The Horne Section TV Show (2022– ) User Reviews

super duper fun! perfect silly humour!

[hollllllly · 8/10 · 6 November 2022]

The taskmaster cinematic universe continues!!

This show is actually pretty fun! I had no idea what i was going into apart from it was about the band and was a comedy show and was pleasantly surprised !

It mainly is a show, about a show and Alex and his crew writing really random but hilarious music. Also, props to the band, they're really talented musicians and honestly they all play really hilarious characters!

The humour is quite niche, filled with purposefully cringy jokes and hilarious songs about peas and camels; Exactly what you'd expect from Alex Horne! I loved the random cameos too, Martin kemp was great and I loved Dr Ranj's segment about his car haha!

It's not everyone's kind of humour but if you enjoy Alex's segments on taskmaster then you'll love this! Awkward humour at its best!

Hard to describe

[RudiTheCat · 8/10 · 25 November 2022]

It has to be said: this is not a regular sitcom. Do not expect a regular sitcom. Just go in with an open mind and see what you find. It's a bit difficult to describe this, it's a sitcom with elements of reality (albeit exaggerated) and ties to a game show. The first episode mostly sets the scene but after that the whole thing takes off and becomes a somewhat surrealistic rollercoaster and I just can't take my eyes off it. Many funny little easter eggs to spot for the Taskmaster/Horne Section/Alex fan. Sometimes there's a music video that's not necessarily connected to the plot but that's just how it is!

This is all quirky and weird and I like it.

Fun and light-hearted

[azevedo-viviane · 8/10 · 26 November 2022]

I watched the show as someone that is a Taskmaster fan and quite familiar with Ale'x work, so I wasn't surprised that the concept and the style of the show would work for me but to be honest I was a bit worried that this would be a too niche show for those that don't follow Horne's work close enough to get all the easter eggs and inside jokes.

On a rewatch with a friend that was not familiar with the band I could see that yes if you are a fan you will enjoy it a lot more, but at the end of the series my friend was interested to know more about the band. She really enjoyed the songs and how light it was. And I agree, in a world that everything has to have a plot twist, a dense plot just for the sake of trying to be the center of attention on Twitter this show is a gem! It is fun for the sake of being fun.

My only problem with the show was that I wanted more from the band and I hope that if they get a second series they get more attention and please guys do the classics!

Tim Key and Greg were amazing on it, Desiree Burch was quite good too!

If you are a fan of Horne or the band you are in for a treat, if you are not you might be one of us by the end of the series.

It's just fun!

[hcoutts-98424 · 10/10 · 25 November 2022]

What I love about The Horne Section is that there are ordinary people out there who are not afraid to have silly fun with their friends and share that with us! I could not stop laughing! I wish, as adults, we were all this free to enjoy ourselves. Reviewers here are unhappy because they would like to see what they expect to see - a storyline that makes sense or goes somewhere or something - but all that stuff is beside the point. They're so innovative and joyousI They make me happy.

If you like Flight of the Concords or Shooting Stars, or Alex's 'banter' section at the beginning of Taskmaster, this is for you.

I hope in the second season we get more screen time with each of the band members and see more of their improvisation in the studio. I'm so glad musical comedy has been allowed back on the telly.

Delightful and packed with easter eggs

[lovisanaslund · 10/10 · 25 November 2022]

One of few sitcoms that's as good on second and third viewings, because there are so many jokes and references that you won't get them all on the first viewing. It's very Alex Horne, in the best possible way - clever, funny, silly, and quite insightful about power and what it does to people.

If you're familiar with Alex Horne's work, there are a lot of familiar faces and themes. The "Alex Horne" of the show is like a satire version of actual Alex Horne, and he sends himself up brilliantly. All in all, a sweet, delightful show that leaves you feeling happy and will brighten your day. Considering this is a first attempt at acting and scriptwriting, it is impressive. I hope we get more!

Meh

[clareyfairy-65422 · 5/10 · 17 November 2022]

When Jorge and Jesus, the horses from Lagos, saddle up and fly the world passes by.

Hey, Jorge?

Yes, Jesus?

Is this programme funny?

Unfortunately, Jesus, I would have to say... neigh.

• - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Honestly, I adore Alex and The Horne Section. The podcast is one of my all time favourites. But the sitcom is dull and repetitive. Very clunky and wooden. We watched it all on All4, really hoped to like it. The songs were good of course, but I already knew I liked them from the podcast.

And there was a huge Jorge and Jesus shaped hole in it. I love those silly horses, they definitely should've included some of those songs.

Won't be rewatching any of it. I don't expect a second series but will be avoiding it if they do.

Watch it again... it is great

[GemstoneLassakaSuze · 10/10 · 25 November 2022]

The long-awaited sitcom has arrived. It's part-Mockumentary, part scripted, part improvised and has musical interludes from Alex's band consisting of some of the UK's most in-demand musicians.

What happens when Alex Horne & his real-life band accidentally get a live sitcom? The answer is: comedy & chaos. Light-hearted entertainment, super songs & high-quality videos.

The band play exaggerated versions of themselves & their special guests are happy to send themselves up. Want to know Big Zuu's hobby? What terrifies Anneka Rice? What does Greg Davies want with the band? Which member of the band can unicycle? What is it about Trumpeter Joe Auckland (Madness/Noel Gallagher) that spooks everyone? Find out in this series.

The well-directed music videos of some of The Horne Section's best-known songs are worth watching. The musicians have never acted before & they do really well for a first attempt. A second series will allow them to boost their confidence even further as well as bringing more of their wonderfully witty and clever songs to a wider audience.

Such a muddle. Such a shame

[nowcorrectme · 1/10 · 10 November 2022]

Ultimately any comedy has to be judged on whether is raises a smile. This didn't. Not once. As an Alex Horne fan, very disappointed even a little embarrassed for him. The running in-joke quickly becomes tiresome. The band is clumsily shoehorned in with little regard for narrative or plot. It all seemed a bit amateurish and charmless. We really need a decent British comedy sitcom but most is dominated by gross out, cruel and spiteful characters supposedly to shock with lowest common denominator humour and soon gets boring. The best comedy is written by writers who are not comedians not, it seems, very often, by comedians who are writers.

Quirky, but good fun...

[flags_fiend · 9/10 · 25 November 2022]

It is a bit odd, but I really enjoyed watching it. In some ways it reminds me of the radio 4 comedies I've always loved - quirky, wordplay with double entendre and meaning, sometimes a bit awkward. It's like comfort food or spending time with a good friend - easy to watch, friendly, enjoyable.

Some of the plot is perhaps a little rough around the edges, but that is more than compensated for by the fun music videos of Horne Section songs and interactions between the characters. I love that it is set in the taskmaster universe, definitely helps set the scene. It's also fun to try and spot Easter eggs that link to taskmaster and other things Alex had done (such as no more jockeys).

I enjoyed it so much that I'm on my second watch through, still trying to find those ducks that Alex hinted were hidden in every episode!

Smart, snappy, easter-egg filled fun

[JanetMWeiss · 10/10 · 26 November 2022]

I have to admit, I was a bit nervous about what this show would be like but I was so incredibly pleasantly surprised. Alex Horne's character (or "character") is funny, relatable and immensely likeable (even at his most infuriating); the guest stars like Greg Davies, Desiree Burch and Tim Key feel like gifts to Taskmaster fans worldwide; and I was delighted by all the little references and surreal moments (Biff Chippington in the credits of the show within the show spun off from the other show?? Amazing).

Every Taskmaster fan absolutely owes it to themselves to learn more about the genius that is Alex Horne by giving this show a watch. And people who've never watched Taskmaster absolutely owe it to themselves to watch both!!

Oh Alex why did you do this?

[chris_rowe-881-168820 · 1/10 · 15 November 2022]

It's a strange one, I really like taskmaster Alex but literally everything else I've seen him on I've not ever found him remotely funny. His humour is very one tone and doesn't often do anything different. They've tried to put it in a fresh concept idea but it really doesn't work, it just feels a mess.

The last thing he went solo on was that awful football show, the band thing is a very niche thing and the people he has and how it works is just not very good. None of the band are likeable or memorable and the music although decent enough just begins to grate, the cameos and famous people are fine but comparing this to what Chris Ramsay and his wife did then this just isn't in the same league.

