An enjoyably-random hour.
Courtier’s quest to ‘understand’ lunch is still presented as the central thread but, given that he never really explains what this understanding entails, it’s only a theme in the very loosest terms. That said, there is something about the random, inconsequential nature of the conversations we have over lunch which makes sense of the rapid swings from one subject to another contained within the show. How else would you move from Tabitha, detailing the dangers of dating a recklessly-outdoorsy posh girl, to another song about the under-appreciated Thomas, Lord of Clarence from Shakespeare’s Henry V to a third song about premium soaps.
What’s unexpected is that, in a year dominated by political standup - polemics about Brexit, social inequality, etc. - dealing with such innocuous subjects actually makes Courtier a bit of a breath of fresh air. That’s not, of course, to say that the satire isn’t incredibly worthy - it’s just nice to laugh at surreal songs about tiny dogs and pate too.
The off-the-wall nature of Courtier’s content is supported by his character delivery - a sort of semi-lucid, Tim-Nice-But-Dim posh-boy drawl - outwardly serene but with an underlying hint of anxiety that something is terribly, terribly wrong. Without this, moments like Courtier’s song congratulating you on remembering your shopping list but berating you for forgetting various niche wars from history, wouldn’t make any sense but they do feel consistent with
It’s entirely possible that the rather niche nature of the subjects being joked about here might mean it doesn’t work for everyone. After all, as a middle-class man, living and working in South West London (and with at least a tangential understanding of premium soap), I’m probably this show’s target market. However, if you’re even slightly aware of the Made-In-Chelsea lifestyle that Courtier is mocking then there should be something here for you and, even if you’re not, Lunch is still an enjoyably-random hour.
