‘Everything about this show is extraordinary’
In a case of what one judge called “superb nominative determinism,” Sid Gentle’s superhero comedy Extraordinary surprised the judges with its ability to turn a high concept, supernatural premise into a relatable and understated comedy that delivered genuine laughs throughout.
Set in a world where everyone over the age of 18 develops a superpower, everyone except for 25-year-old Jen, who is still waiting for hers to appear, offers a charming celebration of what it is to be extraordinarily ordinary.
Sid Gentle’s impressively high production values helped bring to life a universe which houses people with powers that include telekinesis and the ability to make a person orgasm with a single touch. One judge said that the “cleverly understated use of VFX made the sci-fi believable and relatable.”
The comedy’s intelligent, nuanced writing comes from first-time screenwriter Emma Moran. The scribe developed the series while still completing her master’s degree, making the feat all the more impressive. The eight-part show is filled with witty writing that garnered sustained laughs throughout and capably tackled the difficulties of your 20s in a super-powered world that still feels profoundly recognisable.
Put simply by one judge: “Everything about this show is extraordinary.”
SHORTLISTED
Ellie and Natasia
Nit Television for BBC
In a time where the sketch show had been largely written off from the comedy landscape, Ellie White and Natasia Demetriou’s cast of brilliantly eclectic characters has managed to break through. One sketch, starring Harry Hill and Simon Bird, went viral and has amassed over 5m views.
Carefully fusing parody with physical comedy, the series was praised for reigniting the sketch show genre with original, 21st century characters to create truly surreal comedy.
Funny Woman
Potboiler Productions for Sky Comedy
This female-driven comedy drama, created by an all-woman writing and executive production team, Funny Woman expands on the original novel to bring agency to its central female cast with a contemporary perspective that brought genuine laughs.
Its innovative examination of both sexuality and gender and high production values helped shine a new light on the female experience of 1960s London.
Live At The Moth Club
Baby Cow Productions for Dave
An innovative take in the comedy entertainment space, Live at The Moth Club blends stand-up comedy with scripted narratives backstage for an ambitious hybrid that shines a light on new comic talent while showcasing established faces.
Its enviable ensemble cast includes Bafta-award winning Jamie Demetriou, Mark Heap and Kiell Smith-Bynoe and stand-up performances from Phil Wang and Katie Wix, who all help to deliver an anarchic and unique series set in the heart of Hackney’s beloved Moth Club.
Plebs: Soldiers of Rome
Rise Films for ITVX
As ITV makes its grand return to the world of comedy, its iconic comedy Plebs (which first made its debut over a decade ago), came to its much-anticipated grand finale with a feature-length film. The judges were impressed by the ambition of blending a period war film with comedy, as a trio of desperate men living in Ancient Rome head to war. A fitting send-off to a valued series.
We Are Not Alone
Big Talk Productions for Dave
A fresh and inventive examination of the human race, the comic minds behind BBC1 hit series Ghosts turned their hands to sci-fi to make an alien-invasion film with a difference. The feature-length pilot pokes a playful finger at the oddity of the human experience, through an even odder alien-eye which veers between the silly and the poignant to create a film that made the judges laugh out loud.
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