Fancy Falls: It's Alive!
Comedy I don't get, shows I missed, and genuine writing progress.
Here is my single resolution for 2026.
I will write six episodes of ‘Fancy Falls TV’ (title TBC) by the end of this year
I’ll get straight on with the journal entries, as I don’t want to interrupt the story they tell.
Televigion Update
Things You Should Have Done (iPlayer) and Mrs Davis (ITVX Premium) - Mon 26th
Given a second series has just come out, and I haven’t explored it at all, I thought it was time to give Things You Should Have Done a go. It felt immediately like it was commissioned because of a similarity to This Country, but with a little more surreality. And I’m sad to say there were no laughs from me. I went off to explore the creator’s Wikipedia entry to find out more about her, and even watched a few videos on YouTube, and I just didn’t get it. Earnest drab realism spiced up with a little surrealism, and good impressions. But not my cup of tea. I think I’m the wrong generation1.
Mrs Davis was a recommendation from a Guardian article about the best weird and baffling shows. Most I’d either watched or opted out of, but Mrs Davis was new to me, and the first ten minutes are very good world building. It’s co-created by Damon Lindelof, so I’m pre-warmed up to his style with my love of The Leftovers and Watchmen. And apparently it is a one-season-and-done affair, with a conclusion. And it’s on ITVX, so I’d better hurry before my £2.99 month runs out2!
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Ep2 (Sky Atlantic) - Tue 27th
Just as good fun, if not quite so funny. I’m struggling to remember if I’ve read the book, or if it’s just very plainly open about what is going on. Excellent TV, and can’t wait for more.
Mark Gatiss on Scarred for Life Podcast and Lucky Man - Wed 28th
Two very good points that I wanted to note down from yesterday, Mark Gatiss calling Doctor Who a “true television hero, created by titans of that world”. He’s not from books or plays or even films, he’s a TV creation, and has endured despite that being known as a disposable medium.
And Michael J Fox in his first memoir “Lucky Man”, on the nature of celebrity and privilege and paying for so little when you’re suddenly very rich. He uses the phrase “You’re famous, I’m also famous” to mean the easy camaraderie of those in the public eye, despite not really knowing each other.
Both very insightful.
Also, it was lovely hearing Mark Gatiss in something more like his natural speaking voice, and being naturally witty. And great to hear Bookish Season 2 is wrapped! And it gave new perspective when he talked about how small the budget and tight the constraints are on the Ghost Story for Christmas...
Shrinking Season 3 Ep1 (AppleTV) - Wed 28th
It’s exactly as I remember it, often a little too earnest and talky and sitcom schmaltzy, but it is a great hang out comedy, where you just want to see the zingers fly. Great jokes, hilarious performances pitched just right as an ensemble, and it warms your heart as you watch.
And Michael J Fox’s new character is a great addition.
Mrs Davis Ep1 (ITVX Premium) - Wed 28th
How on earth did I miss this in 2023? Very knowing and funny, with a heightened tone of its own, from a creator I’ve loved and starring Betty Gilpin who was fantastic in GLOW.
I think it is my new favourite show and I’ll race through all eight episodes.
Starfleet Academy Episode 4 (Paramount+) - Thu 29th
It has a more serious tenor this week, but might edge into melodrama. Jay-Den and his family history is pretty obviously played. But the debate side of things is an interesting way to approach it.
I think this show could do with being 45mins, not an hour. They feel a bit flabby. If you cut out the lens flare you’d probably get there.
I wasn’t in the right mood for this tonight, needed something less po-faced, so I ended up on my phone for some of the latter half.
Mrs Davis Episodes 2 and 3 (ITVX Premium) - Fri 30th
I appreciate the effort the show is making in not being too mystery box, the reveal at the end was already in my head (that Simone can trust no-one basically) but the reveal about the diner where she gets her targets and the man she meets there, was plainly done and not witheld.
Side note - I love how ultra-reactive Betty Gilpin’s face is to everything! She can’t help but be judging people, and her comedy timing is wonderful.
…
Episode 3 is harder to watch, as they’re ‘in the UK’ and have clearly never seen a British train in their lives. Very odd.
Also, they’re in Scone and pronounced it like the baked good, which has not been flagged as a joke at all. I have a sneaky feeling nothing we’re seeing is real, and it’s all a simulation, but still.
…
Oh man, the Scottish accents.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Paramount+) - Fri 30th
After much prompting, I have actually begun my Deep Space Quest, following this guide of the quickest way through.
I’m pretty certain I’ve seen episode 1 before, and I do know every single character already. But it sets up conflict well, is already quite literally grubbier and less polished than its Star Trek comtemporaries, and has some Picard in it.
