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‘Yyou know who we don’t see enough of on British TV? Romesh Ranganathan“It doesn’t mean that he’s young for the man – who this year made programs for the BBC, Amazon and Sky, recorded another song for Parents’ Evening for ITV and will appear on The Celebrity Traitors – but he can’t escape. have you ever wanted to see Ranganathan go completely misanthrope and refuse to give a tired NHS midwife $500 because the royal family needs more, then change: you’re in the right place.
Unacceptable is – for reasons that are not clear – a show in which the players defend their bad ideas in front of the audience, who will not agree with their bad (and inclusive) ideas. Ed Gamble directs, putting in a professional performance, but again Gamble is as consistent as Ranganathan appears throughout, a whirlwind of commercials and hairdos.
Richard Ayoade and Joanne McNally are the team leaders. Ayoade does what he likes and McNally leans into his share of fun problems. Except, because this is unacceptable, they should say things like: “I almost bought Maga’s hat because I like the colors.” Katherine Ryan, Roisin Conaty and Sophie Willan – booking a strong team, of course – struggle, as the characters are hard to pull off.
When it comes to deciding which of the two YouTubers turned boxer Logan Paul or KSI is more popular (no real challenge is presented to the audience in the studio, or at home for that matter), Conaty skips and simply says: “He’s a boxer, right?”
Willan is particularly funny about the parallels – and lack thereof – between royal drama and soap opera plots (“You don’t get a ring on Hollyoaks”). But why Ranganathan is defending the royal family, let alone asking for a pay rise, is very difficult. Yes, the show is called Unconventional, but are we to believe that Britain’s most left-wing drama – perhaps Britain’s busiest – is a regular royal?
Things don’t go well when Ranganathan refuses to give NHS midwives £500 because Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, seems to want more. Of course, it’s a joke to destroy the queen’s cousin – who looks weak – and the whole team has a “soldiers worth football player’s pay” noise about it… but just give the lady her money! And while it may be an excuse to talk nonsense about the Windsors, why are we still stuck on King Charles and Tampongate all these years? Because he has to maintain his (unknown) status, Ranganathan’s situation is disrupted. Immigrants are keeping the royal family going, they reckon. “Some of the smaller boats are coming to see Buckingham Palace,” he says, before adding: “I’m not promoting the smaller boats.” Can someone change the title (or channel).
Seeing McNally argue that women aren’t funny is amazing, and the part with Ryan’s husband, Bobby Kootstra, is a toe-taker, despite everyone’s best efforts. Ranganathan’s mother, Shanthi – becoming a TV host like her son – also makes an appearance, giving Unacceptable the full Ranganathan stamp. Unfortunately, this does not make the program any more enjoyable. Ryan – arguing that men should have vasectomies at birth, which can be changed when they know how to conceive – may have the most honest views of them all, but asking a member of the audience about his vasectomy and getting him to confirm, out loud, that “I still come out” feels like a low point for everyone involved. Instead, perhaps that honor goes to Kootstra’s many jokes about drinking his beer.
Group shows can take time to catch on, and maybe in 20 years Unofficial will be a household name like Don’t Remember the Buzzcocks or Mock the Week, saved from the dust of TV history by TLC. But I don’t see it. To waste this much comedic talent on a show that has absolutely no meaning is a tragedy. It’s not acceptable, but it’s not necessary.
