Last night saw 'The Tommy Tiernan Show' return to screens, reminding us all that it's far and away the best interview show RTÉ has on the air at the moment.
Among the guests included singer Jess Kavanagh discussing her polyamorous lifestyle, comedian Baz Ashmawy talking about his early life and when his father left at 8, and writer Manchán Magan discussing that time he forgot to build a foundation for his straw bale house.
Far and away, Magan and Tiernan's easy banter and calming chats about Irish fields, bogs, building a straw house and self-sustainability were the hit of the night. In fact, so much so that there's already been calls on Twitter for the two of them to have their own show together.
I'd like more @ManchanMagan on the telly talking about fields and peat and Irish and Ireland and whatever he pleases. #TommyTiernanShow
— Shane Hegarty (@shanehegarty) January 30, 2021
Could listen to Manchán and Tommy talk all night! Such a lovely chat #tommytiernanshow
— Laura Clarke (@lclarke13) January 30, 2021
Manchan Magan and Tommy should do an Irish road trip show exploring mythological sites and pubs.#tommytiernanshow
— Gerry McK (@GMcK2012) January 30, 2021
You might be reading this thinking, well, nobody's going to watch that and doesn't that sound kind of fuddy-duddy? Well, this may come as a surprise but it's actually quite fashionable at the minute.
For example, one of the biggest videogames at the moment is 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons' where people essentially build themselves a cottage and farm on an island all by yourself. Taylor Swift's two latest albums have been described as "cottagecore", and the whole country life / slow living aesthetic is really being embraced by young people in light of the pandemic.
One of the BBC's biggest shows in recent years has been 'Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing', starring Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse. Odds are if you had a TV in the '90s, you'll recognise either one of them. Bob Mortimer was the co-host of 'Shooting Stars', the brilliantly oddball celebrity gameshow that 'Celebrity Juice' has vainly attempted to copy. Paul Whitehouse, meanwhile, was one of the creators of pioneering sketch show 'The Fast Show', blazing through numerous characters in an instant.
The premise of their show together? Two middle-aged comedians sit on the bank of a river in England, try to catch some fish, and basically make a few jokes and reflect on the fact that both of them have had heart problems. The show has been a huge hit for BBC, with critics describing the show as "a breath of fresh air" and talking up its slow, natural pace and unforced charms.
RTÉ, if any of your commissioning editors are reading this, just send us a thank you card when you make this and it becomes a huge hit.
