Staged (Season 3)

Available on BritBox and BBC iPlayer

The first and second series of Simon Evans’ Staged were one of the rare joys of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the sitcom expertly skewering the absurdity of living conditions that were best known then as ‘the new normal’. It did so primarily through its use of video-conferencing technology, a universal bugbear which has since become ubiquitous but was, in the shitshow that was 2020, a daunting and, more relatably, infuriating new frontier for many.

Televisual darlings Michael Sheen and David Tennant encapsulated this madness perfectly, while also showcasing their affable bromance to the world. With some truly excellent celebrity cameos to boot, Staged was an original, if admittedly unspectacular, slice of twee fun to be had during the bleakest of times.

It’s therefore mostly odd to see it get a third series when normal societal order has (mostly) been resumed. Despite Sheen and Tennant’s best efforts, they fail to justify Evans’ decision to bring back a show that was so distinctly of its time, with its excessively meta approach failing to resonate. Even as its regains some steam in its admittedly entertaining final two episodes, this iteration of Staged feels like a prime example of having too much of a good thing.