It's nuts that people probably want him to do well but this show is going to flop, I've watched all 6 and it's poor, I spent the whole first episode waiting for it to start! There's an embarrassing irony in his trying to break away from taskmaster but that will be his only success. He's a sidekick at best.

Wonderful all-round entertainment!

[BethanyLL · 10/10 · 25 November 2022]

The Horne Section TV Show is the perfect sitcom! - hilarious, uplifting, aesthetic, poignant, involving, and multi-layered. The central character of Alex gets the audience on side straightaway with visual jokes and the predicament of being passed over in his successful show Taskmaster. The band are likeable clowns and also brilliant musicians whose virtuosity is a privilege to get to see up close.

Immediately gripping with its premise about somebody with an ambition to fulfil, its catchy songs and its bright colours, the show reveals even more aspects on a rewatch, with its satisfying callbacks and subtle plot points. (I'm currently watching yet again to learn more about the music, and I haven't even spotted the hidden ducks!) But there is also peril and pathos as the story unfolds, both believable family drama and surreal slapstick comedy. Several of the songs are exquisitely beautiful (eg the solos by Ed Sheldrake and Mark Brown) with artful music set to unique lyrics. Overall the happy vibe also keeps it lodged in the heart of the viewer - the feeling of a gang of kids having fun in the garden and everything turning out alright in the end, but honed to a snappy script and some very entertaining twists. I laughed myself helpless about the gloves and the pianist's hurry to get on stage! Only one criticism, the series was so short! Please can there be a second series with lots more of their great songs, lovely and varied background music, chance for more of their character development and the next part of the story? Absolutely loved it!

Huge disappointment

[leovincent-12940 · 1/10 · 8 November 2022]

I expected to like this. I really wanted to like this. Unfortunately, it was a huge disappointment.

I love taskmaster. I love the Horne Section podcast. I love their TV special from 2018. I was really surprised at how much that I disliked this series. I struggled to get through all the episodes.

The sitcom element is just horrible. The series is basically just a bad sitcom. They should have stuck to some kind of variety show with interviews, games, and songs like their podcast (and their 2018 TV special).

I really hate to say it but I didn't find this series entertaining, interesting or funny.

SO G*D D**N FUNNY

[lilcgjazz · 10/10 · 25 November 2022]

Where do I start?

Alright, first thing to know is this is an all-round entertaining, hilarious show. If you are looking for something to relax to, that will make you laugh and put you in a good mood, this is it, look no further.

The Horne section has had me in stitches with everything they have done so far and this new venture of theirs does not disappoint. The cast around them is delightful as well, I have enjoyed their characters' arc and wish for more to see how it will all pan out in future.

No denying this is an alien / OVNI / UFO as far as sitcoms go but, and this will come as no surprise to Horne Section / Alex Horne fans all over, this odd ball brings it in a spectacular way. I mean, this is the brainchild of a six headed COMEDY JAZZ ENSEMBLE, it's in the job title. Five brilliant musicians whose whole skeletons are made of funny bones and Alex Horne, comedian, author, mastermind behind Taskmaster, co-founding father of No More Jockeys, builder of insane contraptions, great dancer (surely), magician (why not), voice of an angel (maybe not), etc. They give us a premise that is just delicious in its simplicity: a sitcom about the Horne Section getting, by accident, and making their own TV show. And cue silliness.

There is a whole aura of awkwardness in the show that can take by surprise, but with such a premise you can't expect anything else. I found the first couple of shows to be a bit slow paced but that is because everyone is in shock, 'this is actually happening, the Horne Section TV show, our own TV show!' And then the episodes gain momentum, 'yes, it is happening, let's all have fun!'

I can't remember who said that people now a days don't know how to embrace awkwardness anymore. Well, here it is, let's revel in its comedic power. To make sure we are comfortable though the show has a real warmth to it, makes you want to get cozy and have a good time laughing with your mates / family. As with their podcast, you can see and feel the Horne Section's enjoyment whilst making the show. The twinkling eyes and quick looks at each other, the not quite so repressed smiles of amusement, it is all there, they want us to come and join them, share the jokes with them.

