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Trevor's World of Sport: The Complete Series (TV)
R2 - United Kingdom - Acorn Media Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (27th April 2013). |
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The Film
 Andy Hamilton is one of the leading comedy writers in the United Kingdom, becoming most prominent after he wrote 66 episodes of the famed Channel 4 show "Drop the Dead Donkey", winning BAFTAs and British Comedy Awards in the process. Afterwards, he wrote three series of "Bedtime" for the BBC, a continuation of what should have been a great relationship between the BBC and Hamilton (he wrote for many BBC comedians in the late 70's and 80's). In 2003, things were to change however. "Trevor's World of Sport" opened to slightly disappointing numbers considering it was given a prime Friday night spot, but those numbers would've likely been higher if the abysmal Paul O'Grady bingo comedy "Eyes Down" didn't precede it before the watershed. After three episodes, Lorraine Heggessey pulled the show from its primetime spot, moving it to late Monday nights, a move which disrupted the viewing figures and angered Andy Hamilton. He was so annoyed at this mistreatment of his show, he actually vowed he would never work for BBC TV again - and he kept his promise until 2007 when the BBC management was changed. Going back with the hugely successful "Outnumbered", I would guess that the BBC were happy of his return, and in 2009, Hamilton told radio 4 listeners "it would have been daft to nurse that grievance for ever". The real question remains though; was Heggessey right to pull the show? The synopsis from Acorn Media reads: From Andy Hamilton, writer of Drop the Dead Donkey, Bedtime and Outnumbered, comes the very human and very funny comedy series Trevor's World of Sport. Set in the cut-throat world of sports agents, Neil Pearson is Trevor, decent, honest and desperately struggling to stay afloat in the shark-infested waters of the business, with one of the most ruthless sharks being Trevor's best friend and business partner Sammy (Paul Reynolds). The hard-working duo are supported by their well-meaning staff: Theresa, an extremely religious personal assistant, Heidrun, their razor-sharp German receptionist, and Barry, their too-sweet-natured office assistant. In a world that seems to be falling apart around him - his marriage on the rocks, an attempted buyout of the company, a new-hire with ulterior motives - Trevor is struggling to maintain his integrity, his equilibrium and his temper - none of them with much success. And then there are his recurring nightmares... After viewing the first episode, I was left a little disappointed and wondered what I had in store with the rest of the series. It felt a little forced and unimaginitive and I was unsure of the majority of the characters. Thankfully, this turned around rather quick. The characters found their feet, the longer storylines are well paced and the recurring characters can be very funny. Neil Pearson and Paul Reynolds make for a rather interesting double act. Pearson's character is a moralistic businessman, always wanting to do what is best for his clients, even if it puts him in some strange circumstances. Reynolds' character on the other hand, is a salesman - selling his clients for the best price possible and trying to put enough spin on everything to make the company books look more and more impressive. He's arrogant, and cares for nobody but himself or the company. The pair play off each other really well, their wildly differing characteristics making way for some sublime humourous moments, many of which subtle. Added to the mix is Abdul Salis as the office assistant who is overly good-natured but has some great dialogue with Reynolds. "Trevor's World of Sport" isn't Hamilton's best work - that honour belongs to "Outnumbered" - but it's worth a look for any comedy fan. It's a shame we didn't get a second series, but at least there was a successful radio show for those that enjoyed this (available on CD). Look out for guest appearances from former international footballer David Seaman and "The Walking Dead"'s Andrew Lincoln among others.
Video
Acorn Media present the show in a ratio of 1.78:1 which has been anamorphically enhanced. It's quite a standard transfer - nothing to shout home about, but nothing to complain about. Skintones sometimes seem a little on the dark side, but colours are generally sharp and contrast is consistent. There are no signs of damage, aliasing, or ghosting, but there is a little edge enhancement here and there.
Audio
There is a single audio option on offer here, the original English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo track. Dialogue is clear and concise at all times, there is no background hiss or noticeable damage and volume levels are consistent. Subtitles are available in English and are optional.
Extras
Interview with Andy Hamilton (14:33) - This interview was filmed in July 2012 and is a general interview rather than one specific to this show. Hamilton tells us about how he started in comedy through being spotted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He also tells us about his transition from radio to television, the differences between radio and television work, and what shows he admired when he was growing up. "Andy Hamilton on World of Sport" interview (13:31) is another interview with Andy Hamilton, but this time specific to the show in question. He talks about how and why he is thrilled the show is now on DVD, how the idea for the show materialised, casting and why the show only ran for one series. The interview is candid and Hamilton is very amusingly clever with his wording when talking about the scheduling problems. The final extras are all self-explanatory: Filmographies: - Neil Pearson - Paul Reynolds - Claire Skinner Photo Gallery (0:56)
Overall
Although not the best of Andy Hamilton's creations, there is nothing else quite like it. I recommend picking this release up if you're a fan of British comedy, especially after the BBC messed up with their treatment of this one during its intial television run.
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