either as part of a larger city/urban area or as a separate ...
life.
Produced by
Baby Cow Productions
Baby Cow Productions Ltd is a British comedy television production company based in London and Manchester, founded by Steve Coogan and Henry Normal. Since its establishment it has diversified into radio, animation and film. According to their w ...
, the programme's first series was broadcast on
BBC Two
BBC Two is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It covers a wide range of subject matter, with a remit "to broadcast programmes of depth and substance" in contrast to the more mainstream an ...
from 19 June 2006. It features Coogan as Tommy Saxondale, a former
roadie with anger issues who now owns a
pest control business. Other principal characters include Saxondale's
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
girlfriend Magz (
Ruth Jones), and his naïve assistant, Raymond (
Rasmus Hardiker
Rasmus Hardiker (born 31 January 1985) is a British actor, best known for voicing Scott and Alan Tracy in the reboot animated television series '' Thunderbirds Are Go''. He played Raymond in Steve Coogan's sitcom ''Saxondale'' and Ben in the Ja ...
).
Morwenna Banks
Tamsin Morwenna Banks (born 20 September 1961) is a British comedy actress, writer and producer. She appeared in the Channel 4 comedy sketch show '' Absolutely'', and wrote, produced, and appeared in the British ensemble film ''The Announcemen ...
,
Mark Williams,
Greg Davies,
Ben Miller
Bennet Evan Miller (born 24 February 1966) is an English actor, comedian, and author. He rose to fame as one half of the comedy duo Armstrong and Miller. Miller is also known for playing the lead role of DI Richard Poole in the first two serie ...
(who script-edited the series and directed the first episode) and
Liza Tarbuck
Liza Tarbuck ( ; born 21 November 1964) is an English actress, comedian, and television and radio presenter.
Early life
Liza Tarbuck was born in Liverpool. She is the daughter of comedian Jimmy Tarbuck and his wife Pauline, with an older siste ...
also appear. Comedian
Matt Berry
Matthew Charles Berry (born 2 May 1974) is an English actor, comedian, musician, and writer. He is best known for his roles in comedy series such as '' The IT Crowd'', ''Garth Marenghi's Darkplace'', ''The Mighty Boosh'', ''Snuff Box'', ''What ...
composed the incidental music for the series and appeared in Tommy's therapy class as a
yuppie-like character in two episodes of the second series.
BBC America began airing ''Saxondale'' in November 2006.
According to a BBC
press release, over the course of the series Saxondale "gets his eyesight improved by a
prostitute
Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...
, almost befriends a
celebrity
Celebrity is a condition of fame and broad public recognition of a person or group as a result of the attention given to them by mass media. An individual may attain a celebrity status from having great wealth, their participation in sports ...
, kneecaps an annoying
hippie
A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...
... and experiments with women's makeup."
Coogan describes his character as "genuinely witty, while still being a bit of a dick".
Characters
Tommy Saxondale
Middle-aged pest-controller Thomas "Tommy" Gregory Saxondale (
Steve Coogan
Stephen John Coogan (; born 14 October 1965) is an English actor, comedian, producer and screenwriter. He is most known for creating original characters such as Alan Partridge, a socially inept and politically incorrect media personality, which ...
) is the survivor of a hostile divorce who now lives with his girlfriend, Magz. Tommy speaks with an
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. It comprises the eastern half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It consists of Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Li ...
accent and occasionally refers to his
Nottingham
Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...
heritage, though he and Magz live in
Stevenage
Stevenage ( ) is a large town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, about north of London. Stevenage is east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1(M), between Letchworth Garden City to the north and Welwyn Garden City to the south. In 1946, Stevena ...
,
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is one of the home counties in southern England. It borders Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire to the north, Essex to the east, Greater London to the south, and Buckinghamshire to the west. For govern ...
. An ex-
roadie, Tommy regards himself as a maverick and a free thinker and takes every opportunity to impart his wisdom to his young assistant, Raymond; most of the time the wisdom he imparts is not quite as sound as he likes to think. In his line of work, as well as
pharaoh ant
The pharaoh ant (''Monomorium pharaonis'') is a small (2 mm) yellow or light brown, almost transparent ant notorious for being a major indoor nuisance pest, especially in hospitals. A cryptogenic species, it has now been introduced to vi ...
s, mice, and occasionally moths, Tommy has to battle with snowboarders, pigeon-loving activists, and people who talk about property prices. Tommy knows his own mind and isn't afraid to speak it; unfortunately, Tommy also has
anger management problems, and when those around him don't give him quite the level of respect he feels he deserves, it tends to lead to explosions of temper that result in a few more visits to the anger management course. Tommy is devoted to his
Ford Mustang Mach 1
The Ford Mustang Mach 1 is a performance-oriented option package of the Ford Mustang muscle car, originally introduced in August 1968 for the 1969 model year. It was available until 1978, returned briefly in 2003, 2004, and most recently 20 ...
, although he drives a much less macho
Bedford Rascal for work (from Episode 2 the Rascal is replaced by a
Renault Kangoo). Tommy also resents that people often remind him throughout the series that he never toured with
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
.
