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.
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk