In other words, the more chaos there is, the funnier it becomes – and this is no-where better illustrated than with BBC 1 sitcom Reggie Perrin, which has now reached the half-way line. Though the show is never laugh-out-loud hilarious – except to the over-excited studio audience who, by the evidence of the laughter track, must have been in full giggle mode by the time they took their seats – it is consistently entertaining. In the third episode, Reggie re-evaluates his position at Groomtech – a company that firmly believes cardboard razors are the next big thing – and looks to his wife Nicola’s occupation as a teacher as a potentially more satisfying use of his time. Or perhaps for Reggie it’s one of the first offensives in a one-man-army revolution against the established order? For underneath the amiable, sympathetic exterior of Martin Clune’s interpretation of the character lurks an office-bound Che Guevara intent on waging war against the daily annoyances of modern life such as ridiculous health and safety restrictions. Ever the revolutionary, he then proceeds to get rid of them again when everyone else, including Chris, follows his lead and literally turns over a new leaf. It’s all so wonderfully petty, and supremely British. If Reggie Perrin were set in America, I’m sure he would have gone postal by now and shot everyone, instead of just fantasying about it. Further disruption to the workplace is caused when Reggie invites one of secondary school teacher’s Nicola’s uncontrollable classes in to learn more about the world of business. He’s already fired their imaginations with a shining deconstruction of the three economic models during a school visit, to test the water on his potential career-change. “There are three basic economic systems,” he begins, authoritatively hovering next to a PowerPoint presentation. “Capitalism, communism and probably your favourite, stealing.” Deciding that we’re all reluctant capitalists, Reggie continues, “It’s a bit like being at a parent’s party. There’s lots to eat and drink, but it all feels a bit sh*t.” You can sense the release of so much pent-up anger and frustration coming out in this, my favourite scene in the whole series to date. It’s sharply funny and satisfying to see someone, even if they fictitious, shake off all the social restraints that bind and do something hardly anyone does these days: Speak their mind. In the end Reggie’s new-found enthusiasm for education doesn’t last long as the class are more concerned with examining every inch of his office (maybe to see what they can pinch?) than with absorbing wisdom. Disappointed with their actions, he changes the lesson to what temperature water freezes at, illustrated by having them stand outside shivering in the cold. To Reggie, it’s innovation, but to Nicola, and probably the authorities, child-abuse, so its unfortunately back to the drawing board for him as he returns gloomily into the Groomtech building. He might see it as a strike against the capitalist class-barriers but the train conductor doesn’t share his socialist sympathies and charges him over £800 for all the extra fares. This altruistic gesture is one too far for Nicola and she finally snaps at her rapidly-changing husband, perhaps partly because she caught him having his rashes closely examined by Jasmine earlier that day. Things have been set up perfectly for the second half of the series (which presumably will end like the original with Reggie stripping off and running into the sea to fake his own suicide) and it’s like a disaster unfolding before your eyes: tragic but irresistible viewing. Check out our review of episode 2 here.
