There's always been a routine to Sunday nights in the winter in my house. El Familia watch whatever they want on the TV as I log online on the laptop to watch the Chiefs. So right now, we're doing very well against the Titans while t'others watch Mattie on RTE 1. Awful doesn't cover it.
RTE comedies have generally been poor in recent years. The Panel and Podge and Rodge have had their moments, but I struggle to think of a decent RTE scripted comedy...ever. Mattie is no different.
Don't just take my word for it; as a show Mattie is full of idiotic, flat, scarcely believable characters in constructed and unrealistic situations.
As if that wasn't bad enough, RTE are now advertising Mrs. Brown's Boys, made by Brendan O'Carroll. The ad looks awful, though that's hardly surprising given the type of material spewed out by O'Carroll in recent years. In many ways, this is comedy for the populace - Shortt and O'Carroll do well when it comes to drawing in punters, even if their works are largely shunned by the critics.
However, the best comedies of recent years, The Office and Extras, The Royle Family, Alan Partridge, Father Ted and (to a lesser extent) Phoenix Nights are completely different to this and offer a more critical, introspective show which we don't get from RTE. How a station which can give us The Panel and the Rubberbandits on Republic of Telly, can at the same time shove such shite (a term often used in Mattie tonight) I shall never know. Instead, we're set for offerings like this:
Oh look, Winning Streak is on now. Merry Christmas indeed.
