[dropcap]A[/dropcap] few weeks ago Channel 4 announced that they would be producing a sitcom set in Ireland during the time of the Famine, called Hungry. Hungry remains at a very early stage in its development and still has many obstacles to overcome in order to become a reality, yet this did not deter various social media users from expressing anger and confusion at the prospect of a TV show that would mock the death and suffering of millions. Many have compared the idea of a “Famine sitcom” to making a comedy about the Holocaust. It in no way trivialises the Famine to say that these reactions, though understandable, are exceedingly premature.
Before condemning the Hungry project there are a number of mitigating factors to be considered. Firstly, there is very little known about writer and creator Hugh Travers. His TV portfolio is quite bare thus far but Travers is currently working on another sitcom called The Players and is credited as the creator of the upcoming comedy panel show, Choose or Lose. He has written several short films (some in Irish) and his award-winning play, LAMBO, recently completed a national tour. While it remains to be seen whether he will possess the acuity to handle such a project with the sensitivity and finesse it requires, perhaps it is telling that Travers received this opportunity when Channel gave him the option of writing a sitcom about any topic at all that caught his fancy.
I apologise on behalf of sensible Irish people for the idiots protesting the famine sitcom outside C4 today. Down with that sort of thing
— Graham Linehan (@Glinner) January 17, 2015
Travers decided to write about the Famine. When asked why he thought this was a good idea he replied “tragedy plus time equals comedy” and went on to add that “Ireland has always been good at black humour”. While this will do nothing to appease those who doubt Travers’ ability to treat the victims of the Famine with the respect that they deserve, his own likening of Hungry to Shameless might prove more informative. Of course, Travers cannot merely say that his show will be as good or as successful as the brilliant Channel 4 production, but the comparison suggests (hopefully) that the show will not be merely a black comedy but a comedy-drama. It is absolutely possible to make a comedy set during the Famine, however, a Chuck Lorre 22-minutes-of-canned-laughter approach would prove inadvisable (and quite chilling).
There is a growing appetite for the tragicomedy in television, (possibly originating from the UK Office) shows that can provoke both belly laughs and existential crises. One Netflix binge of FX’s groundbreaking Louie or the infectiously apathetic Peep Show is enough to leave the viewer profoundly disenchanted with life, yet oddly satisfied, because of the honesty (and genius) of the writers. More pertinently, there have also been successful TV shows set during historic periods of mass human suffering. Blackadder Goes Forth is set during World War I (death toll: seventeen million) and ‘Allo ‘Allo is set during World War II (death toll: sixty-eighty five million). As for those who compare the idea of Hungry to making a sitcom about the Holocaust, this does not yet exist yet the 1997 Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Language Picture, Life is Beautiful, is set during the Holocaust and is one of the sweetest and funniest films you will ever see. It is not nearly as cynical as any of the previously mentioned sitcoms and it strikes an implausible balance; the comedy is light and heart-warming, the drama is sober and unbearably sad.
We really know very little about Hungry at this point. We know that it is set during the Famine, but we do not know where in Ireland, we know nothing about the central character(s), we don’t know what tone it will adopt and most importantly, we have absolutely no indication of whether or not it will be any good. However, the reaction to the show’s announcement should not be one of anger but one of cautious optimism.
Hugh Travers has landed the opportunity of a lifetime. He operates in an industry that is forever on the lookout for the next Big Bang Theory or Mrs. Brown’s Boys — RTÉ would never commission a show like Hungry. Television is inherently a medium of mass consumption and whatever is popular will succeed. Quality and innovation do not guarantee longevity, as demonstrated by the tragically premature cancellation of Channel 4’s Utopia in October. Lest we forget that RTÉ would never have had the courage to put Father Ted on the air and while it remains to be seen whether or not Hungry will satisfy any kind of standards, let alone those of Graham Linehan’s, I am happy to see a young, Irish and seemingly talented screenwriter given the opportunity to flourish with Channel 4.
Hungry is another show that can challenge viewers’ perception of what a sitcom should be, and, should it be a success, it has the potential to be groundbreaking. Of course, such speculation is equally premature. However, while this show remains resolutely intangible and locked in pre-pre-production limbo, attempts to encourage seem (slightly) more purposeful than those to censor.
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