Saxondale
Seasons 1 and 2
This series by Steve Coogan is about an ex-roadie who now runs a successful pest removal business and is required to attend an anger management class that takes place in the children’s section of a book store. Every episode starts there. He’s got a girlfriend he adores and who adores him back and unlike Alan Partridge he isn’t desperately clawing his way back on ‘top’. Saxondale is just trying to maintain. Maintain his cool, his business, his relationship, his comfortable middle class life.
He’s a Coogan creation so he’s an asshole and lacking in self awareness but he’s a man with such strong (complicated) principals that he is earnest and sweet and endlessly endearing. Also hilarious. When he isn’t being a fool Saxondale is a pretty smart witty dude.
It’s amazing to me that this has the potential of being a shitty Ullman-esque goofball sketch* where the joke is on him and the audience laughs at his expense. Instead he is taken seriously and performed with such nuance and commitment that he is a fully realized character with a rich internal life.
The other characters in the series are equally good. His harpy secretary is so well written and performed it’s worth watching just for their interactions. Season 2 becomes very sitcom-y in that the routine of Saxondale’s life is familiar and expected.
I was so happy that Coogie ditched the wig or the flat iron and let his curly luscious locks go free.
I wish there were more than 12 episodes in this series!
*don’t get me wrong, I spent many many hours watching and loving her show
