Paul Merton, The Series: Episode 2.6

Paul Merton, The Series: Episode 2.6
Channel Four
8 October 1993
Sketch Comedy
DVD
B-

The best thing here is the Christmas filled with holograms, which is absurd yet thought-provoking.  I wish they'd done more things like that.  Damian Hunt had also appeared on Josie, while John Barrard was Anatole on Jeeves and Wooster and is a Teacher here.  Thea Bennett, Amanda Dickinson, Peter Guinness, Robert Harley, David Jackson, and Ben Miller return.

Paul Merton in its second series averages out to a low B-, not a big drop from Series One.  It's not terribly different but just a shade less funny.  After awhile, it becomes easier to predict the jokes, like the lemon detergent for, yes, lemons.  Still, overall, it's a better packaging of Paul's talents than Josie was of Josie's.

Paul Merton, The Series: Episode 2.5

Merton and Quentin

Paul Merton, The Series: Episode 2.5
Channel Four
1 October 1993
Sketch Comedy
DVD
C+

The best sequence here comes last, with Quentin as a chanteuse as Merton floats by using special effects.  John Woodnutt, who had played Sir Watkyn Bassett on Jeeves and Wooster, is Lord Coatbridge here.  Robert Harley, Ben Miller, Kathryn Pogson, and Bill Thomas return.

Paul Merton, The Series: Episode 2.4

At one point, Paul
claims to be Cilla Black

Paul Merton, The Series: Episode 2.4
Channel Four
24 September 1993
Sketch Comedy
DVD
B-

This is a more absurd episode than lately, from a romance between lamps to a gang planning a bank robbery with elaborate props.  Amanda Dickinson, Robert Harley, Ben Miller, P.J. Nicholas, Kerry Shale, Jonathan Stratt, and Flip Webster all return.

Paul Merton, The Series: Episode 2.3

Paul Merton, The Series: Episode 2.3
Channel Four
17 September 1993
Sketch Comedy
DVD
B-

The best thing here is definitely Paul as Frankenstein, but I'll always have a soft spot for his "Golden Years of Hollywood" segments.  Robert Harley, Ben Miller, and Kathryn Pogson are back.  Nigel Whitmey, who was on one episode of Josie and was terrible on Jeeves and Wooster, makes an appearance here.  Peter Benson, who was Mr. Rowbotham on Jeeves, is also in this episode.  This is the first of two episodes for Peter Guinness.

Paul Merton, The Series: Episode 2.2

Paul Merton, The Series: Episode 2.2
Channel Four
10 September 1993
Sketch Comedy
DVD
C

Most of the humour in this episode didn't really work for me, although it was interesting to hear one of the jokes from Paul's stand-up, with a British figure (Lloyd something) rather than the more accessible Dan Quayle in the version from London Underground.  

Along with Daws and Mullarkey, Robert Harley, Ben Miller, P.J. Nicholas, and Flip Webster are back.  Amanda Dickinson appears for the first of three times, Thea Bennett and David Jackson for the first of two.

Paul Merton, The Series: Episode 2.1

The dolphin-head returns.

Paul Merton, The Series: Episode 2.1
Channel Four
3 September 1993
Sketch Comedy
DVD
B-

The highlight of this series-opener is Paul bending the laws, including of gravity, about a scene set on a submarine, with Robert Daws (Jeeves and Wooster's Tuppy) appearing as the Captain.  The "Abominator" ad is also quite good.

Robert Harley and Flip Webster return from the first series, while Gabrielle Blunt again plays an Elderly Lady, this time the one in the deck chair.  P.J. Nicholas and Kathryn Pogson make their first of three appearances each on the show, while Ben Miller does his first of six.  Ian Collier had recently played Seppings on Jeeves.  Liddy Oldroyd takes over as director.