The series revolves around Alan B'Stard- a murderous, back stabbing, sexist, racist, troublemaking, fast talking, quick witted, power hungry, heartless, treacherous, cheating, slimey, hateful, sadistic, brown nosing, two faced, rich, law breaking, right winged politician. Alan has a seat as an MP for Haltemprice, but he wants so much more. Whether he has men killed ("Happiness Is A Warm Gun") or attempts to assassinate Gorbachev ("Profit of Boom") Alan will literally do anything it takes to advance his own career.

The episodes :

Season One:

Happiness Is A Warm Gun

Passport To Freedom

Sex Is Wrong

Waste Not, Want Not

Friends of St. James

Three Line Whipping

Baa Baa Black Sheep

Season Two:

Fatal Extraction

Live From Westminster

The Wapping Conspiracy

The Haltemprice Bunker

California Here I Come

May The Best Man Win

Piers of the Realm

Season Three:

Labour of Love

The Party's Over

Let Them Sniff Cake

Keeping Mum

Natural Selection

Profit of Boom

Season Four:

Back From The Mort

H*A*S*H

Speaking in Tongues

Heil and Farewell

A Bigger Splash

The Irresistible Rise of Alan B'Stard

First and foremost, the casting of Rik Mayall (best known for his work in "The Young Ones" and "Drop Dead Fred") as Alan B'Stard is inspired. Without him, "The New Statesman" couldn't and wouldn't be successful. Mayall's devilish demeanor, mannerisms, and expressions are priceless. From the way he interrogates a teddy bear interrogation to kicking down senior citizens, Mayall positively makes Alan B'Stard his own. I can't imagine any other actor in that role.

In addition, Michael Troughton's (son of the late great Patrick Troughton) role as the sidekick Piers is equally impressive. Piers may be a bumbling goofball who carries a Winnie the Pooh lunchbox, but he adds a lot to the show. As much as Alan may despise and torture Piers, Piers often gives Alan bright ideas. Alan truly needs to work with Piers even though he would never admit it. Troughton's Piers, while a bit brainless at times, is also necessary as his character makes for a nice contrast with Alan. We get to see how crazy Alan is whenever he attacks poor, shy Piers.

Not to be outdone, Marks and Gran do a wonderful job in not only writing a laugh out loud funny satire, but creating a fascinating villain. Whenever a villain is at the forefront of a film or show it's a risky move, but Alan's humorous antics pay off. What makes the stories work is the blend of fiction with non-fiction. For instance, we all know that slavery will never be re-introduced or that public hangings will again take place, but in the world of Alan B'Stard these things are possible. The humor lies in the fact that Alan can accomplish shocking and controversial goals. Plus, as repulsive as Alan and his actions are, you can't help but watch to see what hilariously insane plan he comes up with next. I never thought I would find myself invested in such a crooked politician.

Another strong characteristic of the show is the character of Sarah B'Stard, Alan's wife. As if Alan wasn't wicked enough, Sarah could be even nastier. She cheats on her husband with virtually every character we meet in the show and even managed to leave Alan in Siberia for 3 years. What's funny is that even after all she did to him, Alan still takes her back. I say this lightly as the two could easily be at each others throat or worse after the last episode. Personally, I see them staying together as they truly know each other better than anyone and probably enjoy one upping each other in the most heinous ways imaginable.

As much as I enjoyed "The New Statesman," a few flaws put a damper on the set. While the first three seasons are undeniably entertaining, the fourth season left something to be desired. Without giving away too much, Alan no longer has a seat as MP for Haltemprice. Instead, he manages to become a European MP. I respect the writers for attempting a change, but the transition doesn't work for me. The six episodes in season four aren't nearly as funny. I'm not one to be a prude, but a couple jokes were too cruel. For instance, there's an ongoing gag with Alan threatening to kill an infant that falls completely flat. There's no denying that Alan is a horrible person who WOULD do such a thing, but it's still a bit over the top for my taste and may put off viewers other than myself.

The DVD

Video:
Since the show was shot on video, the picture quality was spotty at best. The video is extremely grainy throughout, but as most past British shows have similar quality it is not a big deal. The show is presented in its original full-frame 1:33:1 Aspect Ratio.

Sound: The Dolby Digital Stereo mix is also uneven. The dialogue did fade out in certain scenes making it slightly difficult to hear what the actors were saying. Generally, however, the audio wasn't problematic and was audible.

Extras: On the fourth disk, an hour long bonus episode titled "Who Shot Alan B'stard?" is included. I recommended that you watch this bonus episode directly after the season two finale as they are connected. If you watch the season three premiere without viewing this special you will be lost. The episode itself is hit and miss. The cliffhanger on the season two finale ("Piers of the Realm") was infinitely more appealing than the revelation of what took place. However, the episode still contains plenty of amusing gags especially when Piers accidentally kills a man and frames Alan at the same time.

Final Thoughts:
Knowing nothing about the series in advance, "The New Statesman" turned out to be a welcome treat. For those on the lookout for a smart comedy, I implore you to check out "The New Statesman."

Film and television enthusiast Nick Lyons recently had his first book published titled "Attack of the Sci-Fi Trivia." It is available on Amazon.com.