Stewart Lee has said that nobody is competent to review him. It’s a sentiment he echoes early on in the first episode of his new six-part BBC2 series. So after thinking about doing something more useful with my time I decided to have a go. Does he mean it? It’s a remark like a lot of remarks in this episode. They can be taken as face value, they can be taken as a wry postmodern joke. Or maybe both. It’s a very layered show, that’s for sure. Not so much a comedy vehicle as a comedy Viennetta.
The trouble is that Lee is such a profoundly good stand-up these days he is able to have it every way. He makes his audience at the recording laugh while insulting their intelligence, blaming the BBC ticketing system for sending the wrong crowd to watch him perform..
He puts the boot into fellow comedians such as Lee Mack and Graham Norton and then appears to imply that he is joking. But you never quite know what he is thinking. ‘Stewart Lee’ onstage is a character, but there seems to be plenty of Stewart Lee in there, much the same way that there is plenty of Steve Coogan in Alan Partridge. It’s because of the overlap that Lee is so good at being ‘Lee’. He works hard at it – god knows he did enough warm-ups for this series – but it also comes naturally. By the way, on the subject of Partridge, Lee’s “Orienteering with Napalm Death” remark is the new “Monkey Tennis”.
This first episode, entitled Wealth, though it also touches on social responsibility, success and fame, is actually quite benign. It feels as if it has been scheduled to sucker the audience in. Later shows are clearly going to be more political. There is one on Islamophobia coming up, which should be a bundle of laughs for the Daily Mail. And talking of people that piss off the Mail it’s nice to see Chris Morris here interviewing Lee during his set and adding to the sense of textured deconstruction, though Morris doesn’t say much. Then again, his silences are worth a thousand Alan Carr quips.
In this opening outing Lee seems to have loosened up in all sorts of ways. He seems to smile more (though I can’t prove this scientifically). And he is not wearing a suit and a collar that is so tight the veins on his neck stand out like whipcords. He might even be less pasty-faced.
He definitely seems more relaxed and playful. And however much he wants to quote Brecht and make asides to the camera, such as wondering why his gag about Mock The Week doesn’t get a bigger giggle, the comedy is definitely more accessible. His swipe at James Corden or his despair at becoming a middle class dad could actually almost be on Mock The Week. There are plenty of stand-out standalone lines in this show that I could happily print here and they would make you laugh. But I gather reviewers aren’t supposed to quote material and I’m trying to be as competent a reviewer as possible.
I’ll just quote this though. At one point Lee says “this isn’t entertainment”. Well it’s a lot more entertaining than a lot of entertainment.
Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, Thursdays from March 3, BBC2, 10pm. Watch the first episode online here.
Watch Stewart Lee talking to Alexei Sayle about comedy here – it’s not part of the series.
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter