Avenue 5
released 2021
www.ink2quill.com

“Avenue 5” is a scifi, comedy, TV series produced by a large group which includes the likes of Will Smith, Tony Roche, Kevin Loader, Armando Iannucci, Steve Clark-Hall, Simon Blackwell, Becky Martin, Peter Fellows, Katy Bishop and many others. It was directed by Annie Griffin, David Schneider, William Stefan Smith, Natalie Bailey, Armando Iannucci, Peter Fellows, Becky Martin and Ollie Parsons. It stars a huge cast who include Hugh Laurie, Josh Gad, Zach Woods, Rebecca Front, Suzy Nakamura, Lenora Crichlow, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Andy Buckley, Ethan Phillips, Adam Palsson, Jessica St. Clair, Kyle Bornheimer, Daisy May Cooper, Sacharissa Claxton, Leila Farzad, Julie Dray, Jonathan Aris, Arsher Alli, Kelly Coughlin and many more.

“Avenue 5” takes place aboard the interstellar cruise ship called Avenue 5 in the not-too-distant future. The captain is a man by the name of Ryan Clark, played by Hugh Laurie. He is captain of the ship but does not have the qualifications. Captain Ryan Clark is really an actor playing a role and so when real trouble comes their way, in the form of the Avenue 5 going slightly off course, the vacation in the sea of space quickly turns into a bad kind of joke. The captain is a boob and the passengers are all boobs too. So, what should have been a short trip back to Earth turns into a voyage that should last several years. Add the problems of supply shortages, missiles sent from earth to destroy them and their own stupid decisions and you have the circus in space that is their voyage.

One of the things that pushes the story forward is the exposure and ridicule of how things really function in a business that is this cruise ship. The technology is impressive and it is a beautiful ship but the people running things are all boobs. And of course the passengers are no better. All they care about is that their problems are solved and that they get what they want. In some ways they really are like spoiled children. The episodes where they hold elections is hilarious. I mean the cannibal almost wins for Pete’s sake. Because, yes, they let a cannibal onboard who is sooo charming it will have your belly rolling with laughter.

So, the main character, if there is one, would have to be the Captain. In all fairness, he is a man with a modicum of social talents and those talents come out at their best when he is under pressure. But, truth be told, he really is an actor playing the role of captain because he does not have the qualifications to be captain. So, every crisis just gets worse until it is somehow resolved.

Space comedies were considered to be impossible concepts in the world of entertainment for the longest time. Everyone used to say that they would be silly. Then came the British series “Red Dwarf” by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor. That series knocked it out of the park, so to speak and so does Avenue 5. This is one of the best series in its genre without a doubt. If you still think that space comedies are an impossibility then you need to see “Avenue 5”.

“Avenue 5” is great fun if you’re in the mood for some dopiness and something new. I never expected it to be so good and I can’t wait for the next season to come out.

John Ink2Quill

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