RICH HALL’S PRESIDENTIAL GRUDGE MATCH, BBC4, 9pm
LITTLE American kids who’re told by Mom to work hard and one day they could become President are living in a Disney film, says acerbic US comedian Rich Hall. Or, maybe they’re just living in a nostalgic past when presidents were still seen as noble and heroic.
What chance do such soft sentiments have these days – between Nixon and Watergate and now – in the midst of such a bitter and nasty election campaign?
To those who’re still idealistic and want to change the world, Rich Hall says: “Go start a soup kitchen.” But to those who’re ambitious, tough and ego-driven then, yeah, the job of President could be for you, and Hall gives a sarcastic, comic survey of the role and the various dangers, stresses and assassination attempts which come with it.
It’s a grim affair, but some comfort can be drawn from realising that the dirty tricks and bitterness of the current election campaign are nothing new.
TROLLIED, SKY1, 9pm
I LIKE workplace comedies. The office is such a claustrophobic place and you’re compelled to spend most of your day there, sitting next to people you may find unbearable, loud, or whiffy. But what if your workplace is a supermarket? You have the same old problems as the sad office worker, but members of the public are thrown into the mix. Any maniac can just wander in off the street and demand to know why you won’t sell him Buckfast at 8.10am.
Yes, the supermarket is a good place for a sitcom, and let’s enjoy it now before Amazon’s warehouses make them a thing of the past.
The sixth series starts tonight in your friendly local branch of Valco. The star of the show, as ever, is Jason Watkins as the cheery store manager, but some of the cheer is dampened by a new and monstrous sales rep, played by Rufus Hound.
EU project helps artists tackle once-taboo topics in dance and theatre for children
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