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Loaded is a new sitcom/drama (it’s not just a sitcom because it lasts longer than 30 mins) which centres on four friends – Josh (Jim Howick – Broadchurch, Stag), Leon (Samuel Anderson – Danny Pink in Doctor Who), Ewan (Jonny Sweet – Him & Her) and Watto (Nick Helm – Uncle) – who’ve each made £14m each on Cat Factory, a mobile phone game which has swept the world, but early on there’s a problem – the game’s in-app purchases are down, necessitating celebrations to be put on hold.
In this first episode, Leon hires a barber shop quarter to swear melodiously at former people in their working life who they didn’t like, Josh’s parents (Morwenna Banks and Simon Day) think he’s paid off the mortgage, but it’s actually a three-month trip around Uganda, Ewan loves offering bonuses and Watto – played by Helm, who has somehow made a career of playing an unshaven loser – is being sued for intellectual property theft relating to the game.
There’s a fair few people in this who you’ve seen in other programmes but who aren’t big household names, including Eastenders’ Scarlett Alice Johnson (aka Vicki Fowler), but running for 55 mins including adverts, it really needs tightening up and is certainly not ‘loaded’ with comedy.
Loaded begins tonight on Channel 4 at 10pm, and then later on All4. The series isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD.
Episode 1 Score: 5/10
Series Directors: Ian Fitzgibbon, Elliot Hegarty and Natalie Bailey
Producer: Charlie Leech
Writers: Jon Brown, DC Jackson and Georgia Pritchett
Music: Jack C Arnold
Cast:
Josh: Jim Howick
Leon: Samuel Anderson
Ewan: Jonny Sweet
Watto: Nick Helm
Casey: Mary McCormack
Naomi: Lolly Adefope
Abi: Aimee-Ffion Edwards
Paula: Scarlett Alice Johnson
Jeff: Simon Day
Linda: Morwenna Banks
Ross Muttock: Tony Way
Greg: Tom Stourton
Callum: Oliver Johnstone
Lawyer: David Westhead
Opposing lawyer: Nadine Marshall
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.