Him and Her - second try

Nope, sorry – I’ve persevered with Him and Her into episode two against my better judgment (read my first impressions here) and I’m still not feeling it. I read the Dom’s World blog entry by Dom Carver on the subject, and he’s a man who has it on great authority (Russell Tovey, who as I said, hasn’t yet put a foot wrong for me) that the series improves. I can definitely see where Carver is coming from with the frightening assertion that he is Steve, however I don’t believe the show is reflected accurately, nor is it distorted in such a way that it heightens reality and makes it funny. It just sort of…is.

There’s an improvement, perhaps, but so miniscule that it makes little difference to me. For a start I didn’t believe the premise: the main character, Steve, was pretending to be ill on his birthday so he could stay home alone and watch porn while his girlfriend went out. I could believe it if he pretended to be ill on her birthday to stay in and watch porn but surely he’d like a pint on his. After all, they have a lot of time on their hands – am sure they can go to the pub and watch porn. I wasn’t aware it was an either/ or choice. There were some witty moments in conversation, but still too much on the graphic bodily functions for me. Her rooting around for a massive bogey up his nose (ick) and him needing the toilet but happily “swallowing it back”.

I’m guessing the writer is trying to make some satirical comments about ignorance in society, but exchanges such as:

"Badgers?"
"I used to like them when I was nine."
"Did you also used to like picking flowers and sucking cock?"

don’t quite hit the mark for me.

Having said all this, the pay-off of the episode is great when Steve’s friends haven’t quite left for the pub yet and see him wanking in front of his laptop with headphones on. It’s an obvious punch-line, and I could see it coming a mile off, but was casually yet eloquently executed. Please please let the rumours be true, and for this show to keep improving. If I was sent this script I’d definitely want to read more by this writer, but maybe just not more of the same.