"We made ourselves laugh and that's half the battle, isn't it?" - Craig Fergusson. I must agree and in this case the Horne Section won the war.

Warm, delightful, weird. Destined to be a cult fave.

[Kay050687 · 9/10 · 11 December 2022]

This is fun, immersive, slightly surreal, absolutely delightful. Low-stakes comedy punctuated by effortlessly superlative musicianship. It feels like a modern take on a1960s-1970s variety show somehow. (Like if they were to suddenly start fruging, or turn into muppets, I wouldn't be surprised.)

And it's PLAYFUL, and smart, and silly, and also not-smart. I mean, just everything you need to let your brain go on a little adventure in an (exquisitely enviable) amazing house for a bit.

The show centers around Alex Horne's attempt to create his own show with his band. He does play Little Alex Horne on Taskmaster, but he is very much second fiddle to Greg Davies off-camera, so he's looking for his big chance for his spotlight. It's "his" big chance, but really, it's the band and Desiree Burch doing heavy lifting.

Things it could do better: I wanted more Desiree Burch (in fact, all of the women), and more of the band. The band is unexpectedly funny (who would've thought!). My genuine laugh aloud moments were all from the band members!

Avoid this if you do not like light humor, short musical interludes, or if poop-type jokes aren't your thing.

Seek this out if you enjoy Taskmaster, Tim Key things, Alex Horne things, if you're a comedy nerd I guess, if you like light-hearted, fun, musical stuff, and are okay with having the NATO alphabet in your head for days on end.

If this doesn't get a second series (which. It. Should.), it should get some specials: a summer special, a holiday special, a new years special, etc. If it doesn't get specials (which. It. Should.), it'll rapidly turn into one of those short-run cult faves.

Loved this weird little escapist romp

[B-o-RMA · 10/10 · 11 December 2022]

Wow, did I ever enjoy this! Laughed, smiled, and tapped my toes through every episode.

I've been waiting to get out of the grimdark era of TV-- crossing my fingers we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I suppose it's not a surprise that a show that's some kind of whimsical-comedy-bordering-magical-realism comes from Alex Horne. If Taskmaster is any indication, he knows what he's doing, and he should get some creative latitude.

I've seen this billed as a "sitcom" and, while I don't know the exact definitions, I'm not sure "sitcom" really fits the bill. I guess there are situations, and comedy, but I don't know what I'd call it. Not variety. Not sit down. Anti-toxic. Escapist. Generative musical comedy?

The first 10-15 mins gives you a good idea of the 'feel' of the show-- whimsical, funny, light, quirky. If that rubs you the wrong way, or if you aren't in the mood for that kind of thing, maybe come back to it later. There are dips with some 'guests', but the band shines, and the regulars and Alex carry it through.

(Cards on the table - I'm young genx, round about the band's age, a musician, though nowhere near the band's league, and I enjoy light absurd humor. Maybe this is just hits the right niche for me?)

6 eps was too few, it absolutely flew by. Really, really hoping to see more on screen from The Horne Section!

Feel good fun

[hirwin-24949 · 10/10 · 8 December 2022]

I loved the premise for this show, that Alex wants to break away from being the downtrodden Taskmaster assistant and getting a TV show with his band. I think the dynamic between the band members is great and I especially enjoyed the scenes where they were rehearsing and just being themselves. The songs are silly and fun and there are lots of nods to Taskmaster throughout (I'm not sure I've found them all yet!).

There are plenty of storylines which lend themselves easily to a second series: the Tim Key character and his sneaky actions for example. Given that none of the band are actors I wasn't sure what to expect but I've already watched all the episodes twice so far to catch things I missed first time.

Best sit com this year

[mmmcccbbb · 10/10 · 7 February 2023]

A weird and wonderful silly romp through the story of alex trying to make a chat show in his house for some reason. I loved it. Great musical set pieces and sparkling dialogue mark this out as different from anything else at the moment it owes more to Vic and bob, and Harry hill than the current crop of predictable story led sitcoms. This is funny for the sake of being funny, no need for a series wide story arc-thanks channel 4 for proving it's ok to make something original! The band are not trained actors but it doesn't t matter, their obvious camaraderie shines through, while an excellent supporting cast means it really fizzes along.. can't wait for a series 2!