Charlie Brooker's 2016 Wipe Review

Oh, I’ve been looking forward to this.

With his usual blistering satire Charlie Brooker and co. tore into one of the most depressing years in my lifetime, covering everything from Brexit and Trump to celebrity deaths and Bake Off. Since July we’d wondered whether they’d be able to fit it all into an hour and they just about manage to fit it in.

Packing in joke after joke, 2016 Wipe did not disappoint as it both depressed and entertained, unrelentingly summing up the year with wilful abandon.

The highlights included a The Night Manager/Fawlty Towers crossover, Pokemon GO craziness and Brooker’s reactions to Trump’s win, mercilessly taking the be-wigged pussy grabber down. At times it was laugh-out-loud funny and in its more sombre moments, painful to remember (the death of Jo Cox). Yet it was the dystopian flavourings of A Clockwork Orange, that permeated the episode through the soundtrack, that gave the roundup it’s harsh edge.

All in all, this was everything we expected and wanted our Yearly Wipe to be with harsh realities and snarky, witty, considered comedy. It’s a show that doesn’t balance things out in the name of broadcasting fairness, a point it makes in saying that not all Brexit voters are racists (for example) but overall decrying the racism and xenophobia that came with it.

It was a terrific, hilarious exploration of this dark time and a more than fair summation of the last 12 months, Trump terror and all.

Best line: “The one where Joey disrespects the fallen” – In reference to the Top Gear Cenotaph stunt

Also, Cunk on Christmas, which came straight after, was just as brilliant as her Moments of Wonder.