4/5* Siobhan Divers | Shiv’s Show
Dir: Matt Lipsey
Created by: Nat Saunders and James Serafinowicz
Starring: Rupert Grint, Nick Frost, Don Johnson, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Tolu Ogunmefun.
A disastrous comedy featuring two naturally funny actors, Sick Note is a must-see television series.
Following the miserable life of Daniel Glass (Rupert Grint), Sick Note begins by setting the scene showing the poor treatment and poor luck of its main character. Daniel Glass spends most of his time wasting away, smoking and playing computer games when he isn’t going unnoticed in his dead-end job as an insurance call-centre employee.
His luck seems to be worsening too as his boss threatens to fire him and his girlfriend Becca Palmerstone (Pippa Bennett-Warner) decides to break up with him and kick him out of the house. On top of this, Daniel is diagnosed with terminal oesophageal cancer by incompetent, unlucky and equally as pathetic doctor, Iain Glennis (Nick Frost).
However, when the doctor realises he has made an enormous mistake, he confesses to Daniel that he misdiagnosed the cancer to Daniel’s surprise, relief and slight disappointment – everyone in his life has begin to treat him better after the diagnosis. So instead of telling his friends, family, girlfriend and colleagues about the mistake, Daniel and Doctor Iain Glennis make a plan to lie.
A hilarious premise from the get-go, Sick Note is made better by its excellent casting choices – not only in Rupert Grint and Nick Frost who are arguably two of Britain’s best actors but also in its supporting actors and actresses who are fully utilized and are key in plot development as well as humour. The script is well-written with each character delivering an equal amount of great lines. Becca has some quirky one-liners and scenes throughout the season as does Ash Matthews (Tolu Ogunmefun), Daniels best friend.
Kenny West (Don Johnson), the owner of the insurance company Daniel works for, frequently steals the limelight with well-delivered lines such as: ‘Athon is coming with me to photograph the hunt although right now he’s going to photograph the cunt’, however Dr Glennis claims back attention with lines like ‘Daniel stop worrying, you’re going to make yourself ill…for real’ and with a great scene involving him walking through glass.
Each episode also ends on a cliffhanger after some intense scenes showing the continuing struggles of Daniel and Dr Glennis, trying to cover up their lies and an unexpected murder which is also humorously covered up. However the season finale is relatively disappointing with the final scene bringing in a new character, distracting viewers from the real issues like what is going to happen to the doctor and Daniel??
With a second season on the way and a new cast member in the form of Lindsay Lohan, lets hope the next episodes are as tensely exciting and thrilling as the first season (and they answer some outstanding questions).
Will they get away with murder? Will they get away with their lies? Tune in to Sky One on Thursday to (hopefully) find out!
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Siobhan x
Shiv's Show 