In a time when generic television formats are all the rage, and production values are scarce if existent at all, it’s an all too common occurrence to be seated in front of a so called “comedy sketch” show and be thinking “this is the least funny thing I have ever seen.”

The Catherine Tate Show is a refreshing and much needed exception to the rule. One of the most hilarious sketch shows ever made, the series was nominated for a slew of prestigious awards (including an Emmy) and sold significantly in the UK. Featuring a number of disgustingly appealing characters (all of whom are played by Catherine Tate) including; a foul-mouthed grandmother, a lonely woman who meets and marries a convicted murderer and cannibal with the assistance of online dating, a spoilt, impossible school girl and a crude nurse, the shows play on recurring themes and intertextual references which get funnier as the show progresses. Definitely geared for an older audience, the show targets this demographic perfectly, and avoids the trap of trying to appeal to everyone, which so many other sketch shows fall victim to.

The result is dirty, crass, politically incorrect and above all, hilarious.