Review: How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge) – Unparalleled Comic High Points on Television

Alan Partridge is in crisis! However, many are in similar straits today? When we last saw him on screen, Alan suffered a public collapse while hosting the light magazine show This Time, wrapping up with him excluded of the BBC. In the opening of his independent production, the non-fiction piece How Are You? It’s Alan (Partridge), the presenter shares he’s since hit another low by passing out in front of a guest at a business function for a Norfolk feed company. Tough times, but personalities of Partridge’s calibre know how to bounce back: tie your troubles to a national trend and try to develop a program from it.

Delving into Stress and Loneliness

How Are You? then, sees Steve Coogan’s immortal alter ego in investigative guise, examining a wave of mental health issues that he perceives as escalating: “In old-fashioned language, it’s gone crazy!” His path includes dabbling in faith, revive old school ties, and enjoy therapeutic hikes, as well as confronting his recent past. Episode one builds towards a hostile but cathartic reunion with “Sidekick” Simon Denton (Tim Key), an ex-co-worker from broadcasting days, and as the episodes progress, we’re shown unseen clips from Alan’s stints.

With Coogan and his creative partners, How Are You? marks a change of pace. In contrast to earlier innovations, How Are You? sometimes rehashes past ideas: as well as directly reviving old formats, the series echoes past satirical documentaries of the last decade. And, as Alan’s private life bleeds into his investigations, viewers will think of his podcast work.

Dual Personas of the Character

It creates a slight challenge. We see two versions of Alan: Triumphant Alan (in prime roles) and Wilderness Alan (doesn’t), and even though the underdog Alan shone in the classic series I’m Alan Partridge back in 1997, a nostalgic take has developed in books and audio projects. How Are You? brings us into his space and casts Katherine Kelly as Katrina, his highly inappropriate love interest from the podcast. However, this sad story – Alan is in denial about Katrina cheating on him with a pal and business owner – might have worked best in audio form, enabling mental imagery to amplify laughs. When we can’t see him, Wilderness Alan has room to breathe: television nowadays feels more suited to putting Winning Alan under pressure and observing his collapse, as seen before.

Comedy Through Flaws

Yet, these issues pale beside a key reality: across all platforms, he delivers the most laughs in Britain, and temporary versions still offer huge comedy than anything else on telly. How Are You? has Alan in multiple creative roles, which highlights his talent for mistakes and bad choices. If he thinks Britain’s mental health problems are best illustrated by an aggressively edited montage of exploding fruit, that’s what we’re getting, and there’s nobody to tell him that he’s accidentally used the word “tastistics” or similar gaffes in narration. The slight grimace we regularly catch as he strides out of shot aware that the segment was a failure consistently amuses, and nor do the idents he’s made to fit between segments, the best of which sees him attempt to fix us with a sympathetic smile while gulping down a brew.

Memorable Scenes and Sentiments

What could be funnier than his dumpster antics? Surely not. He is also a visual treat, with his new dye job several shades too light to be plausible, and his clothing showcasing loud pants, contrasting shoes, assorted vests and excited response to fashion trends.

Moreover, the content reveals his deeper side that appeared under new creative guidance. Repeatedly, the show achieves emotional depth, where his ignorance uncovers sorrow that almost has us crying tears of emotion, then the comedy returns and laughter resumes. This works due to long-term affection: all iterations are gladly received.