Avery Brooks as Commander Sisko can occasionally feel wooden, particularly in the flashback to meeting his wife, but for now I’ll chalk that up to nerves starting out on a new show.
We’ll see how far I get with this little project...but I started as Mrs Davis is already tailing off a bit in terms of interest.
Easy TV - Sat 31st
I love the ease of starting Deep Space Nine, simple to watch with the knowledge it is complete and there’s lots of it to sustain me! Plus it’s a known quantity, but with twists and turns.
It’s an improvement on my Doctor Who The Collection time, as the quality of the show there is much more variable, and I’m more interested in the behind the scenes material.
I suppose I’m talking about my version of comfort TV, but I can’t get on board with crime (including cosy crime), romance or reality TV in general, the usual areas for comfort. I suppose long running sitcoms are the same, but my comedy analysis brain kicks in on that I think. Busman’s holiday!
Slight Return - Mon 2nd
Another night in my daughter’s bed as she was transferred to ours for a persistent cough, and the lofty scrabblers are back3. I was woken a few times in the night, bashed the ceiling to very minor effect and dreamt of mice and rats and attic spaces all night. Urgh.
It might be time to bring out the poison.
Update - One mouse trapped, taken to the release spot, trap reset with peanut butter. More peppermint oil cotton wool balls carefully lobbed about the place as a deterrent and to make it smell like candy canes. Poison still kept in reserve.
The World of Fancy Falls
Theatricality and Dynamism - Mon 26th
Some more thoughts as I ponder Things You Should Have Done now that I’m in bed. The shows I love are a little more theatrical, heightened and dynamic. Things that leave me cold are lacking character variety. Things You Should Have Done in particular has no twists on the standard archetypes, and everyone is in the same mode. There’s conflict, but it might as well be one person talking to themselves, which is exactly what the Chi with a C YouTube is all about. They’re not characters, they’re ciphers for jokes, and well-trodden ones at that (dim cousin, greedy and mean aunt, idiot conspiracy theorist uncle).
Routine - Tue 27th
My new Substack rhythm is working very well, with a post brought together in a couple of hours on a Monday night, then reviewed on a Tuesday before publication. I can do as much work as I would like to pull a theme together, or just let it all sit and bump together. And it’s more conversational about TV, and less like a review. And not a formal ‘what’s coming up’. It’s so much more like what I want it to be, except the lack of genuine new writing as yet. But even that feels OK.
Fancy Falls Cast Begins - Wed 28th
At lunchtime I forewent the Lonely Island podcast to actually make some character notes for Fancy Falls! Fairly abstract archetype descriptions to begin with, that I’ll flesh out with character details and intriguing twists on what you might first expect. But it’s tricky because they have to embody many different archetypes to populate any TV show that gets requested by a customer for Fancy Falls.
I’ve decided to start with six characters, and had the revelation that they could be ‘cast’ multiple times in any given show, which leads to fun double performances.
It feels great to have begun, and it does genuinely feel like the watching of TV is helping to understand who they need to be.
Fancy Falls is Forming - Thu 29th
I actually went to sleep thinking about the notes I’d made at lunchtime, and the further notes after my daughter’s bedtime where I slotted my ‘favourite characters to steal’ into the spaces I’ve been carving into people. There was some rearranging and shuffling and additions as I drifted off, and I hope I can remember what I was thinking as I didn’t get up to note it down.
For now they have their descriptive positions in the company, not names.
The Source
The scientist/magician/con artist who allows access to the world of TV for any given customer of the week
Compare to Gob Bluth from Arrested Development
Front Desk
The friendly (and slightly unhinged) first face of Fancy Falls for anyone who wishes to enter
Compare to Brian from Spaced, or The Dean from Community
Leader
Self-proclaimed leader of the motley cast that populate the TV shows the customers visit
Compare to The Captain from Ghosts and Frasier, from Cheers and… somewhere else.
Organiser
The one who actually does all the work in the motley cast that populate the TV shows the customers visit
Compare to Annie from Community or Niles from Frasier
Enthusiast and Savant
A double act of one who loves being part of the motley cast, and one who is naturally good at it
Compare to Troy and Abed from Community
Newbie
The innocent clown who causes trouble in the motley cast
Compare to Buster Bluth from Arrested Development, or Mike from Spaced
The Source and Leader might be siblings or twins, to add even more rivalry. And despite the references, none of these are gender specific yet, just character types.
Questions/Prompts
What is your greatest comfort on TV?
Footnotes
I watched episode 2 while folding a basket of washing, and again didn’t laugh once at the fairly horrible characters.
I subscribed to see Do Not Adjust Your Set, which I’ve very much slowed down on.
Wendy warned me about this last time!