Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle is rather like Luther – it comes round every 2-3 years and is to the TV schedules what oxygen is to our bodies – an essential requirement.
Often, the programme is like a comedy masterclass, with this first new episode, showing how to segue between light-hearted and serious topics, the latter being the 2015 election, with a knowing look to camera. He also slammed lots of things like those who love panel shows, the BBC ticket unit and various TV personalities such as Graham Norton; and how James Corden watching Stewart Lee’s own programme is like a dog listening to classical music.
Is he a bitter man? Or just very clever with his self-depreciative humour? Due to his comedy style, is how he comes across, on the face of it, just part of the pretence? You will have to decide for yourself.
Throw in prostitutes and Orienteering with Napalm Death, and this really is a prime half-hour of television, and I’m so glad its come back to a 10pm slot, rather than being shunted to a post-Newsnight slot, long after people have gone to bed. Yes, it’s all available on the BBC iPlayer, but when you want to chat about it at work the next day, you want to have seen it the night before.
I’ve also enjoyed Mr Lee’s work when he regularly worked with the equally brilliant Richard Herring on BBC2’s Fist of Fun and the unsurpassable This Morning With Richard Not Judy.
Two elements of this series which return are the occasional, hilarious vignettes – which the first two series would see Lee appear opposite The Thick Of It creator’s Armando Iannucci, but since has featured Brass Eye and Jam creator Chris Morris (forever labelled as Christopher Morris), this first episode’s starting with Morris simply not being ready to begin, with Lee’s baffled expression staring back at him, hard.
And there’s also the unique end segments, which often get waffled over by continuity announcers that have plenty to say about nothing at all. Thankfully, this week’s was too loud for that to happen, even though the purposely silent closing credits – created that way by way of juxtaposition – didn’t escape the curse of the verbal effluence.
In this age of austerity, why can’t they be the ones to be culled? Everyone hates them.
Oh, and that final track was Napalm Death’s Pseudo Youth.
Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle Series 4 is not yet available to pre-order on DVD, but you can still buy Series 1, Series 2 and Series 3 on that format. The fourth series continues next Thursday on BBC2 at 10pm. If you missed it, you can watch the episode on BBC iPlayer, up until April 2nd.
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Etienne, Chortle.com
Etienne, Chortle.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Sam Rooney, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Clampdown59, Twitter.
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, 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
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Bosco239, youtube
Bosco239, youtube
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Funday’schild, youtube.
Funday’schild, youtube.
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Mrdavisn01, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter