Series 2 of Big School got off to a somewhat disappointing start in terms of ratings last night, gaining just 2.85 million viewers overnight (14.2% audience share). This is less than any of the series 1 episode overnights; the opening episode of last series attracted 4.24 million, rising to 5.28 million after 7days.
The new series also received mixed reviews in the press and on social media. The Daily Mirror said:
The new series also received mixed reviews in the press and on social media. The Daily Mirror said:
As it returns for a second series, Big School really seems to have found its comedy feet. Big School is well enough written to survive Walliams' camp, asexual gurning and the dream cast add extra polish to an already shiny script.
The Daily Telegraph also enjoyed it, remarking that Big School has grown up
...the desperate misogyny had subsided into a gentle brand of juvenile wit. At times, [Philip] Glenister threatened to steal the show as Gunn, who had now been drafted in to teach Geography (or, as he beautifully puts it, jog-raffy, stress on the raff).
However, the Scottish Herald and The Independent were less than impressed with the episode, with the latter commenting that
Big School Series 2 doesn’t make the grade. The problem is that it's trying too hard to be funny. it isn’t quite sure what it wants to be. Is it a surreal comedy... a dramatic comedy... or it is the cringe-y schoolboy humour of Little Britain...?
The Twitter-verse was littered with comments about the show too; the majority quoting one-liners from the show or praising specific performances. We've retweeted a lot of those mentioning Phil, so check out our Twitter feed to see those.
When the consolidated ratings come in, the 2.85 million will rise but it's hard to see how this episode will come close to competing with last series. Hopefully, there will be an increase as the series goes on. Finger's crossed.
It is fair to say that out of all TV genres, comedy is probably the one that divides audiences the most. We don't all have the same sense of humour or laugh at the same things... if we did, the world would be a very strange place.
Perhaps mainstream BBC One isn't the best place for Big School at the moment, or perhaps it's suffering from being aired straight after another comedy that's aimed at a completely different target audience. What we can be sure of though, is that it's great to have Phil back on our screens, even if not everyone agrees!
When the consolidated ratings come in, the 2.85 million will rise but it's hard to see how this episode will come close to competing with last series. Hopefully, there will be an increase as the series goes on. Finger's crossed.
It is fair to say that out of all TV genres, comedy is probably the one that divides audiences the most. We don't all have the same sense of humour or laugh at the same things... if we did, the world would be a very strange place.
Perhaps mainstream BBC One isn't the best place for Big School at the moment, or perhaps it's suffering from being aired straight after another comedy that's aimed at a completely different target audience. What we can be sure of though, is that it's great to have Phil back on our screens, even if not everyone agrees!
