BBC3′s new comedy series ‘Cuckoo’ started last night, and it was rather good! It follows the Thompson family, whose daughter returns from a gap year trip, with a new eccentric husband named Cuckoo.
Image: BBC/Roughcut TV
Parents Ken (Greg Davies, The Inbetweeners) and Lorna (Helen Baxendale, Friends) wait at the airport for Daughter Rachel (Tamla Kari) to return from a gap year trip to Thailand. What they don’t expect is for her to be joined by new husband Cuckoo (Andy Samberg), an American hippie.
The show provided plenty of laughs, many coming from Ken’s reaction to Cuckoo’s behaviour. He didn’t seem impressed when Cuckoo tried to justify not getting a job by comparing Ken to a caveman hunter, while he was a ‘thinker’, and also when he described Ken’s memorable park from his childhood as “a bit shit” compared to trekking in the Himalayas.
I think many parents will relate to Ken’s position of the unimpressed dad who disapproves of his child’s choice of partner, while the besotted Rachel won’t hear a bad word against him. Ken’s comes up with a plan to get rid of Cuckoo, but it doesn’t quite go to plan…
Many new comedies take a while to grow, but Cuckoo’s series opener made a good start. The jokes may seem a bit dated and clichéd , but I think most viewers got what they expected.
Cuckoo is on BBC3, Tuesdays at 10:00pm
Watch Episode 1 on BBC iPlayer here
Loved it, even funnier the 2nd time around. I’m glad I don’t have a daughter as it could easily happen.
We’ve been trying to find out, but it doesn’t even seem available to pre-order yet.
anyone know if there is a dvd of this, it would make a great christmas present
Just watched all 6 episodes, we all thought it was brilliant, funny and entertaining. Bring on series 2 soon!!!
Totally fantastic series…more pleeeeease. Ken dancing to Dexys is a classic…..MORE
Loved it…the whole family did!! All the characters were great. We live in Totnes and there are many ‘Cuckoo’ characters here…well observed. Best thing on TV for ages. Missing it already, PLEASE MAKE MORE!!!
We loved Cuckoo, such clever cultural observation. The whole family laugh out loud. MORE PLEASE!
Classic comedy with some great laugh out moments!! series 2??
This is a laugh out loud comedy – we recommended it to friends who also love it. I just went online to see if the series was on DVD – I would like to post to my brother overseas. Brilliant – I loved Tuesdays – The Paradise followed by Cuckoo!! More please!
OMG !!!! I ABSOLUTLEY LOVED THIS !!! For the over anaylizers – you need to jog on !!! because this was absolutley brilliant ! Helen’s character was superb – her aloofness just completely cracked me up !!! alongside her hubby who just completely floored me to the point of nearly peeing my pants ! the last episode was just fab ! i actually couldn’t stop laughing throughout !!! greg’s line about wanting to dance because its Diana ROss playing was genius ! well done BBC – Please please please, more Cuckoo !!!
Best programme in years!! GENIUS!!! HILARIOUS!! TRULY!! WELL DONE XXX
Shame about the haters on here. Clearly have hitlers sense of humour. Bring on another series!
Just tried to buy this brilliant series on DVD… where is it???
Very funny the characters are wonderfully interactive and the audience must think what’s going to happen next. Brilliantly written and casted. More please.
Dragon
Massive Greg Davies fan, and to this as surpassed it is witty, and funny and above all else it ticks that massive box that everyone seems to miss, it is simply very entertaining, nothing fancy, just half and hour to relax, enjoy and chuckle, and for me that is what comedy, entertainment is all about. Well done the Beeb, lets see more of this
This is a super combination of great script and perfect cast. My husband and I really enjoyed it – the laugh out loud kind of comedy we rarely come across. Big thanks to the writers for writing it – and to the actors for risking it – because it worked!
Hilarious, so hope there is another series. The best laugh we have had in some time. All the characters are fantastic – even Steve – and the concept is wonderful. All the family thought it amusing though the younger one squirmed with embarrassment a bit at some of the language and topics, presumably as we oldies were watching with such glee.
More please
Fantastic! Congratulations BBC. Hilarious, brilliantly well-written, beautifully observed, well-rounded characters and excellent performances. I love this light-hearted, witty, laugh-out-loud show. I can’t wait to see more and I really hope you bring out a DVD. This is comedy at it’s best!
I absolutely loved this show. It’s a lighthearted comedy and should be viewed as one. Greg Davies and Andy Samberg are cast brilliantly. I do hope there will be a second series.
Absolutley loved it, thought the actors were excellent and very belivable, gave me a real belly laugh, best thing since “not going out”
To not find this funny would be that you are simply behind times, every character is well written and incredibly funny.
this is just what i have been waiting for… very relevent to the times we are in!
