Lead Balloon: Series Two - Region 2 DVD

Series two of Lead Balloon finds Spleen continuing to delude himself into thinking his popularity is soaring, when in fact his star is still ticking along much lower down the fame ladder, and showing little sign of improving. Faced with his own paranoia, a collection of friends whose use varies, and the antics of his family, Spleen’s life is rarely dull. Plus the moment where he meets the children’s entertainer is surely one of the funniest things seen on television in recent times.

Clearly crafted around the characteristics of its star performer, Lead Balloon is a strong lesson in how to put a good situation comedy together. The writing is excellent, buffed and polished to a very high standard. And then the case of performers really do make the most of what they’re given. The result is a superb collection of eight episodes, that leave you genuinely thirsting for the third series of the show. Has Jack Dee, then, single-handedly dragged the sitcom back to life? Maybe, maybe not. But he has made an excellent one himself… --Jon Foster