Cabin Pressure. Series One

I first learned about this from my friend and former professor. He suggested this to me after seeing me gush over Benedict Cumberbatch. He suggested that I listen to Cabin Pressure, and since I knew this wasn't a song, then it had to be a radio drama of some sort. My first thought was that it was a horror show or something, like a group of people stuck in a log cabin with Cumberbatch as the killer. Actually, it wasn't. It was a radio play, true, but it was a comedy. And I loved it so much I wanted to do my own version of it: a comedy radio play. In Filipino.

One striking thing though is that the show, at least the first series, has a lot American references. I'm not sure if the UK has such close ties with American pop culture or if this was a conscious move to be able to market the show in the States. Either way, I'm not complaining. I'm just saying.


Episode 1: "Abu Dhabi"

Oh, Roger Allam takes the cake here, far outshining Cumberbatch. Here also we learn about the power struggle on board the aircraft Golf Tango India. A younger berk Martin Crieff against an older Douglas Richardson is no match, definitely. Roger Allam oozes sarcasm out of every orifice. We also get a free lecture on how a plane really flies. Also, I learned the English eat rice. Even surprising rice.

You'd be surprised at how surprising rice can be.

Another thing about this show is the games they play. Just shows how much free time a pilot has. In this episode, they play a game called "Brians of Britain", where they name all the famous people named Brian from the British isles.

American references for this episode: Scrooge McDuck, and calling "shotgun".

This episode also mentions Carolyn's dog Snoopadoop, whose name will be of importance in the later series.


Episode 2: "Boston"

Grumpy old Mr. Lehman. Not sure if that's how it's spelled, though. Died while smoking. There's lots of Americans on this flight. Or maybe they're just Brits with American accents. God knows there are a lot of that.

Like Maj. Dick Winters here.

The game for this episode is the popular "Simon Says". The American references for this episode: just one, the song "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes" by The Platters.


Episode 3: "Cremona"

The crew fly famous film star Hesta Macaulay (again, not sure about the spelling) to Italy. And Ms. Macaulay sounds sexy. Or at least her voice does. But again, you can never be too sure about voices. The general rule is that the hotter the voice, the uglier in real life. Conversely, the uglier the voice, the hotter in real life.

Case in point: Jennifer Tilly

Game: Incorporating songs into the cabin address.
American reference: Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon".


Episode 4: "Douz"

The crew find themselves in the Sahara. Brilliant! They rescue the Scotland cricket team, and also get to redo the MJN Air company brochure along the way. How do they escape? By taxiing the plane down the Sahara highway. And also, the French airport manager is a riot.

American reference: The Muppets.

Nothing says "American" like the Muppets.

Episode 5: "Edinburgh"

Birling Day. This is not a holiday. This is the day they take Mr. Birling to the Six Nations rugby final. I also learned a new word: toadying. Also, nail varnish can reseal bottles. But I have yet to try it.

Nail varnish is different from nail polish, right?

American reference: Yogi Bear.


Episode 6: "Fitton"

Nothing actually happens. But how's this for a cliffhanger: Martin walks in on Douglas pretending to be a pilot to his lovely wife Helena, when we all know he's only a first officer.

"Only a first officer?"

The game they played here is probably the best game for the entire series: Books that sound more interesting with the final letter knocked off.

Also, this episode features a lot of American references, more than all the other episodes combined: "Summertime" by George Gershwin (although I knew about this song through the band Sublime), Dr. Seuss, Apocalypse Now, Muppet Babies, Forrest Gump, Of Mice and Men, and The Da Vinci Code.


Thus ends the first series. After watching Sherlock, I can't help but imagine Martin Freeman playing Arthur. He does sound a bit like John Finnemore.


Cabin Pressure (Series One). UK. 2008


Rating: Eight and a half out of ten.



*some info from Wikipedia
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