Reception Campus (TV series)

the main characters in campus. top row, left-to-right, flatpack (bailey), lydia tennant (wells), imogen moffat (jackson), nicole huggins (pascoe) , jason armitage (adamsdale); bottom row, left-to-right, matt beer (millson), jonty de wolfe (nyman) , george bryan (ryan).

the pilot received mixed reception when broadcast. jane simon in daily mirror wrote that: there funny moments staff @ kirke perhaps little eccentric own good. s if challenge how weird can make these people , still have them breathe oxygen? vice-chancellor jonty (andy nyman) comes on more megalomaniac david brent, while womanising english lecturer matt beer (think it) , speccy maths star imogen moffat (joseph millson , lisa jackson) have big shoes fill if re campus s answer guy [secretan] , caroline [todd, characters green wing].

sam wollaston of guardian disliked campus, saying: ah, see, campus (channel 4) taking path: offensive one. there s nothing wrong that; offence can good, if done artfully. there s plenty of here – jonty s bigotry , english literature lecturer matt beer s (comedy name, beer mat, other way round!) sex pesting. there talk of rape pigs, , odd-shaped anal cavities lead odd-shaped stools. m not convinced being done artfully. seems more offence sake of offence. compare beautifully crafted filth of malcolm tucker in thick of it. if michelangelo of offence, rolf harris.

however, caitlin moran of times praised saying hoped full series made. wrote of pilot: although, green wing, campus works ensemble of freaks, perhaps intriguing mutant vice chancellor jonty de wolfe (andy nyman). initially, looks weakest character – small, bumptious david brent clone keeps attempting jamaican patois make point. end of show has turned more sinister version of shopkeeper in mr benn – wandering around library in floor-length taffeta ballgown, urging depressed students commit suicide and, on 1 occasion, disappearing in middle of monologue, if las vegas floor-show, leaving english lecturer matthew beer (joseph millson) holding madly clattering clockwork monkey, , jaw.

series 1

the first series had mixed reaction. tim dowling in guardian wrote that: central problem campus gossamer-thin thread tethered green wing plot has here snapped. surreal , unmoored. vice-chancellor jonty de wolfe (andy nyman) meant monstrously ambitious, s monstrous. s on place – shouting out window, jumping out of cupboards, putting on accents , indulging in freeform sexist and/or racist rants. character isn t identifiably pathetic, cynical, inadequate or insane; isn t character, really.

graeme thomson wrote arts desk that, campus tilled familiar ground diminishing returns , 0 warmth , while dan owen obsessed film wolfe that: s david brent meets charles manson. s shame performance 1 of many bonkers turns, because there s weirdness becomes suffocating.

there positive reviews of campus. rob clyne wrote sabotage times that: overall picture of campus isn t yet clear one. @ times feels little few sketches have been slung together, lot of jonty stuff comes out of nowhere. these small gripes – campus hugely original, may genre defining. s not s cup of tea, pure entertainment doesn t need fall under specific category.

louisa mellor den of geek attacked of complaints against show saying: complaint implausibility in comedy baffles me. no, wouldn t meet people these in real life. yes, unrealistic. talking sitcom aren t we? jonty, matt, lydia et al comic creations, little grains of truth worked misshaped pearls of comedy weirdness. might place on family tree of kids in hall, big train or (at hefty push) monty python, rather having descended more straightforward worlds of royle family or office.

on bbc radio 4 s comedy discussion show s funny? host rufus hound , guest dom joly both enjoyed show. joly described show as, 1 of funniest things ve seen in 3 or 4 years. made me laugh much, quickly.