Magz
Margaret "Magz" Nith (
Ruth Jones) is Tommy Saxondale's girlfriend. She is
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
and is the proprietor of a shop where she sells "shocking" T-shirts and posters, which she designs herself, often depicting cultural icons smoking drugs. Magz is level-headed and kind, acting as a stabilising influence when Tommy seems on the verge of becoming enraged. She is often seen painting iconic feminine figures such as the
Brontë sisters or
Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc (french: link=yes, Jeanne d'Arc, translit= an daʁk} ; 1412 – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronati ...
topless or in overtly sexual positions. She and Tommy engage in an active and rather
kinky
sex life.
Raymond
Raymond Fahy (
Rasmus Hardiker
Rasmus Hardiker (born 31 January 1985) is a British actor, best known for voicing Scott and Alan Tracy in the reboot animated television series '' Thunderbirds Are Go''. He played Raymond in Steve Coogan's sitcom ''Saxondale'' and Ben in the Ja ...
) is Tommy Saxondale's assistant and lodger. Thus, while Tommy enjoys talking about himself, training him in the mysterious and deadly art of pest control, and sharing a few life lessons, Raymond has little choice but to listen. The generation gap between Raymond and Tommy is reflected during their discussions about music, cars and life in general. He is very passive and rarely takes life as seriously as Tommy, often nodding or smiling instead of engaging with Tommy and his acolytes. He lives in Tommy's spare room and gets an uncomfortably close view of Tommy and Magz's sparky relationship.
Vicky
Vicky (
Morwenna Banks
Tamsin Morwenna Banks (born 20 September 1961) is a British comedy actress, writer and producer. She appeared in the Channel 4 comedy sketch show '' Absolutely'', and wrote, produced, and appeared in the British ensemble film ''The Announcemen ...
) is an office manager for the agency that issues jobs to Tommy's Stealth Pest Control. Vicky needles Tommy with her
bawdy
Ribaldry or blue comedy is humorous entertainment that ranges from bordering on indelicacy to indecency. Blue comedy is also referred to as "bawdiness" or being "bawdy".
Sex is presented in ribald material more for the purpose of poking fun at ...
, passive-aggressive sense of humour.
Jonathan
Introduced in series two, Jonathan (
Darren Boyd) lives in the house opposite Tommy Saxondale. An upper-middle class executive, much of the humour is derived from Jonathan's failed attempts to engage and bond with Tommy. He will often try to use 'anti-establishment' language and refer to Tommy's car with names such as "the yellow peril", whilst Tommy pretends to not understand what he is talking about. In most of his appearances, he approaches Tommy outside his house when 'the residents association' have a petty complaint to make about Tommy, such as parking his car on the kerb or playing loud music, although he will often suggest he doesn't agree with them to try keep in Tommy's favour. He always starts conversation with Tommy (although showing an ignorance to Tommy's tastes or knowledge) and then, walking back to his house, clicking his fingers as he "remembers" that he has to tell Tommy about the complaint.
Keanu
Keanu (Steve Coogan) is a recurring character seen in a number of episodes throughout the series. An unemployed, homosexual drug addict and a squatter, Keanu officially
changed his name by
deed poll
A deed poll (plural: deeds poll) is a legal document binding on a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an intention or create an obligation. It is a deed, and not a contract because it binds only one party (law), party.
Et ...
to
Keanu Reeves
Keanu Charles Reeves ( ; born September 2, 1964) is a Canadian actor. Born in Beirut and raised in Toronto, Reeves began acting in theatre productions and in television films before making his feature film debut in '' Youngblood'' (1986). ...
. Overtly flamboyant with a
Mancunian accent, Keanu is a stereotype of youth culture, personified by his preference for loud, fast electronic/dance music, an unwillingness to work and a promiscuous and carefree lifestyle. On a number of occasions, Keanu has displayed an unreciprocated liking for Raymond, Tommy's assistant.
Alistair
Alistair (
James Bachman
James Hamilton Bachman (born 24 February 1972) is an English comedian, actor and writer. He has written for and acted in many British television and radio programmes, including ''That Mitchell and Webb Look'', ''Saxondale'', ''Bleak Expectati ...
) is the therapist who runs the anger management sessions that Tommy attends. A calm and good-natured man, he frequently finds his patience tested by Tommy's unenthusiastic attitude towards therapy and his disruptive and aggressive behaviour within the sessions. The therapy scenes provide the
cold open
A cold open (also called a teaser sequence) is a narrative technique used in television and films. It is the practice of jumping directly into a story at the beginning of the show before the title sequence or opening credits are shown. In Ameri ...
to each episode; Alistair is rarely elsewhere in the show.
Episode guide
All episodes co-written by Steve Coogan and Neil Maclennan.
Series 1
Series 2
Critical reception and legacy
Advance critical opinion of the show was favourable. The ''
Daily Telegraph
Daily or The Daily may refer to:
Journalism
* Daily newspaper, newspaper issued on five to seven day of most weeks
* ''The Daily'' (podcast), a podcast by ''The New York Times''
* ''The Daily'' (News Corporation), a defunct US-based iPad new ...
'' reported that it "brims with promise" and ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' described it as "very, very funny".
