As someone always on the cutting edge of popular culture I was rather shocked to be a whole season late to Miranda. It sort of did that slow creep thing that the BBC seems to do so effortlessly; I didn’t hear about it once during the first season and then suddenly it was everywhere when the second season premiered and I was instantly hooked.
Miranda is a sitcom for the new millennium without relying on the faux-reality style of which I am usually so fond but has gotten a little out of hand of late. The titular Miranda speaks directly to the camera – as you will see in the attached clip below – but does away with any need for context, simply conversing directly with the audience. Amazing. And just post modern enough to make you feel clever while watching a show that is largely about a woman falling over. Brilliant.
While Miranda herself is obviously fantastic the rest of the cast are also genius, particularly Miranda’s over-bearing mother Penny and best friend Stevie; the former being Miranda’s chief source of frustration and the latter being her main source of #TRUTH. There’s also Miranda’s on-again off-again love interest Gary who is – somewhat obviously given his name – gorgeous and a further assortment of merrymakers including posho Tilly and waiter Clive. Stories focus on Miranda’s life including her joke shop, dating life, and dealings with her upwardly mobile former classmates who continue to call her Queen Kong, a relic of her middle class school days.
I would say the show generally big ups the ladies and gays what with it’s focus on women and how flat out camp it is, including Stevie’s numerous references to Heather Small (see below), but that dudes can appreciate it too because it’s just so good. I do, however, say that with some restraint as I am of the opinion that intelligent straight men should at least be able to appreciate why Sex and the City is a good show even if it’s not their cup of tea. (And even further on the same tangent how I would say that if someone’s only opinion on the Spice Girls ourvre is “pop crap” then I have no interest in their musical opinion, but perhaps that is a discussion for another day.)
Conclusion: Miranda is amazing.
