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Austin is another show that appears to be UK made, on the surface, given some cast members, but it’s an Australian import, and shows we’re in the realm of an issues comedy/drama, because we have to be told that the titular character, played by Michael Theo, is neurodivergent, which appears to mean that he must reel off a list of uninteresting facts for anyone who doesn’t want to know, and as soon as he meets them, such as barraging a bus driver with a list of Meryl Street films where she didn’t win an Oscar.
Children’s author Julian’s (Ben Miller – Paddington In Peru) trending because he’s inadvertently retweeted a white supremacist, then moaning about it to wife Ingrid (Sally Phillips – Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy) while sat about on B&Q furniture in the garden.
As such, no-one wants to stock his books, other than a high street store which will never exist, since it openly sells copies of Mein Kampf in broad daylight.
Austin just happens to turn up while they’re in there, gets a signature on his book from Julian, who replies with the colloquialism, “Bob’s your uncle”, but due to Austin’s condition, of course, he has to tell him his uncle isn’t called Bob, but Jim. Are we meant to laugh?
Everything is overly obvious and just not funny. You see where they think the humour is, but it’s always something that makes me think, “I get the point, but… no.”
To end, here’s a list of BBC sitcoms in recent years, which are not at all funny…
And some reactions on Twitter:
Dreadful.#Austin
— Poyntz (@HearwaEnglaland) April 4, 2025
#Austin#benmiller#sallyphillips
Middle class BBC garbage
— Nagleball! Not the real Kev (@NagleBall) April 4, 2025
Just awful. Not funny at all. #Austin
— Carolyn Wheel (@carolynmwheel) April 4, 2025
Austin begins tonight on BBC1 at 9.30pm, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. However, once announced, it will appear on the New DVD Blu-ray 3D and 4K releases UK list.
All episodes are available on the BBC iPlayer.
Director: Darren Ashton
Writers: Lloyd Woolf, Joe Tucker
Cast:
Julian Hartswood: Ben Miller
Ingrid Hartswood: Sally Phillips
Austin Hogan: Michael Theo
Bill Hogan: Roy Billing
Mel Hogan: Gia Carides
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.