Day 51/365: Cabin Pressure, or Always Playing “Yellow Car”

[nanila]

It has come to my attention after the most recent Unscientific Poll that two thirds of the respondents did not know what I was on about. I can only assume that this is because some of you are unfamiliar with the BBC radio comedy series “Cabin Pressure”, and I would like to convince you to hunt it up and listen to it.

Cabin Pressure features the following principle characters.

Carolyn Knapp-Shappey - owner and CEO of MJN air, the tiny charter airline whose adventures form the backbone of the series. Carolyn obtained the aeroplane during her divorce, and decided to start the airline, or “air dot”, as she calls it because “you can’t put one aeroplane in a line”, with it. Played by Stephanie Cole.

Martin Crieff - one of MJN’s two pilots, and the captain. It is very important that everyone remembers he is the captain, especially Douglas. Martin is insecure, pernickety, morally upright, very bad with people and played by Benedict Cumberbatch.

Douglas Richardson - the other of MJN’s pilots, and the first officer. Douglas is confident, smug, morally flexible, oily and played by Roger Allam.

Arthur Shappey - MJN’s cabin crew, and Carolyn’s son. He is unquenchably enthusiastic about everything and everyone and sincerely believes they are all brilliant. Inventor and perpetual player of the Yellow Car game. Played by John Finnemore, writer of the show.

Gertie (“Golf Tango India”) - the highly unreliable, 16-seater, fictional Lockheed-McDonnell 3-12 aircraft on which the continued operation of MJN depends. Gertie doesn’t say much, but she does threaten to fall apart fairly frequently. Carolyn’s ex-husband is peculiarly obsessed with getting the plane back.

The overall tone of the series is one of gentle humour and absurdity, and generally avoids the kind of cringeworthy humiliation scenes that I don’t enjoy in British comedy. There are several minor and highly memorable characters played by outrageously famous actors, including Prunella Scales and Anthony Head. I own all the episodes on CD and sent them to my parents as well, who loved them.

If you want to sample some Cabin Pressure episodes for free and don’t mind jumping in towards the middle-end-ish, then you can listen to the last four episodes of Series Four - Vaduz (Lichtenstein), Wokingham (UK), Xinzhou (China) and Yverdon-Les-Bains (Switzerland) - on the BBC Radio iPlayer here. I believe you can listen to the radio anywhere in the world. BBC Radio 4 Extra regularly airs Cabin Pressure re-runs, so a periodic check of Radio iPlayer will eventually net you all of the episodes.

All four series, including the Christmas special and the finale (Zurich, a two-parter) can be purchased on Audible, and can probably be procured from less “traditional” sources too.

Comments

[soliano]

Is it similar to Wings?

[nanila]

I don't know Wings at all, sorry!

[soliano]

You may have been otherwise occupied. It was a comedy on NBC that ran for 8 seasons starting in 1990.

[antisoppist]

generally avoids the kind of cringeworthy humiliation scenes that I don’t enjoy

Kuala Lumpur. Also the Bear Polar part of Qikiqtarjuaq. Basically I can't cope with Martin being taken the piss out of too much, even though he deserves it.

[tree_and_leaf]

I usually skip Kuala Lumpur. I can cope with Qikiqtarjuaq, as the whole thing is sufficiently absurd that it doesn't push my buttons, but I really can't bear the main plot of KL.

[legionseagle]

I always skip it. I'm not mad about parts of Boston either, for the same reason.

[perennialanna]

John Finnemore doesn't like it either.

http://johnfinnemore.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/farewell-bear-facts-kuala-lumpur.html

[tree_and_leaf]

I just fell into a Farewell Bearfacts hole. I blame you.

[nanila]

Yeah, KL is my least favourite episode.

Also, thank you for providing its name. I knew there was an episode in Series Two that violated my terms (hence "generally"). Also important to note is that avoiding this episode does nothing in terms of missing any overarching storylines.

[antisoppist]

We have family discussions in the car (which is where the box set lives) over which episode everyone wants. I yell "Not Kuala Lumpur!" a lot.

My favourites are the ones where they are all stuck talking in the plane or when they all put their differences aside and band together against a common enemy, but as John Finnemore says on his blog somewhere, it would be boring if it was those all the time.

[pbristow]

Oh!!! Yeah, I failed to make the connection 'cos it's a long time since I listened to Cabin Pressure. I enjoyed it, but it didn't hook me enough to become a regular listener.

I do absolutely *love* John F's other series, "John Finnemore's Souvenir Programme". =:o}

[nanila]

Cabin Pressure definitely got better as it went along. Series Four is my favourite.

I also love the Souvenir Programme. I kind of felt it was going off the boil recently, but then the last episode of Series Seven happened and I was right back to full admiration. I especially loved the song in that episode (the Terrible Leaving Do of 2017).

[angrboda]

I listened to all of series four at work today. Much helped with digesting bad news!

[nanila]

Excellent. I'm glad to hear it!

[castiron]

If I am ever in an RPG again and have to play a character with low INT and high WIS, I'm just going to play Arthur Shappey.

[nanila]

This is a perfect description. :D

[ljravengirl]

That title rings a bell, but I'm fairly certain I've never heard it and I love radio shows, even now!
Do you listen to Thrilling Adventure Hour? Despite the various episodes, my faves are Beyond Belief, and not every single one of those! But a lot of them are hilarious and it's worth it just for Paul F. Tompkins and Paget Brewster whose voices and alcohol use is similar to those old movies like The Thin Man. lol

I'm gonna listen to Cabin Pressure, thanks!

[nanila]

I haven't listened to Thrilling Adventure Hour but I see it is on Spotify and so I'll give it a go. Thank you for the recommendation! I hope you enjoy CP. :)

[mysterysquid]

I've heard of it, but not listened to it. :)