During an interview with
Jonathan Ross
Jonathan Stephen Ross (born 17 November 1960) is an English broadcaster, film critic, comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He presented the BBC One chat show ''Friday Night with Jonathan Ross'' during the 2000s, hosted his own radio show on ...
on 12 September 2008, Steve Coogan announced that Saxondale would feature on his 2008 live tour of the UK. The character last appeared on the subsequent tour, "Steve Coogan Live - As
Alan Partridge And Other Less Successful Characters", which was later released on DVD.
In 2009, American television network
NBC announced, as part of a two-year deal with Baby Cow Productions, they intended to remake ''Saxondale'' for an American audience. NBC's senior vice-president of comedy described their aim to access the "creative sensibility" of Coogan and his colleagues. However, no further news on the project has been released.
In 2013, following the success of the film ''
Alpha Papa'', Coogan told ''Empire'' magazine that he felt Saxondale could sustain a film; "What I liked about that character is that in some ways he was the butt of the joke, but he was also funny himself sometimes. Whereas Alan is never funny himself - he's just unwittingly funny. Alan's never going to tell you a joke that really makes you laugh. Saxondale might."
In his 2015 autobiography ''Easily Distracted'', Coogan revealed that he preferred Saxondale to Alan Partridge due to the character having greater depth.
The List magazine noted similarities in character traits shared between Tommy Saxondale and Alan Partridge from Alpha Papa onward, noting that the development of Partridge seen in the
Gibbons Brothers
Neil Gibbons and Rob Gibbons are an English screenwriting duo from Sandbach in Cheshire. The twin brothers are best known for cowriting several Alan Partridge projects, including '' Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge'', '' Alan Partridge: We ...
' writing, and the manner of Coogan's portrayal, had seen the character's persona develop in a manner that echoed the tone and characteristics of Saxondale.
Theme music
The theme music is "
House of the King" by
Focus (which was also used as the theme tune to the 1970s science series ''
Don't Ask Me''). Additionally, all episodes have ended with an excerpt from "
Hocus Pocus" by the same band.
Actor
Matt Berry
Matthew Charles Berry (born 2 May 1974) is an English actor, comedian, musician, and writer. He is best known for his roles in comedy series such as '' The IT Crowd'', ''Garth Marenghi's Darkplace'', ''The Mighty Boosh'', ''Snuff Box'', ''What ...
composed the incidental music used throughout the series.
Excerpts of
Jethro Tull songs have popped up, including "Cup of Wonder" and "Acres Wild" (in series one episode five, which also features an excerpt from
Squeeze Box by
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...
), "Velvet Green", and "Bourée", also excerpts from the album ''
Argus
Argus is the Latinized form of the Ancient Greek word ''Argos''. It may refer to:
Greek mythology
* See Argus (Greek myth) for mythological characters named Argus
**Argus (king of Argos), son of Zeus (or Phoroneus) and Niobe
**Argus (son of Ar ...
'' by
Wishbone Ash
Wishbone Ash are a British rock band who achieved success in the early and mid-1970s. Their popular albums included ''Wishbone Ash'' (1970), ''Pilgrimage'' (1971), '' Argus'' (1972), ''Wishbone Four'' (1973), ''There's the Rub'' (1974), and '' ...
have been heard, featuring songs such as "Warrior" and "Blowing free".
The 1975
Rush
Rush(es) may refer to:
Places
United States
* Rush, Colorado
* Rush, Kentucky
* Rush, New York
* Rush City, Minnesota
* Rush Creek (Kishwaukee River tributary), Illinois
* Rush Creek (Marin County, California), a stream
* Rush Creek (Mono Cou ...
album ''
Caress of Steel'' and in particular the song "
The Necromancer" (Part III: Return of the Prince) is referenced both musically and as a theme in Episode 6, Series 2, with Tommy and Magz discussing it at the end of the show. In another episode, Tommy unfortunately claims that
Spirit of Radio
"The Spirit of Radio" is a song by Canadian rock band Rush, released from their 1980 album ''Permanent Waves''. The song's name was inspired by Toronto-based radio station CFNY-FM's slogan. It was significant in the growing popularity of the ba ...
is the first song of
Hemispheres
Hemisphere refers to:
* A half of a sphere
As half of the Earth
* A hemisphere of Earth
** Northern Hemisphere
** Southern Hemisphere
** Eastern Hemisphere
** Western Hemisphere
** Land and water hemispheres
* A half of the (geocentric) celestia ...
while discussing a pest extermination contract, when of course he means
Permanent Waves
''Permanent Waves'' is the seventh studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released January 14, 1980, through Anthem Records. After touring to support their previous album, '' Hemispheres'' (1978), the band began working on new material for a ...
.
In the second episode of series 2 there are two clips from the track "Wages of Peace" by
The Groundhogs, from the 1972 album ''
Who Will Save The World? The Mighty Groundhogs!''
References
External links
*
BBC's Saxondale web pageSaxondale at the British Comedy Guide*{{IMDb title, 0760141
2006 British television series debuts
2000s British sitcoms
BBC television sitcoms
2007 British television series endings
English-language television shows