TV preview by Steve Bennett

Telly comedy often seems divided between the big, bold mainstream hits and those shows with more dramatic or sometimes even arthouse intent, with awkward humour derived from the increasing suffering of their characters.

Well, Hang Ups seems to have found the perfect way to have a foot in both camps. Stephen Mangan’s therapist, Dr Richard Pitt, lives in a maelstrom of chaos that he cannot control, insoluble crises swirling around him.

Yet he has to hold himself together for thee sessions he conducts with his clients via video calls – scenes which put the focus on the funny and allowing for an almost sketch-like feel as a parade of incurably odd characters drift across his screen.

The pace is frenetic with the improvised exchanges adding a tone of agitated authenticity, especially in his home life – with a high-strung teenage daughter, sullen son, always-on-the-go high flying wife, alcoholic mother, uncaringly demanding father, feckless friend living in his office, and money problems.

 No wonder he needs his own video therapist, played as an intense anal-obsessive by Richard E Grant. Yet in every one of our hero’s relationships, there’s an elephant that never gets addressed, despite the constant chatter.

Hang Ups’ shooting style adds to the feeling of mounting pressure too. Maybe we can blame Gogglebox - or even Peep Show – but much of the action is shown from the point of view of whatever device is demanding a slice of Richard’s attention at that particular moment, from FaceTime to baby monitors, tablets to entryphones. The opening sequence is a dizzying recap of his many domestic hassles, seen through the lens of his dying laptop as he frantically seeks the power adapter, that really sets he panicked pace.

Richard’s tottering reality, all played against the notion that we are all slaves to our ever-demanding technology, forever in communication but never actually communicating, provides the dramatic impetus and the comedy of jeopardy.

But the acting royalty who are his patients provide the more obvious laughs.

Sarah Hadland, as far away from Miranda’s chum Stevie as it’s possible to be, is especially memorable a fearsome home counties gal trying to dispatch her myriad insecurities with a particularly aggressive sort of stoicism.

Lolly Adefope’s patient underlines the message of corrosive technology, imagining her session only for how it’ll look when later relayed on Instagram. #shallow.

Richard also has to check in with his deliciously humourless supervisor, offering another classic scene within the first 30 minutes.

With a gag rate that’s rare on TV comedy, an imposing sense of peril for poor Richard, and some of the most entertaining nutjobs on screen (that is probably not the correct physiological term), Hang Ups is definitely worth a weekly session – on whatever device you choose to watch it on.

• Hang Ups launches tonight at 10pm on Channel 4.

Review date: 8 Aug 2018
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett