TV: Garth Marenghi's Darkplace

[Rodgerwilco]

Just recently found this gem of a show and my god I love it. It's hard to describe the show without getting too meta, but here goes. It's available on Prime Video right now if anyone's interested.

Created by comedians/writers Matthew Holness, Richard Ayoade, also starring comedian Matt Berry, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace is a "show-within-a-show" which parodies 1980's TV drama/horror/sci-fi programs as well as the inflated egos of many authors of the time. The series is presented as a special release of a lost footage 1980's horror-drama of the same name which was resurfaced in 2004 during an 'artistic drought'. It includes "present day" commentary bits from the characters remarking on the show.

Spoiler: Characters (in spoiler to reduce clutter)

Each actor plays an actor within the fictional show, with Holness playing titular Garth Marenghi, who in turn plays Dr. Rick Dagless MD. Ayoade playing Marenghi's publisher and partner Dean Learn who in turn plays hospital administrator Thornton Reed. Matt Berry plays actor Todd Rivers, who in turn plays Dr. Lucien Sanchez. Alice Lowe plays actress Madeleine Wool, who in turn plays Dr. Liz Asher. Madeleine does not provide commentary on the series, as she is missing and presumed dead in the 'real world' of the series.

The fictional show's story focuses on the Darkplace Hospital and the supernatural events which occur within and around it. Drs. Rick Dagless and Lucien Sanchez, both hilariously disconnected and grandiose, are generally tasked with dealing with some evil supernatural force and bringing peace to the hospital.



Anyone else love this show? I think it strikes the perfect balance of so-bad-it's-good, because it's not trying to be so-bad-it's-good. It's trying to be a parody of someone trying to make something good that is just bad, which in turn makes it good. It very cleverly parodies all of the tropes, technical limitations, and artistic pitfalls of authors/directors like Tommy Wiseau or Neil Breen.

Also, I didn't even realize that Matt Berry is the same actor who was the voice of Mr. Handy (and Sebastian Leslie) in the new Fallout series until I was looking him up after discovering this series.

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[Unholy Diver]

I've seen a couple episodes, gonna have to rewatch and finish the series off, it is definitely something different, love Matt Berry, he's a real trip, was great in The IT Crowd and Toast of London

 

[HanSolo]

There was a point all the episodes were free on YouTube. Absolutely nails the bad on purpose style of comedy TV.

I've seen a couple episodes, gonna have to rewatch and finish the series off, it is definitely something different, love Matt Berry, he's a real trip, was great in The IT Crowd and Toast of London

If you haven't checked it out, he's also excellent in What We Do In The Shadows on FX/Hulu. The whole cast is funny but Matt Berry elevates the whole thing.

 

[barriers]

Thanks for posting this.

I've been wanting to check out this show since going on a Matt Berry kick last year. I've been watching Toast of London/Tinseltown on Roku and will be glad to move onto Darkplace when I finish those last few episodes. Hopefully it's on Prime in Canada too, Justwatch.ca doesn't have it listed as streaming anywhere here.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

Matt Berry's "Snuff Box" series is also brilliant at times, but there's little that can top Darkplace.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I've seen a couple episodes, gonna have to rewatch and finish the series off, it is definitely something different, love Matt Berry, he's a real trip, was great in The IT Crowd and Toast of London

I watched 2 episodes of the IT Crowd after finishing Darkplace. Berry is certainly a special performer lol.

Thanks for posting this.

I've been wanting to check out this show since going on a Matt Berry kick last year. I've been watching Toast of London/Tinseltown on Roku and will be glad to move onto Darkplace when I finish those last few episodes. Hopefully it's on Prime in Canada too, Justwatch.ca doesn't have it listed as streaming anywhere here.

I'm so glad that I did. I don't think that my wife is very happy about it, but I don't care lol. It looks like the full series is available on YouTube.

There was a point all the episodes were free on YouTube. Absolutely nails the bad on purpose style of comedy TV.

If you haven't checked it out, he's also excellent in What We Do In The Shadows on FX/Hulu. The whole cast is funny but Matt Berry elevates the whole thing.

Looks like they're still available on YouTube. I'll definitely be on a Matt Berry binge since discovering him lol.

 

[barriers]

Normally I'm exaggerating when I say I could listen to a performer read the dictionary but in Matt Berry's case it's entirely genuine

 

[HanSolo]

Normally I'm exaggerating when I say I could listen to a performer read the dictionary but in Matt Berry's case it's entirely genuine

I could listen to him read the tax code

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Watched a few episodes of The IT Crowd. Pretty funny. I'm not really a fan of laugh tracks, but I'm mostly liking it so far.

 

[HanSolo]

Watched a few episodes of The IT Crowd. Pretty funny. I'm not really a fan of laugh tracks, but I'm mostly liking it so far.

It gets funnier in the back half of season 1 and most of season 2 is outstanding. It sort of loses its steam towards the end. There's a few episodes that my brother and I watched where we were both howling laughing.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Been catching a few episodes of The IT Crowd. The show was pretty funny as it was in season 1, but gets significantly better once Berry enters in Season 2. I don't generally enjoy sitcoms, but this one's pretty good.

Richard Ayoade is hilarious as well as Moss.