A radio comedy by Mark Evans aptly described as "a gloriously daft Victorian romp in the style of Charles Dickens after too much gin".
The sitcom follows the remarkable adventures of young Sir Philip 'Pip' Bin as he struggles to rescue himself and his sisters from the schemes of his evil and ironically-named guardian Mr Gently Benevolent.
comedy.co.uk Absolutely fantastic! This is a highly entertaining sitcom - in fact, Bleak Expectations has quickly become one of our all-time favourite radio comedies. It's a modern classic in the making.
The comedy is exquisitely performed by all involved: Tom Allen as carefully enunciated Young Pip, James Bachman as the over-enthusiastic and 'over-stupid' Harry, and Anthony Head as evil Mr Gently Benevolent are our personal favourites.
However, it is Mark Evans' writing that is the reason this sitcom stands-out as something rather special. It's very hard to describe style of the comedy, in fact you'd be best to listen to an episode to understand what the word play is like, because we're never going to be able to do it justice in this review.
Suffice to say the bizarre and surreal Victorian world that Evans' vividly paints through his scripts makes for a magical and highly entertaining sitcom that you just must not miss.
Series 1
The idyllic life of young Pip Bin is ruined by the scheming of his exceedingly evil guardian, Mr Gently Benevolent. Pip must also battle the evil Hardthrasher brothers.
A Perfect Childhood Cruelly Kippered. The idyllic life of young Pip Bin is ruined by the scheming of his exceedingly evil guardian, Mr Gently Benevolent, and his incarceration in Britain's most violent school, St Bastards.
An Adolescence Utterly Trashed. Pip meets a mysterious aged crone who can help him escape from Britain's most terrifying school and the clutches of his evil guardian.
A Youth Utterly Crocked. Pip must thwart the plans of his evil guardian Mr Gently Benevolent. Can underwater squirrels, oddly placed church bells and a stint in the workhouse foil him in his noble quest? Or will Aunt Lily and her Gloucestershire racing cows save the day?
A Young Adulthood Bitterly Dismantled. Pip finds himself saved from the workhouse with the arrival of a vast sum of money from a mysterious stranger.
A Young Love Mercilessly Dismembered. Pip falls in love with the beautiful but terminally feeble Flora Dies Early. Meanwhile Pippa and Mr Parsimonious flee to the continent. Will the evil Mr Benevolent catch them, or will Aunt Lily save the day again?
A Life Sadly Smashed...Then Happily Restored A Bit. Things look grim for Pip as he faces a lengthy and highly prejudicial court case. Is he to be hanged, or will there be a last-minute escape followed by a thrilling chase, several duels, a jar of exotic jam and at least two weddings?
The idyllic life of young Pip Bin is ruined by the scheming of his exceedingly evil guardian, Mr Gently Benevolent. Pip must also battle the evil Hardthrasher brothers.
A Perfect Childhood Cruelly Kippered. The idyllic life of young Pip Bin is ruined by the scheming of his exceedingly evil guardian, Mr Gently Benevolent, and his incarceration in Britain's most violent school, St Bastards.
An Adolescence Utterly Trashed. Pip meets a mysterious aged crone who can help him escape from Britain's most terrifying school and the clutches of his evil guardian.
A Youth Utterly Crocked. Pip must thwart the plans of his evil guardian Mr Gently Benevolent. Can underwater squirrels, oddly placed church bells and a stint in the workhouse foil him in his noble quest? Or will Aunt Lily and her Gloucestershire racing cows save the day?
A Young Adulthood Bitterly Dismantled. Pip finds himself saved from the workhouse with the arrival of a vast sum of money from a mysterious stranger.
A Young Love Mercilessly Dismembered. Pip falls in love with the beautiful but terminally feeble Flora Dies Early. Meanwhile Pippa and Mr Parsimonious flee to the continent. Will the evil Mr Benevolent catch them, or will Aunt Lily save the day again?
A Life Sadly Smashed...Then Happily Restored A Bit. Things look grim for Pip as he faces a lengthy and highly prejudicial court case. Is he to be hanged, or will there be a last-minute escape followed by a thrilling chase, several duels, a jar of exotic jam and at least two weddings?
Series 2
Pip Bin struggles against the cruel plotting of his evil guardian Mr Gently Benevolent, recently returned from the dead, and the evil Sternbeater brothers.
