15 Best British TV Shows Of The Decade

15. Back

Following up Peep Show - a true classic of the 21st century - was always going to be a tall order, and it’s fair to say Back hasn’t yet reached the heights of its predecessor. But this Robert Webb and David Mitchell-starring sitcom was a great, underrated slice of black comedy. Mitchell and Webb fall into familiar roles as the put upon worker and the easy going layabout, but they’re able to lift their characters beyond Mark and Jez, and are aided by a great supporting cast.

Following the death of Stephen’s (Mitchell) father, he is left in charge of the family pub. He is joined by Andrew (Webb), a charming man of the world who claims to have briefly been fostered by the family.

Back plays its cards close, never letting on whether Andrew is a saintly figure or a sinister freeloader. Mitchell in particular impresses in his performance; he’s more personable, but more self destructive, than his Peep Show character, more beaten down and world weary than a smart arsed cynic. Matthew Holness, always welcome, pops up in flashbacks as Stephen’s late dad, but the scene stealer is Geoffrey McGivern as Uncle Geoff, who is occasionally left to run the boozer, which inevitably goes terribly.

Back is unlikely to gain a similar spot in the UK comedy pantheon as Peep Show - it’s darker and weirder, not nearly so instantly relatable. But if the basic aim of a sitcom is to deliver laughs, Back does so in spades. Given a chance to unfold, and focus on developing a story as well as producing the chuckles, it could end up being something pretty fantastic.