Show Rec - Miranda - "You know when you get nervous socially, you end up lying to impress?"

Miranda and her ridiculously hot friend Gary.

Gary: Look, I just popped in to ask, you're not with anybody or married or anything, are you?

Miranda: Yep, yep. Of course, yeah.

Gary: Really? Kids?

Miranda: Yeah, got two. Orlando and... Bloom. You?

Gary: No, no. Still single.

Miranda: Me too!

Gary: You just said you were married.

Miranda: Divorced now.

Gary: And the kids?

Miranda: Dead.

Gary: Really? What happened?

Miranda: They froze. They froze to death, Gary. It's a funny story, actually. Well. Not funny haha, but funny in that it's almost unbelievable. You see, we were on holiday in the Himalayas at base camp of Everest and they were just running around in shorts and a T-shirt. And I kept saying,  'Put your coat on! You'll catch your death!' And they did!

I watched the entire aired series of Miranda in a day and a half. It would have been less, but I had to work and sleep. Stupid work and sleep, getting in the way of awesome.

Miranda is me. Granted, she's British, seven inches taller, eleven years older, has an incredibly hot friend Gary, and a name that's spelled properly, but still. If I unleashed all of my social anxiety and quirks, I would sound British, grow seven inches, and age a decade quick enough. It shouldn't be too difficult to find myself a ridiculously hot man to pine after, and I suppose I could legally spell my name right if I really wanted to make the comparison complete.

See, Miranda sings in public. Not just little jingles, but entire songs. She dances often. And badly. She lies compulsively (and outrageously) when in the presence of any mildly awkward social situation. Her mother is ashamed of her, her friends are embarrassed by her, and she has to be the most amazing mostly-fictional character ever.



Years ago, Miranda Hart was organizing Comic Relief events in the UK when someone had the good sense to tell her she was hilarious. She then spent a few years going on tour being funny and coming up with her alter ego by the same name. She pitched a show, the BBC gave her a radio show, and then realized that they were idiots and gave her an actual TV slot.

Brilliance has thus ensued for the past two years.

Don't get me wrong, "Miranda" as a show isn't the best thing ever. Half of the laughs come from jokes that are repeated every episode (albeit, usually repeated in mildly clever ways), the laugh track is irritating as crap, to say that the situations are unbelievable is being generous, and the show often suffers from being as over-stated as possible.

But you know what? I don't care. I love the show for daring to be meta. Miranda insults the audience, has inside jokes with us, and at the end of each episode each actor waves to the camera as the credits roll (often while dancing!). I love the supporting cast, who, although often stuck playing the 'straight men' to Miranda's insanity, still manage to be hilarious when given the opportunity. I love how the show can make living in a small village in Surrey seem delightful (if only so we can see people 'galloping' to work each day), and I swear I've never wanted to own a little shop until I saw Miranda kicking out customers who irritated her.

I love the fact that Miranda has no ability whatsoever to interact with men, and that each 'date' she experiences is more painful than the last. (And believe me - that shouldn't be possible, given how they start out.) I love that she hates vacations and that she does a 'cold bed' dance. I like that she's clumsy, that she adores living alone (and can amuse herself in the best ways. There are fruit friends, guys. Fruit friends!), and that she couldn't do an honest day of work if she tried.

And most of all, I love that Miranda Hart writes each episode. Don't get me wrong, the show would be funny no matter what, but it's even better knowing that the star of the show is comfortable enough about the gifts given to her by genetics, awkwardness, and a damn fine sense of humor to make fun of them.

In an interview somewhere (don't ask me to find it - I can't), Miranda Hart talks about her university experience and how she had been shocked to realize, years later, that plenty of her guy friends had fancied her. She said that the thought had never occurred to her, because when you hate yourself and the way you look/act/feel, there's no way you could imagine anyone else doing the opposite.

That seems to be what this, frankly ridiculous, show seems to be aiming towards - self acceptance. Even if your self happens to be a clumsy buffoon of a woman with height to spare and friends far too attractive to be allowed.

So, in short, if you like your comedies with a side of ridiculous and a large heaping of awesome, check out "Miranda."

And if you don't like it, that's totally fine, but I don't think we can be friends anymore, because this woman is clearly my spirit animal.