I'm Alan Partridge (TV Series) A Room with an Alan (1997) User Reviews

Back where He belongs

[ygwerin1 · 8/10 · 23 January 2021]

Alan Partridge has definitely seen better days, though to be fair not that many of those.

After the ignominious exit from his TV career is life in terminal free fall, or can he possibly make a comeback?

Alan books in to the Linton Travel Tavern, and returned to his roots as a DJ on local Radio Norwich.

As always he is ably assisted by his ever loyal assistant Lynn Benfield, who managed against all the odds to get him a meeting with one Tony Hayers.

Who is non other than the, Chief Commissioning Editor of the BBC. That Alan Partridge has to impress with his brilliant new concepts, in television light entertainment programming.

This stellar episode introduces us to Alan Partridge at his most desperate, in his endeavours to ingraciate himself back onto the box.

We are reminded of just how much of a Saint Lynn Benfield undoubtedly is, to be able to stomach this insufferable pillock.

We are introduced to Michael the Linton's invaluable general factotum, who has to contend with Alan Partridge in addition to his regular chores.

The receptionists Susan and Sophie while feeling sorry for Lynn, have to try and manage to, grin and bare Alan's pathetic attempts at badinage.

"Smell my cheese!"

[ShadeGrenade · 10/10 · 10 August 2010]

Top-drawer B.B.C. comedy from the '90's.

Alan Partridge ( Steve Coogan ), disc jockey for 'Radio Norwich', is due to meet Tony Hayers ( David Schneider ), the new Controller of Programmes, to discuss his future. Hayers is reputed to favour a 'new broom' approach. Over lunch, he tells Partridge he will not get a second season of his chat show as he has a track record for making mostly bad programmes ( that's never stopped anyone before! ) and with small ratings to boot. Alan goes into shock. He had earlier that day bought a house. Unable to handle the news, he runs out of the restaurant, a smelly cheese on his fork...

This was the third series to feature the big-headed 'Partridge', the first two being 'The Day Today' and 'Knowing Me Knowing You With Alan Partridge'. The first was a spoof news show, the second a spoof chat show, here a more down-to-earth sitcom format was used. It works well because a) the scripts by Peter Baynham, Coogan and Armando Ianucci are first-rate and b) the supporting cast are too, particularly Felicity Montagu as 'Lynn', Alan's frumpy P.A., and Sally Phillips as the giggling receptionist 'Sophie' ( the Linton Travel Tavern was the setting for most of Season 1 ). Alan is prone to 'Billy Liar' style fantasies in which he, clad in leather under pants, dances on stage, sometimes with Hayers in the audience.

There was one bad note of continuity; at the end of 'Knowing Me Knowing Yule With Alan Partidge', Hayers sacked Alan live on air, but here it has not happened.

Funniest moment - Alan's daft ideas for programmes. "Arm Wrestling With Chas & Dave? Inner City Sumo?" ( is Alan currently working at Channel 4? )

Second funniest moment - Alan driving a car covered in the following graffiti - 'C**k, P**s, Partridge'.