New BBC Sitcom: IED (It Aint Half Hot Mum II?)

[Manotea]

The BBC is commissioning a new comedy series about bomb-disposal experts working in Helmand province'

In a statement, Zai Bennett, controller of BBC3, said: 'This comedy explores the humour soldiers use to cope with the darkest of situations and is full of funny stories of how our heroes pass their time based on the experiences of many of the military people the writers have spoken to.'

Discuss.

[Exit Stage Left]

M*A*S*H ran for 251 episodes. Some of them were funny.

[Manotea]

Good point and no doubt what the Beeb have in mind. M.A.S.H was based on a film and novel using a previous war - Korea - as a backddrop and went on air at the close of the Vietnam War. On that basis should our IED chaps not be in Northern Ireland?

[Torslanda]

Film of explosives officers up to their knees in shit, dismantling timers whilst being screamed at unintelligibly and having battery acid thrown at them would not, I fear, make sexy TV.

All of which happened in NI.

EOs working 24hr plus shifts, dismantling roadside bombs packed with shrapnel or clearing minefields when dog tired and being blown to bits as a result of being under staffed, under resourced and over stretched doesn't really cut it either.

If it has an anti-war stance it may have a chance of being watchable. But, authentic? Not a fucking chance . . .