REVIEW: Clarkson's Farm, Series 1 Episode Seven 'Fluffing'

 REVIEW: Clarkson's Farm, Series 1 Episode Seven 'Fluffing'

'Successes and blunders' would probably be the best phrase for Clarkson's Farm, if you were to refer to the show by any subtitle. Jeremy Clarkson's farming project has seen many high points and also many low points, something which has made the series highly enjoyable. It's a show that both makes you laugh and highlights the difficulties of farming, something which you never really tend to think about whenever you buy fruit or veg, or dairy products from the supermarket.

One of the things Clarkson has set out to produce with his farm is bottled water. This is something that seemed as though it had been dropped for a significant amount of time, but Jeremy Clarkson returns to it here, and reveals that he has set up a shipping container as the water filtration base. This scene is absolutely hilarious, as Clarkson points out how ludicrously hot it is inside this container. It's mad to think it was nearly reaching fifty degrees for them, as it must have been totally unbearable. They'd have needed some of that water themselves after that.

The funniest part is yet to come however. It feels bad to say, given that Clarkson was probably in a certain amount of pain after the stinging, but it's just too comical to watch this outspoken television presenter be stung by a bee in the arse. It has to be one of the single most memorable scenes in any documentary, and Clarkson takes the peeve out of it a little himself, as he narrates the crew's reluctance to rub the ointment on the area where he was strung. Understandable reluctance, because that would have been very awkward for whoever would do it, to say the least. 

Clarkson is quickly cheered up by seeing the excellent job his girlfriend Lisa has done with the farm shop. It genuinely looks amazing with how she has managed to stock it up with so much produce, even if some of it's not locally sourced as it is supposed to be. The names for some of Jeremy Clarkson's home-produced products such as 'bee juice' for honey and 'This Smells Like My Bollocks' for scented candles genuinely made me laugh. I think they have to be among the best names you could label any product, especially during a pandemic when customers need something to place a smile on their faces.

Clarkson's delight at seeing the newly stocked shop soon drops, as he's taken by Cheerful Charlie to deal with paperwork regarding the activities on his farm over the past year. Paperwork being that one universal thing nobody enjoys doing, as it often tends to be dull and time-consuming. It's always good fun when these shows place Jeremy Clarkson in a situation where he can't just bulldoze through the task at hand. It's not natural for the petrolhead used to being in the fast lane, so it's essentially his version of hell. It makes for a great source of comedy, as we see Clarkson get fed up at having to endure something he clearly has little patience for.

Another person thrown straight out of his comfort zone is Kaleb, who is tasked by Clarkson to travel to London in order to sell some of the farm's produce to various restaurants. This is without a doubt the highlight of the episode, as Kaleb gets constantly frustrated at parking charges and having to navigate the streets of the capital, and goes through this journey that clearly terrifies him only to find that he makes absolutely nothing from his trip. It's an ingenious move to take the country boy scared of venturing outside of his home and place him in the big city, especially as earlier in the series we're told how he was scared to get off the bus during a school trip to London when he was a child. These scenes will be among the ones that Clarkson's Farm's series will be mostly remembered for.

Even acknowledging Kaleb's lack of travel experience, I was still shocked to discover however that he had no idea what the Shard is. It's one of London's most iconic landmarks, and yet he seemingly has never heard of it in his life. I did find myself rooting for him as he found himself having to face his fear of heights, as he progressed inside London's tallest building and took the lift to the top. I could imagine this proving quite the inspirational moment to others who are not a fan of heights, as I imagine it must have been hard for him, and so it's amazing that he managed to make it up to the restaurant. 

Overall, 'Fluffing' is perhaps Clarkson's Farm's best episode yet. It features the show's greatest moment as Kaleb nervously navigates the streets of London, as well as some genuinely hilarious product names for the farm shop, from the mind of Clarkson himself. Watching two people fill in paperwork has also never been more entertaining to watch, especially as it seems like it must have been torture for our lead presenter. Something tells me Kaleb and Jeremy Clarkson will be swapping duties come next time round, because Clarkson would certainly be more at home driving around London...

What are your thoughts on the seventh episode of Clarkson's Farm? Let me know in the comments.