Since shooting a guest on his “Knowing me, knowing you” chat show, Alan Partridge’s career went into freefall. He was not granted a second series and was in fact sacked from the BBC. To make matters worse his wife left him for a fitness instructor and he’s homeless, having to live in a travel tavern in Linton (which is equidistance between London and Norwich). He managed to get a job as a (very) early morning DJ on local Radio Norwich and used his Z-list celebrity status for guest appearance, commercials, speeches etc but his career won’t be back on track until his chat show is back on the BBC

“I’m Alan Partridge” follows Alan and his loyal underpaid PA Lynn (she’s a good worker but there’s no affection) is his attempt to get back on the BBC and to get the elusive second series.

Episode 1 – A room with Alan

Alan’s life is improving. He’s got over his wife throwing in him out and he’s got a dinner meeting with Tony Hayers the chief commissioning editor at the BBC. This is his big chance to impress and to get the second series that he craves so much. He’s so confident then he goes house hunting and settles for a five bedroom house with a “Buck Rogers” toilet and an extending table. The house is value at £325,000 but Alan is delighted when his first bid of £324,000 is accepted.
The dinner meeting doesn’t go to plan as he’s told to look for a future away from the BBC and there won’t be a second series. Even ideas about new programs like “youth hostleing with Chris Eubank”, “monkey tennis” and “arm wrestling with Chas and Dave” fall on deaf ears. The meeting finishes with Alan forcing a large block of smelly cheese into Tony’s face and shouting “smell me cheese you mother”. No second series, no new house so it’s back to the travel tavern and relax by jumping on the bed to “Jet” by Wings.

Episode 2 – Alan Attraction.

It’s Valetines day and Alan has got some factory damaged chocolate oranges for all the women in his life under 50. Since there is no second series Alan has to either shut down his Peartree Productions Company and sack all the staff or worse still he has to downgrade his beloved Rover to a Metro. Alan’s loyalty to Rover is greater then his loyalty to his staff so that have to go. The only employee that he doesn’t sack straight away is the receptionist, Jill because they like each other “sex-wise”. They spend Valentines day together and visit a cracking Owl Sanctuary. After seeing the owls he invites her back to an all you can buffet back at the travel tavern where his has a scam going on with a big plate! They take there chocolate mousse deserts up to his room why Jill smothers hers on Alan. This “demented” behavior means then Jill has to go.

Episode 3 – Watership Alan.

Alan has applied to present a promotional video for a boating company. It between him and Cliff Thorburn as to who gets the job with Alan finally winning. “Kiss my Face!”
The video doesn’t quite to plan though. Local farmers who Alan has been upsetting on his radio shows are intent on having their say. The video shot has to be called off when the farmers drop a dead cow on Alan from a bridge giving Cliff Thorburn his chance.

Episode 4 – Basic Alan.

Linton travel tavern is being refurbished which means that Alan is the only guest and he’s very bored. He ends up taking a stroll along the motorway to the petrol station whilst singing “Goldfinger”. When he gets back to the travel tavern the staff and Lynn are making fun of him. Alan doesn’t take this kindly and almost sacks Lynn. He then shows that he has got a sense of humor by dressing as a zombie to scare the staff. The zombie costumes certainly aren’t showing that you would see in “Dawn of the dead”. He used a shower curtain for a cape, tungsten tipped screws for claws, a kettle flex for a tail and biscuits stuck to his face to represent flakey skin. The shows end with Alan and Michael stealing a traffic cones and getting stopped by the police.

Episode 5 – To Kill A Mocking Alan.

Linton Travel tavern is hosting “an afternoon with Alan Partridge”. Before the show Alan meets Ged, his self confessed number one fan. Two TV executives are coming from Ireland to watch the show so this is a big change to get back on the telly if he makes a good impression. The TV executives try to leave early but Alan stops then to discuss his ideas at his house but obviously he hasn’t got a house. Ged comes to the rescue and is introduced as Alan’s driver and house guest. Once they get to Geds house there’s only 1 chair and 1 coffee mug!! Worse still is that Alan finds the spare bedroom to be a shrine dedicate to him. Ged also shows him full size tattoo of Alan’s face on his chest which took 8hours to complete!

Episode 6 – Towering Alan.

Alan is at a new low and started to hate the general public. He then gets a phone call to say that Tony Hayers had fallen off his roof and died. The new heads of the BBC, Chris Feather is an old friend of Alan so he sees this as a perfect time to try and get a second series. Chris agrees and offers Alan a 5 year contract worth £250,000 a year, “Jurassic Park!”. Chris then dies whilst signing the contract but Alan ever the opportunist completed the signature of his behalf and raises a toast “to the future”. A second series in the bag so it’s time to leave the travel tavern. He has a party in his room to say thanks and goodbye to the staff. As usual this doesn’t go well and the staff end up telling Alan exactly what they think of him.

Alan Partridge is Steve Coogan greatest creation and this is my favorite comedy of the last 10 years. Coogan is faultless throughout and the characters of Lynn and Micheal (the “handyman” of the travel tavern) and also superbly acted.

Most of the memorable scenes are those between Alan and Lynn or Alan an Micheal. Scenes such as discussing of transsexuals and the creation of the “ladyboy” chaser (lager, baileys and gin& tonic), the talk about Michael’s army days and Alan’s fascination with killing, Alan talking over Lynn when she is discussing the Metro and Alan “popping out” of his tight shorts whilst next to Lynn on the bed.

Another excellent scene that figures throughout the series is Alan’s lap dancing. He has a dream that is would have to lap dance for Tony Hayers to get a second series. We see Alan in various multicolored jumpersand vulcanized rubber pants “do you want me to lap dance for you, I want a second series”

The scripts are superb and some of Alan’s phrases will have you laughing every time you hear them. I still find them funny 8 years after first hearing them.

Extras on the DVD include 2 sets of commentary. The first is the writer’s commentary by Coogan, Peter Baynham and Armando Iannuci. The second commentary is by Alan and Lynn. Other extras are hilarious outtakes, an improvised deleted scene and cast biographys.

I would recommend this DVD to anybody. If you are already an Alan Partridge fan then you will enjoy this for the extras alone. If you haven’t seen Alan Partridge then I strongly suggest that you give this DVD a go. Other Alan Partridge DVDs are “Knowing Me, Knowing You” (his talk show) and “I’m Alan Partridge – Series 2" but I think I’m Alan Partridge series 1 is the best. It’s instantly funny and it is something you can and will watch over and over again. You’ll probably even end up with Alan phrases entering your every day vocabulary.