Most of the time, it feels like there are too many idiots in the world. But perhaps the idiots are just in the wrong places. They shouldn’t be in political office or on our social media feeds, doling out parenting advice from their 4x4s and touting thinly-veiled pyramid schemes from their continental villas. No, they should be in the tiny Northern Irish town of Ballymacnoose, pootling about on a farm or in their parents’ home, staying well clear of any kind of career ladder and making no tangible impact on the world. The fact that Ballymacnoose doesn’t really exist? Even better.
This is the very strong case put forward by Funboys, a BBC sitcom that debuted last year and now returns for a second series. It is the work of Rian Lennon and Ryan Dylan, who co-star as two friends in their mid 20s: Jordan (a whiny manchild) and Callum (a wretched loser) respectively. They are joined by funboy three, Lorcan (Lee R James), who is more intelligent and level-headed than the other two put together. Which isn’t really saying much.
