I realise now I'm writing about it that I've somehow managed to entirely miss series 1 of Radio 4 Sci Fi tinged comedy, Welcome to Our Village, Please Invade Carefully by Eddie Robson. Which is a real shame because, having encountered series 2 by chance, I am very much warming to it.
The central premise is that a small Buckinghamshire village has been invaded by aliens as a test site that can be monitored ahead of a pencilled in future world invasion. The aliens then set up a force field to cut the village off from the rest of the UK, and cut all outside communication. Caught up in the invasion is Katrina Lyons (Hattie Morahan), a 30 something professional from London who happened to be visiting her parents at the time.
Series 2 picks up where Series 1 seemingly left off, and episode 1 opens with the two woman resistance party that is Katrina and sullen teenager Lucy Alexander (Hannah Murray) attempting to dig a trench under the force field, while arguing about who's doing the work and trying to avoid getting caught by the evil Uljabaan (Charles Edwards).
It's not the new Undone but it has the same kind of heart as Undone did, and mixes Sci Fi and comedy with similar ease. I was trying to explain it to a friend at work today, and he immediately thought of the film District 9. But what it really reminds me of is a slightly wonky, and much funnier, version of The Archers, with flourishes of Hitchhikers Guide and with George Osborne in the body of Field Commander Uljabaan.
Episode 3 was on last night, and can be enjoyed on iplayer for another 28 days.