A Happy Life, Cruelly Re-Kippered. Pip Bin struggles against the cruel plotting of his evil guardian Mr Gently Benevolent, recently returned from the dead. A plot is afoot to steal Britain's loveliest school, St Lovely's.
A Re-Kippered Life Smashed Some More. Pip and Harry find themselves building an entire railway network in their bid to catch the evil Mr Gently Benevolent.
A Recovery All Made Miserable. Young Pip is nursed back to health by the Reverend Fecund and his hideously ugly daughter Ripley.
A Restoration Re-Ruined Only Even Worse. Pip is heavily in debt when he has to bribe the whole of the House of Commons not to hang him.
Already Bad Life Made Worse But Sort Of On Purpose. Full of self-loathing, Pip drinks some very strong gin, finds he is really quite keen on opium, and falls in with a gang of thieves. But is their leader Abraham Bagel, all he seems?
Happy Life Broken And Then Mended A Bit. The planet is in deadly peril when Gently Benevolent summons a massive Martian invasion. Is this the end for Pip, Harry and the rest of the human race, not to mention Pippa's goose sanctuary?
Pip Bin struggles against the cruel plotting of his evil guardian Mr Gently Benevolent, recently returned from the dead, and the evil Sternbeater brothers.
A Happy Life, Cruelly Re-Kippered. Pip Bin struggles against the cruel plotting of his evil guardian Mr Gently Benevolent, recently returned from the dead. A plot is afoot to steal Britain's loveliest school, St Lovely's.
A Re-Kippered Life Smashed Some More. Pip and Harry find themselves building an entire railway network in their bid to catch the evil Mr Gently Benevolent.
A Recovery All Made Miserable. Young Pip is nursed back to health by the Reverend Fecund and his hideously ugly daughter Ripley.
A Restoration Re-Ruined Only Even Worse. Pip is heavily in debt when he has to bribe the whole of the House of Commons not to hang him.
Already Bad Life Made Worse But Sort Of On Purpose. Full of self-loathing, Pip drinks some very strong gin, finds he is really quite keen on opium, and falls in with a gang of thieves. But is their leader Abraham Bagel, all he seems?
Happy Life Broken And Then Mended A Bit. The planet is in deadly peril when Gently Benevolent summons a massive Martian invasion. Is this the end for Pip, Harry and the rest of the human race, not to mention Pippa's goose sanctuary?
Series 3
The third series begins several years after the death - for the second time - of Mr Benevolent. All seems well as Pip Bin enjoys fame and wealth for his hugely popular invention, the bin, until a ghastly incident at a seance results in the spirit of the evil Mr Benevolent reappearing to wreak more havoc.
A Lovely Life Re-Kippered Again Once More. Pip Bin's happiness is shattered once again. Fog-filled streets, murders, and ghastly apparitions from beyond the grave abound, and through it all echoes the terrible menacing coo of a possessed and evil pigeon.
A Now Grim Life Yet More Grimified. Pip Bin faces his most gruelling fate yet at the hands of his evil undead ex-guardian and an enormous quantity of cheese. But can the spirits of Harvest Festival past, present and future show him a way to redemption?
A Sort Of Fine Life De-Niced Completely. Pip Bin strives to improve working conditions in his Bin factory, and to end poverty once and for all using Harry Biscuit's anti-poverty cannon. But will his quest distract him from a dastardly plan to steal London and sell it to the French?
A Horrible Life Un-Ruined And Then Re-Ruined A Lot. Pip, Harry, Pippa and Ripely are reduced to abject poverty on the banks of the Thames. Will Pip and Harry be able to find work, or will they have to end their days eating mud and listening to the gloating of Mr Benevolent?
An Evil Life Sort Of Explained. Pip Bin, Harry Biscuit and Gently Benevolent find themselves trapped in the vast emptiness of space. As their doom looks increasingly inevitable, Mr Benevolent finally explains just why it is that he is so very very evil.
Lives Lost, Ruined, Wrecked and Redeemed. Pip and Ripely find themselves facing a vast and evil undead army. England has only one hope - that Miss Sweetly Delightful can melt Mr Benevolent's cruel, undead heart.
The third series begins several years after the death - for the second time - of Mr Benevolent. All seems well as Pip Bin enjoys fame and wealth for his hugely popular invention, the bin, until a ghastly incident at a seance results in the spirit of the evil Mr Benevolent reappearing to wreak more havoc.
