The End of a Controversial Sitcom
Yesterday, TV fans around the UK celebrated the end of what many considered to be one of the worst sitcoms ever. The show in question was Piglets, an ITV series that followed a group of police recruits. While the show may have had its supporters, it was widely panned by critics and audiences alike.
ITV confirmed the news in a statement, which said: “We would like to thank all the cast and crew for their hard work in bringing these unforgettable characters and stories alive on screen. Viewers can watch the adventures from series one and two by streaming all episodes on ITVX.”
Despite this, it seems unlikely that many will take up the offer. The first series only managed a 42% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with The Telegraph calling it “lacklustre” and The Independent describing the comedy as “puerile and intermittent.” Audience reviews weren’t much better either.
One viewer, Daniel P, wrote a review stating that Piglets was “quite possibly the most unfunny show I’ve ever seen.” Another, Pete H, went even further, suggesting that the person who commissioned the show should resign for “wasting money.” On social media, someone even claimed it was “the worst sitcom to ever appear on British TV screens.”
A Title That Caused Outrage
Before the show had even been broadcast, the Police Federation expressed concerns about the title, calling it “disgusting.” The word “pig” is a derogatory term for police officers, and this led to significant backlash.
But despite the controversy, is Piglets really the worst sitcom the UK has ever made? After all, the country has produced some truly terrible shows, such as On the Buses and, perhaps more notoriously, Heil Honey I’m Home! With that in mind, many would argue that while Piglets may not be funny, it’s far from the worst sitcom ever created.
The Real Culprit: Mrs Brown’s Boys
In my opinion, the true title of the worst sitcom belongs to another show that no one asks for but the BBC keeps making: Mrs Brown’s Boys. To say I loathe this show is an understatement—I despise it. I’d rather pour paint into my eyes than watch a single second of it.
What makes me so angry? The obvious answer is that it’s one of the laziest and least funny things I’ve ever seen on television. Call me a joyless husk if you want, but watching a man in a dress shout and gurn for 25 minutes just isn’t my idea of a good time.
Still, I could probably forgive this terrible Mrs. Doubtfire tribute act if the other jokes were funny—but they’re not. The writing is predictable, lowbrow, and repetitive. It feels like a fake show you’d see in a better TV series about bad sitcoms.
A Slog to Watch
All of this makes Mrs Brown’s Boys a slog to watch, honestly. I should know because every Christmas I’m forced to endure another episode where Mammy and her mates shout double entendres at each other.
To make matters worse, creator and star Brendan O’Carroll once infamously made a “clumsy” joke involving a racial term during a script read-through. While he apologised, this prompted a formal complaint to the BBC and the resignation of a Black crew member.
And that’s what I hate most about Mrs Brown’s Boys—despite how terrible the series is and the bad behaviour of its creator, the BBC keeps making more of it.
Why Is This Still Being Made?
This really annoys me because I genuinely believe it undermines the BBC, which, for all its faults, remains one of the greatest British institutions. Whenever I get on my soapbox about how the Beeb remains a bastion of good journalism and quality television, some clever clogs always says the same thing: “If the BBC is so good, how do you explain Mrs Brown’s Boys?”
And you know what? I can never answer that question because they’ve got a point.
To make matters worse, we know that we’re getting at least one more Christmas special this year. But after that, please BBC, I’m begging you. Stop making this tripe for your own good… and for the sake of my blood pressure.
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