Yahoo News Brassic S5 review: Sky comedy hits new heights
📺 Where to watch Brassic Season 5: Sky Max from 28 September
⭐️ Our rating: 4/5
🍿 Watch it if you liked: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Trainspotting, The Full Monty
🎭 Who's in it?: Joe Gilgun, Michelle Keegan, Damien Molony, Tom Hanson, Aaron Heffenan, Ryan Sampson and Dominic West
⏰ How long is it? 8 x 45 minute episodes
📖 What’s it about? Brassic is a comedy series about Vinnie and Dylan, who have grown up together and are inseparable. When Dylan's girlfriend wants to move in search of a better life for her and her son, he must face the hardest decision of his life.
Ballsy, brash and morally bankrupt it might be, but the BAFTA-approved Brassic is back for a fifth season this September on Sky, catching Vinnie (Joe Gilgun), Erin (Michelle Keegan), Cardi (Tom Hanson) Ash (Aaron Heffernan) and Tommo (Ryan Sampson) up to no good.
From hijacking horses to debating sexual depravity, Brassic has always been bold in its search for comedy gold. Either tapping into tragedy or drawing drama from desperation, this landmark series from Daniel Brocklehurst and Joe Gilgun remains an essential addition to watchlists everywhere.
In the aftermath of S4, which had Dylan (Damien Molony) being bundled into a car by masked men, this opener involves extra strength laxatives and an 80s quiz homage that leaves little to the imagination. Vinnie finds himself forced to track down the perpetrator of a slanderous rumour, pushing him to extremes in search of some quick cash.
What continues to make Brassic such an endearing proposition even after five seasons is the easy chemistry between the central ensemble who make this level of comedy drama look easy. Every performance seem effortless, irrespective of the unfortunate events that unfold, which in turn injects a serious amount of reality into the show.
Combined with a razor-sharp script which seamlessly mixes left field moments of comedy genius with heartbreaking pathos, Brassic continues to mature beyond its dramedy roots and into the realms of character study. The series touches on the push and pull of long-term relationships, that can help or hinder people depending on the choices they make.
Key to this entire show is Joe Gilgun who never sells Vinnie short by drifting into cliché, but instead, tempers his perpetual bad luck with an unwavering optimism.
Whether tackling local crime bosses Davey (Neil Ashton) and Barry (Greg Wood) MacDonagh, or navigating his relationship with girlfriend Erin, this season really gives Vinnie the opportunity to shine.
Tommo also comes into his own this time round as a parental curveball catches him off-guard, bringing certain life choices into sharp focus. This draws drama from his liberated lifestyle, allowing the writers leeway when it comes to crossing those comedic lines — perfectly balancing pathos and punchlines in a series of scenarios which rarely hits a dry patch irrespective of the mayhem that ensues.
In short, Brassic is essential viewing for September.
Brassic Season 5 is on Sky Max and NOW from 28 September.
