How Not To Live Your Life: Series 3 Episode 1

Starting a new series with a double bill is never a positive sign. Like the doomed double-A side single, it reeks of "one isn't good enough, let's tack on another to satisfy the punters". Sadly, the first in the third series of BBC Three sitcom How Not To Live Your Life does not rail against this train of thought.

Pity really, as the show as been growing in confidence over the first two years, delivering more laughs along the way and creating a decent, if unremarkable, bunch of comedy characters.

One of the main problems with 'Don's New Job' is the staleness that seems to have set in so rapidly. The format of this story sees Don walk into a job, by accident, and get promoted quickly - a sitcom "classic". As usual this scenario is borne out of a typical cringeworthy moment, but it's all too familiar. By all means take on the staples of comedy, but do something new (or at least funny) with them.

Despite a guest role for The Mighty Boosh's Noel Fielding as an 80s Wall Street-esque businessman, frequent use of the word "balls" (a reference to a previous episode) and a blast of Dire Straits' 'Money For Nothing' (though Miranda did it better last year), the episode fails to live up to the previous two years' standard.

On a positive note, Dan Clark still excels as the slightly repulsive, yet likeable at the same time, Don Danbury and it would appear there is to be a recurring role for Silas Carson. (Fact fans may note that he played Jedi Ki-Adi-Mundi from the Star Wars prequels and voice of the Ood from Doctor Who.) Here Carson plays the current boyfriend of the love of Don's life, Sam; playing her Uni lecturer with affable ease and straightness.

Given that How Not To Live Your Life has provided great entertainment in its relatively short past, this could be just a blip. Let's hope that the remaining five episodes of the series move away from the traditional, or well-trod, route and the guys go back to what they're best at.



Airs at 10.30pm Monday 8th November 2010 on BBC Three.

> Buy the Series 2 DVD on Amazon.

Reviewed by Cameron K McEwan.