Initially written as a book by Mark Evans and then recorded as a BBC Radio series, Bleak Expectations is a parody of a Charles Dickens novel. The title is a mash up of tow famous Dickens novels: Great Expectations and Bleak House. I really liked the outright silliness and how they flipped the Dickensian tendency to name characters after their personalities (see Ebeneezer Scrooge) on its head. Instead of describing the characteristics of the individual, the names in this series do the opposite: the names are deceptive, just like the character of evil Mr. Gently Benevolent, played by Anthony Head, star of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. It starts out with a traditional Dickens plot involving marriage for money and dastardly lawyers, and becomes increasingly zany, featuring a town made of actual cheese. Given that this is my third time listening to this series, I give it 5 out of 5 scribbles! I recommend this series for people who love 19th century British literature and a large dose of silliness.
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