Colin's Sandwich

[Mob Bunkhouse]

Was it  any bloody good ?

I remember  liking it enough to watch it every week. But now I can't  recall anything about it  beyond its starring Mel Smith as an aspiring screenwriter. Indeed my  strongest memory is of the theme music, (Mozart's Horn Concerto).

Can any non pre-Alzheimered Verbwhores  remember anything from what would have been 90/91 ? Was, for instance, the bloke from 'Hazell'  really in it ?[/i]

[Marcus Or Relius]

I remember watching it but the only episode I can recall is when Colin goes on holiday abroad and ends up stressing out constantly at whether he left his oven on. Unable to relax, he eventually comes home early, races to his kitchen, observes that the oven is off and sighs with relief. Then, as it dawns on him he cut short his holiday just for that, he shouts "SHIT!" then the episode ends. I don't think it was all that good, but probably not as bad as some other series.

Anyway, a quick Google has revealed someone out there has a website dedicated to it BUT has FUCKING MUSIC on it. It's what I assume is the midi format of the theme. Just thought I'd warn you because I'm sure I'm not the only person who finds that irritating (even if I can simply turn the speakers off). Here it is anyway.

[Jemble Fred]

Colin's Sandwich is one of my favourite things, let alone sitcoms. Embarrassingly funny, genuinely touching, and a touchstone for all would-be writers. It was basically Hancock for the 80s, except that Mel Smith was a talented comedy performer.

And yes, Nicholas Ball played the big-time movie producer Colin feared and adored in series 2. I would love to see one return for Colin Watkins, perhaps for BBC4, but it's as likely as the Resurrection.

[Godzilla Bankrolls]

http://www.notbbc.co.uk/flangelog/csindex.html

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

He was trying to get his story into "The Langley Book of Horror" and was married to Kevin the Teenager's mum from Harry Enfield.

I recall it was entertaining, though not enough to remember any great moments.

I do remember Mel Smith getting slated for comparing it to Hancock in an interview with Clive Anderson though.  It suffered in comparison, and attracted unfair criticism because of it.

[Bilko]

The only thing I remember about that show was the women who played along side Mel Smith looked a lot like Anne Robinson.

[Mob Bunkhouse]

Thanks Marcus and Beloved for the links. And to Jemble for validating my memory (if you can call it that) of  the shows being great. I suppose that's what I was after really.

Incredible how deep down the memory hole I had sent this. A reminder of how BBC2 used to be the home of 'sleepers', before everything came pre-digested  - Brookered up the kazoo.

There are scripts on the site with the embedded midi file. Episode 1 reads bloody well. I had, needless to say, forgotten that it was built around Colin's  VO. And the conflict  between his drop-out life and that of his yuppie friends that he can only really express in an internal monologue  that  sometimes struggles to remain internal.

This from a woman at a poncey party asking C. the ever-original 'what do you do' question. (He works in British Rail's complaint dept.) :

You must get lots of funny stories,
I suppose.

COLIN
No. One foul-tempered person is
much the same as another...

The self-loathing, the insecurities, the fear of success  as well as  failure. Can't think why I identified so closely with C.