#it's never wrong to take a moment to appreciate john finnemore

[very-grownup]

Sometimes you need to do the funny accent, not the accurate accent

Relistening to the first series of Cabin Pressure and British sitcoms have so little time to find their footing. Finnemore doesn't hit quite the right balance in the sharpness and conflict and character dynamics until "Douz", the fourth episode. If I said an American sitcom, pre-streaming (are sitcoms even a thing as streaming originals or are they confined to network television?) hit its stride four episodes in, you'd be like DAMN that is impressive, whereas here the first series is already halfway through.

I've heard Finnemore talk about the importance of The Idiot in the sitcom and how easy it is to do The Idiot a disservice by making them the butt of the joke and the joke is always how they are stupid in comparison to other characters. "Douz" is the first episode where Arthur in his simplicity contributes to resolving the conflict of the episode.

It's also the first episode where Caroline gets to be something other than a threatening force of authority and as fabulous as Stephanie Cole is when she's dominating and no-nonsense, she's sublime at showing very real vulnerability within a sentence or two of dialogue. (See also the Double Acts episode, "The Queen's Speech").

The Incompetent Character in Charge of the Competent Character foundation of the premise, with two supporting characters to oil and grease the machine, finds a stronger structure as more of an ensemble comedy in what is, considering the final total series run, a quick time, but god the pressure to get there in six (or heaven help you, four) episodes.

The craftsmanship required of something done an extraordinary level, even something as soap bubble solid as a sitcom. It's a hell of a thing to think about sometimes.