Though The Fosters and No Problem! had paved the way for black comedy programming, the comedic sensibility of the Asian experience had yet to become a marketable commodity.
To mid-1980s audiences in the UK, Channel 4’s Tandoori Nights had the elements of a potentially groundbreaking sitcom: a mixed-race relationship, left wing and sexy Asian women, and a restaurant proprietor more interested in success and money than in his cultural roots.
Unfortunately, the show suffered from a comedic deficit and the laughs were fleeting, perhaps because it took itself too seriously.
The fact, though, that the show gave rare opportunities to Asian talent behind and in front of the camera is, one can argue, distinction enough.
The actors (including the prolific Saeed Jaffrey, whose character brings to mind his role in My Beautiful Laundrette) make the most of the patchy and rambling scripts.
Jimmy
Saeed Jaffrey Alladin
Tariq Yunus Asha
Rita Wolf Delia
Angela Browne Bubbly
Shelley King Gran
Zohra Segal
Related Posts
Oprah Winfrey Show, The/Oprah 1 9 8 6 - 2 0 1 1 (USA) 4,561 x 60 minute episodes The Oprah Winfrey Show premiered locally…
Naked Vicar Show, The 1 9 7 7 - 1 9 7 9 (Australia) 21 episodes x 50 minutes This Australian comedy programme began life…
Smith and Goody 1 9 8 0 (UK) 7 x 30 minute episodes This Thames Television series starred Mel Smith and Bob Goody and…
All-American Girl 1 9 9 4 - 1 9 9 5 (USA) 19 x 30 minute episodes Korean-American Margaret Cho was one of…
My Wife Jacqueline 1 9 5 2 (UK) 6 x 30 minute episodes This half-hour BBC comedy series centred on a young couple played…
True Blue Show, The 1 9 7 3 - 1 9 7 4 (Australia) 1 x 60 minute pilot 14 x 60 minute episodes…
Tonight with Bert Newton 1 9 8 4 (Australia) One of the biggest television flops in Australia in 1984 was the Nine Network's Tonight with…
No Problem! 1 9 8 3 - 1 9 8 5 (UK) 27 x 30 minute episodes Set in a council house in…
