I can't see anything funny in the referendum.
In the run-up to the indyref, there were several comedy shows about the vote and everything was fair game. It was a great way to let off steam about the huge event coming towards us but now, in the doldrums of what Bremner calls 'Dependence Day', there isn't much to laugh about.
The Rory Review was supposed to be a satirical look back at 2014 in Scotland, not simply focusing on the referendum - it's surely too soon to be poking fun at it - though it paid little attention to anything else.
Bremner started off by chattering about the Commonwealth Games and even scooted around on the ice with Rhona Martin, but then he plunged straight into the indyref.
The programme would have been better billed as a satirical look at the referendum, as that's indeed what is was, with some mild sport tacked on, but maybe the BBC were reluctant to offer a famous No voter's look at the referendum, so they softened it by throwing a bit of curling and Ryder Cup into the mix. They also permitted a gentle little dig at themselves, with Rory saying the Yes campaign looked to Wings Over Scotland whilst the No campaign had the BBC.
Despite the light-hearted sporty elements, this was Rory the No voter assessing the referendum on behalf of the BBC. If that combination disgruntles any Yes voters, they can be comforted by the fact that Bremner gives most of the show over to other people.
Despite being a Yes voter, I'd have been happy with an unbroken hour of Rory onstage: just him and a microphone, cracking jokes and doing impressions. Whether you agree with his politics or not, he's a brilliantly funny man. But he wouldn't stay onstage. He was constantly bounding off elsewhere, to interview boxers, comedians, politicians, the residents of Castlemilk and some UKIP nutters.
He didn't suit being a roving reporter. He apologised and looked uncomfortable in some discussions, especially the ones on the pavement in Castlemilk, and when interviewing David Coburn he allowed him to say impossibly stupid things like the government won't allow us to eat chips or have sex. The MEP wouldn't have got away with that under Paxman's stare. Rory just grimaced and frowned, using his expressive face for the wrong purpose.
Get him back onstage!
He also kept slipping into comedy in his interviews, which was fine when he was on a park bench chatting to Des Clarke, but not when he was questioning Nicola Sturgeon. She doesn't seem like a type to enjoy 'banter', especially not when being asked whether she uses 'Barnett Formula' on her hair.
Get him back onstage!
And when Bremner was sitting with fellow comedians to dissect the referendum, they came up with the best gags. Andy Zaltzman stole the show in saying the elderly had swung the referendum result. Just imagine, he said, a bad frost and we could've had independence! Rory sat at the head of the table like a teacher, whilst the class chattered and let sparks fly.
Get him back onstage!
In the short segments when he was finally alone onstage the show was excellent. It's easy to forget what a brilliant impressionist he is as he's constantly dabbling these days in all types of media work, spreading himself rather thin. When he was alone under a spotlight he was great, but this was just a fragment of the show. The rest was disjointed, jumbled and fidgety. He'd be in Castlemilk then on an ice rink. He'd be interviewing Nicola Sturgeon then be on The London Eye.
Rory, just stand still for two minutes! Preferably onstage with a microphone.
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