A Lovely Life Re-Kippered Again Once More. Pip Bin's happiness is shattered once again. Fog-filled streets, murders, and ghastly apparitions from beyond the grave abound, and through it all echoes the terrible menacing coo of a possessed and evil pigeon.
A Now Grim Life Yet More Grimified. Pip Bin faces his most gruelling fate yet at the hands of his evil undead ex-guardian and an enormous quantity of cheese. But can the spirits of Harvest Festival past, present and future show him a way to redemption?
A Sort Of Fine Life De-Niced Completely. Pip Bin strives to improve working conditions in his Bin factory, and to end poverty once and for all using Harry Biscuit's anti-poverty cannon. But will his quest distract him from a dastardly plan to steal London and sell it to the French?
A Horrible Life Un-Ruined And Then Re-Ruined A Lot. Pip, Harry, Pippa and Ripely are reduced to abject poverty on the banks of the Thames. Will Pip and Harry be able to find work, or will they have to end their days eating mud and listening to the gloating of Mr Benevolent?
An Evil Life Sort Of Explained. Pip Bin, Harry Biscuit and Gently Benevolent find themselves trapped in the vast emptiness of space. As their doom looks increasingly inevitable, Mr Benevolent finally explains just why it is that he is so very very evil.
Lives Lost, Ruined, Wrecked and Redeemed. Pip and Ripely find themselves facing a vast and evil undead army. England has only one hope - that Miss Sweetly Delightful can melt Mr Benevolent's cruel, undead heart.
Series 4
Hero Pip sees Gently Benevolent and locked up in prison, and apparently repentant of his crimes. But late one foggy night when Pip is attacked with a bowl of sinister custard he realises a new form of evil is stalking the streets of London, and he is obliged to ask for help from his erstwhile foe. Meanwhile his best friend, Harry Biscuit, claims to be having terrible problems with an angry badger, but is all as it seems?
A Tolerable Life De-Happified. Pip must enlist the help of his former nemesis to fight a new evil spreading terror and cake-crumbs through the streets of London.
A Now Spoilt Life Smashed Some More. Pip and Harry journey to the Underworld to rescue Ripely, only to find the evil Mister Benevolent has got there first.
A Wretched Life Made Much Much Sadder. After an embarrassing disaster involving a bridge and a train full of puppies and orphans, Pip and Harry travel to America on the SS Massive Britain.
A Painful Life Further Re-Miserabled. Pip and Harry put to sea with Captain Beehab until they are shipwrecked. What secrets does the mysterious volcanic island hold?
A Now Tricky Life Woefully Miseried Up. Pip and Harry pursue the evil Mister Benevolent to France, to a dark and pungent fate awaits them. Guest starring David Mitchell.
A Life Destroyed, And Then Repaired And Re-Happied. Our hero Pip faces his nemesis Mister Benevolent for an epic Russian battle.
Hero Pip sees Gently Benevolent and locked up in prison, and apparently repentant of his crimes. But late one foggy night when Pip is attacked with a bowl of sinister custard he realises a new form of evil is stalking the streets of London, and he is obliged to ask for help from his erstwhile foe. Meanwhile his best friend, Harry Biscuit, claims to be having terrible problems with an angry badger, but is all as it seems?
A Tolerable Life De-Happified. Pip must enlist the help of his former nemesis to fight a new evil spreading terror and cake-crumbs through the streets of London.
A Now Spoilt Life Smashed Some More. Pip and Harry journey to the Underworld to rescue Ripely, only to find the evil Mister Benevolent has got there first.
A Wretched Life Made Much Much Sadder. After an embarrassing disaster involving a bridge and a train full of puppies and orphans, Pip and Harry travel to America on the SS Massive Britain.
A Painful Life Further Re-Miserabled. Pip and Harry put to sea with Captain Beehab until they are shipwrecked. What secrets does the mysterious volcanic island hold?
A Now Tricky Life Woefully Miseried Up. Pip and Harry pursue the evil Mister Benevolent to France, to a dark and pungent fate awaits them. Guest starring David Mitchell.
A Life Destroyed, And Then Repaired And Re-Happied. Our hero Pip faces his nemesis Mister Benevolent for an epic Russian battle.
