Max & Paddy's Road to Nowhere DVD Review:

Taking to the road in style, well… a motor home, Road to Nowhere follows hapless doormen Max and Paddy as they lumber from mishap-to-misadventure. Roaming under the shadow of Kay’s previous award grosser, how far from the Phoenix is this latest offering?

Comparisons, comparisons. The inevitability of comparing Phoenix Nights to this spin off is always going to form a small basis for thought in the minds of critics and viewers alike. Thankfully, this serves as no discredit to Bolton’s finest, because, in Road to Nowhere Kay has crafted six episodes of solid entertainment – but, comparatively, creaks do begin to appear in the shows stand-alone quality.

Helming and writing the show with co-star Patrick McGuinness, Kay’s earthy charms seep thorough as each episode charts the two compadres exploits as they traverse the North in they’re recently purchased motor home. Be it tackling pesky speed cameras, or doing time for stealing a school bus, the bickering pair are never far from their scrapes with the law… or each other.

With enough cheeky capers to cram into a lifetime of Chuckle Brothers episodes this series carries with it laddish adventure and, an air of sophistically. Yep, despite obligatory fart, poo and jail rape gags Kay’s show does have it’s moments of sweetness. Max’s awkwardness in the realisation of fatherhood offers poignancy to the series, as does his relationship with vertically challenged girlfriend Tina. But this is a show laden with high jinks and adventure, one for the boys and it gives co-star McGuinness a time to shine as the sex mad Paddy. With Paddy’s puppy eyed, skirt chasing his character gets his fair share of the shows –sometimes-limited – laughs.

So, is Road to Nowhere a success? Yes, but in it’s own right is a question too unfair to answer bluntly. Kay’s back catalogue of work has always been a partially inter connected affair. It’s with the appearance of Nights legend; Brian Potter gracing the show in a cameo (henceforth becoming the highlight of the entire series) realisation sets in. You come to realise that with its massive success any spin-off or sequel of Kay’s opus draws comparisons for the solid reasoning: for all it’s charm this effort lacks the warmth capable of Kay’s sublime talents, it just takes an instant of interconnectivity to remind us of this.

Verdict
A boisterous romp through Northern England bolstered by some funny moments – but still, not Kay’s finest endeavour.

Extras:

A run through off lacklustre deleted scenes kick off this discs gaggle of slightly disappointing extras. Presented in a nicely themed menu system the pace picks up a little with the inclusion of a swear on/off option before the shows outtakes reel. It’s a neat touch, and coupled with promotional trailers for the show a short slideshow nicely concludes this extras package.



Shaun Davis