REVIEW: Hapless, Series 1 Episode Five 'Feathers And Foreskins'

 REVIEW: Hapless, Series 1 Episode Five 'Feathers And Foreskins'

If there is one thing that many comedies have in common, it's that they thrive in exaggeration. Whether it be an everyday occurrence or a special occasion, comedies thrive on being able to exaggerate the situations which occur in their shows.

This episode of Hapless is a prime example of that. Paul (Tim Downie) is approached by his friend Simon (Josh Howie), who is seeking help in finding somebody who can circumcise his sister Amanda's (Katie Alexander-Thom) baby. This, apparently, is a Jewish tradition akin to the Christian baptism, and the first person Paul finds offering these services is his dentist Bernie (Dana Haqjoo). The rather odd nature of a dentist offering this kind of profession on the side creates some great humour, as dentists are so synonymous with teeth that they seem the last person you would expect to deal with such a sensitive part of the body.

Bernie reveals that his clients pay in donations, and this leads to a brilliant scene where Paul and Simon try to negotiate the lowest price they can for the deed to be done. This is something that feels so wrong to watch, and yet, unlike Family Guy, it still manages to refrain from feeling mean-spirited. It's edgy, but without becoming vulgar.

Perhaps one of the most entertaining sequences in the episode is when Paul confronts MP Mike Geddis (Ajay Chhabra) about misleading labels on supermarket products. Paul's examples include a jar of peanut butter that claims to be 'life-changing' despite it leaving no effect on Paul's life, and cat food that's 'deliciously delicious', a double phrasing which has no accurate literal meaning. It's such a witty observation, and something which you notice on many a grocery product. These grand claims happen so often that they have become almost predictable right now.

Ajay Chhabra, of course, was one of the most beloved guest stars from the 2002 Basil Brush sitcom The Basil Brush Show, and I recognised him immediately as the cafe owner Anil from the legendary CBBC Show in question. It's so great to see this actor I used to watch as a kid in a new sitcom series; he really doesn't seem to have changed a bit.

It's fair to say that this show has a decent mixture of colourful characters, and this episode is no exception. One such character we meet here is a kid (Gabby Caplan), who scams people by claiming she's raising funds for a dead animal. This is probably one of my favourite running gags from this series so far, as the kid's claims get more crafty as the narrative goes on. First it's a sick dog, then it's a poorly horse. It makes you wonder just where that young girl would go next. She's clearly not short of confidence.

The YouTuber Leigh (Annabel Baldwin) is another of these larger than life people who inhabit Hapless's world. This YouTuber is laughably dim, blurting out phrases such as 'Sometimes I say climate change is bad, other times I say climate change is brilliant' that feel so true to how many YouTubers appear to state things without really knowing what they are trying to say. This is one of those characters that you can instantly recognise in modern society, as they are all around us on the World Wide Web.

Overall, 'Feathers and Foreskins' is another fun addition to Hapless's first series. The episode demonstrates a great sense of humour, with an electric mix of characters and an edgy irreverential style that manages to stray away from appearing too mean-spirited. Hapless is a show that knows when to laugh, and features a brilliant cast who manage to truly bring its exaggerated scenarios to life.

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What are your thoughts on Hapless's fifth episode? Let me know in the comments.