Nightingales (1990– )
10/10
Surreal, flawlessly acted comedy
27 December 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Criminally under-rated sitcom from the early 90's that was - to my knowledge - broadcast once on Channel Four well out of prime-time, with no promotion whatsoever, then quietly forgotten.

And that is a great shame.

Word of mouth has turned this show into the stuff of legend, as can be seen by various posts on YouTube and the like, and it is well worthy of such high acclaim.

The setup is thus: three security guards working the night-shift in a city centre office block do all in their power to prevent themselves going utterly insane. And they are only partially successful; filling their time with inane and mind-boggling tasks and activities until the sun rises and they are free to go home to their equally mundane lives.

One of those shows that is difficult to relate, as it is potentially about nothing at all, this is surreal and off the wall, without ever falling into the trap of being 'wacky' (shudder).

There are moments of comic gold, as well as some genuine oddness - the episodes where the cast suddenly launch into Shakespearean style acting and speech, the one where it seems the office is drifting at sea - but never seems forced or contrived. The cast is first rate too and the acting excellent.

Overall, if you missed it, get hold of it by hook or by crook. It's well worth the effort.
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