lead balloon british television series produced open bbc series created written comedian stars cynical comedian life plagued petty star series episodes broadcast bbc episode achieving highest ratings comedy channel repeats series run bbc bbc bringing larger audience second series episodes aired bbc november series aired november final series aired july comparisons critics successful american comedy curb enthusiasm positive comments characters particularly eastern european series released dvd november theme tune cover version way road written performed production development genesis series came end recording series apollo speculated experiences interviews turned television programme following meeting agent turned lead role series began writing character focused writing domestic life professional highlight clash pilot commissioned bbc recorded december received positive feedback led series minute episodes ordered january broadcast later year writing frequent collaborator joined write pilot script worked weeks developing characters forming storylines prepared writing series proper commissioned strongly influenced writing shift office natural conversation funny studio audience present cites early films curb enthusiasm cultural influences helped set tone series controller bbc stated series curb autobiographical comes expression like lead balloon meaning received badly audience filming broadcast pilot features scene dry cleaner reused fifth episode location filming series particularly house michael cafe series hugo restaurant road queen park london shots series filmed scenes separated person writing ideas comedy material writing pad characters character born stand comedian living london struggles decent makes ends meet hosting corporate events based character hated performed alongside early years stand incompetent attempts practical tasks attempt avoid paying professionals partner talent agent everyday people getting minutes fame serves highlight failing career calm personality contrasts strongly american writer writes majority material working home michael café tries moderate desperate behaviour quietly frustrated interests michael owns runs café frequently visit escape chaos home socially awkward possibly extent having mental disorder actually high flying city banker suffered burn father turns gay later series michael negatively daughter sam attends sixth form college regularly extracts money father expressing sympathy money pounds possibly purchase recreational drugs sam boyfriend goes numerous jobs interests series taking circus skills course short lived shelf job apparent jobs require recurring pounds gained sam pleas fact purchase recreational drugs meaning jobs interests exist eastern european british attitudes language view willing worker generally suffers selfish silence john single scene series larger episode second series series prominent character concerned elderly mother delicate problems losing cat having teenagers throwing rubbish wall episodes reception immediately following commission series reviewers compared curb enthusiasm story independent ran headline writes bbc answer curb enthusiasm stage called curious called comparisons curb inevitable times obsessed similarities curb singled performances described characterisation turning endearing sunday_times praised style humour reaction provoked viewers sunday called comedy everyday embarrassment unfortunately shows awkward joints curb enthusiasm invisible reviewer cited good man driven behaviour independent named series best new comedy appearing panel comedy judges edinburgh international television festival response vicar catherine voted best comedies public poll called best sitcom comedy circuit obviously hoping shit skinner starred failed sitcom shane episode broke bbc audience record comedy series viewers despite dropping episode won multi channel slot rubbish bbc repeat received million viewers seeing bbc final episode series received million bbc repeat series nominated british comedy award nominated best comedy actor series information broadcast history series aired bbc october november timeslot ratings success episodes led series having repeat run bbc starting october second series episodes commissioned controller bbc following conclusion series series began november fourth series premiered comedy series broadcast bbc high definition service repeat run beginning december episodes available streaming downloads series run announced interview fourth series works shooting finished autumn series began broadcast run australia series aired tuesday february april network shifted remaining episodes later slot seasons repeated lower rated channel uploaded abc catch service series air australia sweden series aired ninth july series aired autumn year dvd releases series released dvd november second november fourth series released june july respectively series released dvd july
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