'All the feels – and all the laughs'

Buffy: Revamped performer Brendan Murphy chooses his Perfect Playlist

The comedy favourites of Brendan Murphy, who's performing his one-man Buffy tribute at the Edinburgh Fringe...

Bad Taste

According to Empire magazine, Peter Jackson’s gross-out horror comedy is the 416th greatest film of all time, but I reckon it deserves a higher billing. The blood and guts, the excessive gore, the ridiculous late 1980s special effects, and crucially the absolutely perfect comedy timing of it all makes for a masterpiece that confidently straddles the gap between horror and comedy.

Watching this film casts a whole new light on just how much of a leap of faith the execs at Warner Bros must have taken on Jackson when bringing him in to helm the Lord Of The Rings saga. All killer, absolutely no filler.

Red Flag

Actor & comedian Kiell Smith-Bynoe [Note to Editor: Please check spelling, I’ve seen too many different versions to know what’s real any more] has been given his own sketch show, and it’s absolutely glorious.

You’ll know him best for playing Dean in the Bafta-winning Stath Lets Flats, or Mike in BBC’s primetime sitcom Ghosts but KSB’s debut comedy vehicle Red Flag really lets him shine (alongside a great ensemble cast including Stath regulars Jamie Demetriou & Tom Stourton).

It’s only a Channel 4 Blap for now, but fingers crossed a full season will be commissioned, written and filmed before the all-star cast are too busy to reunite.

Egg

Emily Lloyd-Saini and Anna Leong Brophy are hands down two of the funniest people I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with.

Whether performing a dance routine covered in toilet roll or competing for the love of an imaginary spirit while dressed as hokum psychics, Egg somehow manage in make intelligent, insightful observations on modern society’s ongoing problematic approach to race, gender, sex and class inequality while at the same time being entirely unafraid to present themselves as the brilliantly unashamed idiots they are.

NonCensored

‘You can’t say anything any more - and here to prove it is Harriet Langley-Swindon (Chortle Award winning comedian Rosie Holt) with a roundup podcast recapping the best of her popular (fictional) radio show.

Ably assisted by her faithful producer Martin (played by me) they present the highlights of their weekly show, with interviews with real-life Lefties (such as James O’Brien, Mark Steel, Nell Frizell and Owen Jones), thrashing through current affairs with their ‘diversity hire’ Eshaan Akbar and fielding calls from angry listeners and fans (also angry).

This is hard hitting political punditry at its edgiest - in a firmly old-fashioned, British values way.

Dipak Patel

If there were an award for the unsung heroes of comedy, Dipak Patel would have shelves of them. A talented comedy writer, director, producer, editor (and sometimes actor) he’s been tirelessly banging out comedy gems for years now.

Having previously worked in-house at BBC Comedy, he’s since gone independent and continues to churn out work at a prodigious rate.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer

One TV show in all the world. The chosen one. Is it technically a comedy? No. Is it funny as hell? YES.

Re-live it through the eyes of the humorous and heartfelt hosts Kristen Russo and Jenny Owen-Youngs on their podcast Buffering the Vampire Slayer - complete with hilarious commentary, great guests and original musical compositions every episode.

Joss Whedon’s name may no longer be one that the show’s fans care to be connected with, but the legacy of everyone involved lives on in its cult following of geeks, goths, rock kids and feminists of all stripes.

A huge influence on the millennial LGBTQ+ community, and with a fashion sense and soundtrack that just won’t quit, Buffy remains as relevant as ever - providing all the feels, and all the laughs, all the way through its seven-season saga. Watch along, listen along & book a ticket to Buffy Revamped.