Veep writer teams with Mitchell & Webb for intriguing new sitcom

‘Back’ doesn’t immediately jump out as a must-watch sitcom.

Set in a pub, it sees lead character Stephen taking over the establishment as its landlord after the death of his father, who was a local hero. Stephen can’t wait to get started, especially following the disappointment of his divorce, while his mother and sister have no interest in the family business.

However, Stephen’s plans go awry when Andrew comes into town for his dad’s funeral. Andrew was fostered by Stephen’s parents when he was just 15-years-old and has remembered every single detail of the pub, while he’s also keen on re-connecting with the closest thing he’s ever had to a family.

Everyone is delighted to see Andrew return. Everyone except for Stephen, who believes that he’s not only “glib” but a “dangerous sociopath,” too, that is hell bent on stealing his “family, his business, and his life.”

It sounds like ‘Cheers’ mixed with the dark, edgy humor and paranoia of ‘Peep Show’. Which is why the inclusion of David Mitchell and Robert Webb as Stephen and Andrew, respectively, immediately adds intrigue, which is only further exacerbated with the revelation that Simon Blackwell is overseeing ‘Black’.

Simon Blackwell admitted to Variety that he jumped at the opportunity to work with the comedic duo again, having previously done so on ‘Peep Show’ itself. Over the last few years, though, Blackwell has been lending his prestigious talents to ‘Veep’, while he also acquired an Academy Award nomination for co-writing ‘In The Loop’, too.

It speaks volumes that Simon Blackwell has decided to leave behind the glamour of the US for such a delightfully English premise, while ‘Back’ is only set to be boosted by the presence of the country’s most prominent comedic duo. Channel 4 have already green-lit six episodes from the comedy series, which the more you look at it the more must-watch it becomes.

[Images via Channel 4 & HBO]