State Satire

Almost all TV critics, when under whelmed by the first offering of a new series that has generated a certain amount of critical anticipation based on the pedigree of those involved, will tell us that they would prefer to restrain their full fury until after more episodes have aired.

‘Perhaps’, they opine with uncharacteristic charity, ‘the series needs to find its legs - let’s give it a chance’.

No doubt, on this overcast Monday morning they are writing just that on their porcelain white iMacs, after the first airing last night of The State of Us (Sunday 9:40 RTE1), the new RTE political satire written by Après Match impressionist Risteárd Cooper and Scrap Saturday satirical supremo Gerry Stembridge.

Thankfully, I’m not a TV critic so I don’t have to show the same level of restraint. On this Monday morning I’m reflecting on what appears to me to be a missed opportunity. I say this not because the show is bad - some of it’s quite good (thought whether its funny or not is another issue) - but because its just not good enough. Part of this problem comes with the scheduling and the legendary ambivalence that RTE have towards satire.

In an interview in Saturday’s Irish Times(in the fluffy Magazine part) with Shane Hegarty, Gerry and Risteárd tell us just how long ago the original idea came into being. Originally, it was supposed to be a reaction to the smoking ban and they planned to frame it around an average working day in the life of then Minister for Health Michael Martin. In the interview they say how long they had to wait before getting any response from RTE regarding the initial script - at one point Stembridge rang someone in RTE to find out if anyone had read it only to be told that someone would ring them back in a minute. Stembridge didn’t get the return call for six months.

The decision to put on the show now was obviously made so that we could have a little light relief to compliment RTEs (it imagines weighty) coverage of the upcoming Irish Election. It’s envisioned as an Après Match for the election, and because a certain amount of its satire is directed at the media, we are expected to enjoy it as the delectable cream between the sponge sandwiches of the political pundits on one side (providing the analysis vis-a-vis Dunphy and Gilesy) and the politicians playing the media game, much like the players on the field, on the other.

Those politically hungry elements of RTE’s audience is getting its cake and eating it.

The show, which is only 20 minutes long, is also shown late enough on Sunday evening, a little while before RTE’s flagship politics program Week in Politics - but not just before, so as not to make the juxtaposition patently obvious.
The writers have said that each episode focuses on one politician and last night we were treated to Michael McDowell as he made his way from his Georgian abode to RTE to attend an interview with Pat Kenny.

The opening shot show his house protected by three enthusiastic and almost officious Gardai who seem to be wearing uniforms either too big or too small for them. The camera climbs the steps to the front door only to be halted by the third Garda who turns to knock on the door. As she turns you can see the L-Plate on her back. Cue first laugh (thankfully there is no laughter track): these three are supposed to be Reserve Gardai. Later they show their dedication by running loyally behind McDowell’s car - like CIA security men protecting the Presidential cavalcade - and towards the end when McDowell sets them on Pat Kenny and the rest of the ‘left wing media cabal’ with the command ‘arrest them…’

Once the door is opened by McDowell’s Eastern European nanny, McDowell himself comes forward, addressing the camera in the usual mockumentary fashion. The second gag is McDowell’s less than open minded treatment of the nanny, who is being given her instructions. Here we see the autocratic McDowell, the patronizing and arrogant McDowell. Yes, it was all laid on a bit thick.

Much of political satire involves providing a caricature of a well known person in the broadest possible terms. It’s all about the exaggeration for comic effect of what are commonly known characteristics. Stembridge and Risteárd in their interview talked about the British impressionists Rory Bremner and McGowan from Dead Ringers and said that while they’re good impressionists they ultimately have nothing to say politically. The State of Us, the writers claimed, is determined to get the politics right.

But it’s impossible to get down to the politically nitty-gritty in a show that hangs so much on the recognizable accuracy of those you are trying to lampoon. Their way around it, in this episode at least, was to have McDowell read through his fan mail in the car enroute to RTE. This was mildly amusing, but would mean nothing if you weren’t aware of many of the things that McDowell has made much of in the last couple of years - for example, here he is fond of repeating the phrase ‘midnight deportations’ with a certain wistfulness.

Again in the interview Stembridge emphasized that this was as much a satire on the media as the politicians and indeed the focus on the media is the second half of an interlocking narrative motif (first we follow McDowell to RTE, then Pat on his way to work. In the final part they both meet). This is perhaps the weakest element of the whole affair - and the most desperately unfunny. For satire to work it has to have the cathartic value of allowing us to laugh at those in authority. No doubt, to judge by their salary levels, Pat Kenny, Marianne Finucane and the rest in RTE and elsewhere, are figures of some authority - but this just isn’t funny. R’s impression of Pat is fairly accurate but like the presenter is bland and unremarkable.

Stembridge said that Brass Eye was so good that it stopped him doing satire completely. Once he saw Chris Morris’ work he realised that its a young man’s game, requiring reserves of focused anger. The characteristic that is most associated with Brass Eye is its forensic attention to detail. It lampoons the media by making its fake shows almost exactly the same as the originals. It attacks the politicians by making the absurd claims about them almost beliveable. It shows that satire must be sharp, precise and show attention to detail if its going to cut to the bone.

The best political satire around at the moment is Armando Iannucci’s is The Thick of It.
This is a deadpan look at how politics works in the offices and corridors of Whitehall. There is a lot of work on character, on the nuance of the political situation. It’s not broad satire based on what is generally known about its politicians, saying all the things that have been said before. Its satire with close attention to detail. Its lean, young and angry in its way, where as The State of Us is flabby, middle aged and mildly rebuking.
But is the State of Us funny? On the first offering I didn’t think so. There are some good ideas in there, but maybe it just hasn’t found its legs yet. Let’s give it a chance. You never know, by the end of the series we might all be laughing to the ballot box.

In the meantime, go here, here and here for the good stuff.