2DTV: Series 3

2DTV is an animated impression sketch show, voiced by Jon Culshaw and others best known for their work on Dead Ringers. Rather than sticking to celebrities, or politicians, it targets both.

I can't stand 2DTV. It's just not funny. Over the course of an hour, I only laughed twice, and then more out of politeness than anything else. The rest of the time I sat stony faced, bored, desperately hoping something funny would be said and towards the end began to wonder wonder whether poor impressions were a good enough motive for suicide.

Utter rubbish! 2DTV is terrible, terrible, terrible.

"Elton John is rich, so let's give him a really really big stretch limo. Won't that be hilarious?"

"The Osbournes swear with beeps a lot, so let's make them swear with beeps a lot. Won't that be hilarious?"

No, no, no!

The humour doesn't even reach the promised two dimensions. It's as one dimensional as it comes. I can't understand how it's possible to poke fun at George W. Bush, Tony Blair, The Beckhams, Geri Halliwell, et al, and not be able to come up with anything remotely amusing.

Is it too much to ask that impressions sound like the person they're imitating? Culshaw's Ozzy Osbourne aside, not one character is accurate enough to carry the poor jokes. Bo Selecta and some parts of Spitting Image used vocal caricatures, rather than on-the-button impressions and made them work by virtue of stronger scripts. 2DTV aims for accurate impressions, doesn't achieve them and doesn't have the gags either.

Given that three of the four impressionists also work on the equally dreadful Dead Ringers, it's no surprise that, for example, Samuel L Jackson sounds more like a random American than Samuel L Jackson. 2DTV doesn't commit Dead Ringers' crime of having to introduce every sketch by saying, "My name is..." but that's thanks to the animators rather than the impressionists.

The animation is the only thing of any value here. It's bright and quirky and the characters have enough visual nuances to be amusing, while still remaining clearly recognisable. The look of the show suggests that were the jokes, or impressions, up to scratch, 2DTV could have been wonderful.