Absolutely superb! Its brilliant, I loved it. Very good acting and very funny indeed. Wanderful cast and it was something to look forward to every week. I look forward to the next series. Well done BBC3.
please do some more series of cuckoo i think its a winning combination and Greg Davies is the funniest actor around
i love this programme so much all the actors are brilliant, please bring some more episodes its hilariously funny, i especially love the actor who plays ken, he is so funny
This is the funniest sitcom for years……Great series, please do another one
I haven’t laughed so much at a new TV show in years! fantastic. although I can understand It may not be everyonnes cup of tea. I think this could be up there with Fawlty Towers!
Brilliant, every episode is a cult classic! The third episode was the funniest thing I’ve seen on tv in a long time…
The scene from the fourth episode where the cat gets shot had us in stitches.
It’s truly original, great cast, and brilliantly written! Thanks!
Brilliant, just brilliant comedy at last from the BBC . It’s been a while but well done the production team,Greg you are a Star*
I absolutely thought it was brilliant! I laughed all the way through 3 episodes at one sitting. The best comedy I’ve seen for years….I had to wipe my eyes. Brilliant casting…well done!
This really is the BEST comedy out! Absolutely hilarious, and my husband and i actually agree on this and it is one of the few programmes we both love watching together! Cant understand people not enjoying it! Just lighthearted fun. Just hope ther is another series!
Slightly unreal but great fun. Ken is brilliant – well done Greg. I think the rest of the cast do a great job too. I hope there will be a next series.
I agree with the comment regarding Tibetan monks.
I am always lookig forward next episode, really brilliant! I like the ken’s character
BRILLIANT!! Loved it!!
LOVE THIS PROGRAME!! Whoever dosnt like it obviously has a personality default. PLEAAAAASE bring this out on DVD! Love it!
I think that Cuckoo is a great new comedy; one of the best in ages. The characters are solid and storylines are imaginitive. If you don’t think this is funny, you probably watch Mrs Brown’s Boys and actually enjoy it
Watched the show for the first time and enjoyed, apart from the deeply offensive Monk Song. My wife (who watched the show as well) is Tibetan, and has family members who are Tibetan monks and nuns, they live under Chinese occupation unable to practice their religion and move freely within their own country. Millions have died under this illegal occupation.
I find it hard to believe the BBC can ridicule people who can see no other option but commit self immolation as they feel all hope is lost. I wonder if the show producers would have tried to have a cheap laugh at the Muslim communities’ expense. I think not.
I will pass this on to the Tibetan community world-wide as I feel you crossed beyond humour… Perhaps you may listen to their voices of despair…
My husband and I really enjoy Cuckoo. As mentioned above, it gets better each week. I love Greg Davies in this role, he suits it so well. And Andy Samberg is also brilliant as Cuckoo. Thank you, we love it!
A friend recommended this show to me a week ago, just saw the first 3 episodes and i love it. Andy Samberg and especially Greg Davies are fantastic, the whole cast is awesome. Hope to keep seeing more of Cuckoo.
Pure comnedy gold. Possibly the funniest thing the BBC has made for decades.
Andy Samberg is top drawer.
Well written weel produced.
Well done..
Superb. Very funny. Can’t wait for the next episode.
Top marks to the beeb.
How could Helen sink so low appearing in such a second rate production. No more please
Stupid and brainless comedy. An insult to my eyes
We love it and planning on not having any daughters so we dont end up with our own Cuckoo!
Brilliant ,funniest thing on tv all week.
I loved it – It has improved week on week and I think Greg Davies and Andy Samberg are a great combination!! My favourite line from Episode 3 – ‘It’s tiny little Steve!’
So funny – I love Cuckoo. Casting is brilliant. I laugh through the whole thing – funniest thing on TV at the moment.
I love it. More please!
Brilliant – we all loved it. Very well written and such an original idea. Hope another series is on the cards.
I thought this program was brilliant. After qualifying in my career and saving up money through hard work, I spent several years backpacking and met many “Cuckoos” on my travels. Now a settled parent, I can identify with both sides and couldn’t help but chuckle all the way through. “None of the scenarios based on reality”, as per Ann Turrell’s opinion, well I guess that depends on which life you have lead.
Absolute rubbish! Throw it in the rubbish bag!
UTTER DRIVEL!
I loved the programme, I real parody of parenthood and adolescent development. The previous writer should stick to the Archers!
Cuckoo is truly, truly dreadful – I sat through the first episode squirming with embarassment for the actors. What on earth made Greg Davies, an intelligent, educated and very funny man, go for this rubbish? None of the scenarios envisaged in it had any basis in reality. That’s fine if the authors are writing a fantasy (see “the Boosh”) but this tripe propounded the idea that a lawyer might be so inarticulate and stupid that when his ( supposedly intelligent enough to train as a doctor) daughter turned up with a manipulative user, he would be unable and unwilling to tell them both to get on their bikes. If this is based on reality, God help the legal and medical profession. There is not one sympathetic character in a cast of five – the mother is a wannabee teenager and the son is a foulmouthed lout. Please, BBC, don’t make any more of this! YUCK!