Man Like Mobeen

Last updated

Man Like Mobeen
ManLikeMobeen titlecard.png
Genre Comedy-drama
Created by
Directed by
  • Ollie Parsons (series 1–3)
  • Akaash Meeda (series 4)
Starring
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series4
No. of episodes17
Production
Producers
Production company Tiger Aspect Productions
Original release
Network BBC Three
Release17 December 2017 (2017-12-17) 
present

Man Like Mobeen is a British comedy-drama television series created by Guz Khan and Andy Milligan that premiered on BBC Three on 17 December 2017. Set in the Small Heath area of Birmingham, the series stars Khan as Mobeen, a former drug dealer who now tries to live a good life as a Muslim while raising his younger sister Aqsa in the absence of their parents and spending time with his friends Nate and Eight. [1] By portraying the experience of second generation immigrants, the series is an innovative "transcultural comedy" [2] - comically fusing West Midlands, working-class traditions with Pakistani-Muslim culture. [3]

Contents

Cast

Main

Recurring

Production

While working as a humanities teacher in a secondary school in Coventry, Guz Khan began making YouTube videos in character as Mobeen, an opinionated care worker who is raising his sister Aqsa. [4] One video reacted to Fox News's suggestion that Birmingham was a no-go area for non-Muslims while another went viral after calling for a boycott of Jurassic World due to its use of the word "Pachy" to refer to the dinosaur, Pachycephalosaurus, a herbivore from the Cretaceous period found in current day Baluchistan, as it sounds like the racial slur for people of Pakistani descent, "Paki". [4] Steve Coogan's production company Baby Cow picked up on Khan's YouTube videos and made a pilot for BBC Three's new talent show, Comedy Feeds. [4] Khan has described the pilot as "very generic, super-sitcomy" and stated that he wanted to make "something more substantial" with Man Like Mobeen. [5] The four part first series, produced by Cave Bear and Tiger Aspect Productions, was announced by BBC Three controller Damian Kavanagh at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival and was released on iPlayer in December of the same year. [1]

The show was picked up for a second series of four episodes in September 2018. [6] During filming for the second series' first episode, which deals with knife crime, Khan and other members of the production called an ambulance after seeing a young boy attacked and threatened with a knife. [7] Khan has stated that while waiting for the ambulance he felt that "nothing was more real than the very subject we were filming and talking about". [7] In response to the success of the programme with younger audiences, the BBC announced in March 2019 that a third series of Man Like Mobeen had been commissioned, [8] which aired in 2020. In September 2020, a fourth series was confirmed, [9] [10] which started airing in June 2023. In February 2024, a fifth series was announced. [11]

Scripts for Man Like Mobeen were written by Khan and Andy Milligan, creator of the comedy drama Undercover and script writer for TV presenters Ant & Dec. [1] Khan has stated that he wanted the show to portray "the funny yet complex realities of life for young working class men and women in Britain today", [4] alongside an authentic account of Birmingham, which he feels "gets almost no positive representation in the media". [1]

Episodes

Pilot (2016)

No.
overall
TitleOriginal air date
1a"Comedy Feeds: Man Like Mobeen Pilot"6 October 2016 (2016-10-06)
The story of Mobeen Deen, a Muslim, English, 27 year old trying to leave behind a life of crime in Birmingham after finding his faith.

Series One (2017)

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
11"Bagpuss"Ollie Parsons Guz Khan and Andy Milligan 17 December 2017 (2017-12-17)
Eight paid a stranger £150 for what he was conned into believing was a laptop, which is actually a dead cat in a bag. Based on a description of a 'Brown male, in jogging bottoms' dealing drugs, Eight is arrested by armed police. The real culprit is Shahid, a Small Heath dealer who uses 14-year-old Kareema to move his gear. Kareema asks Mobeen's sister Aqsa to help her hide Shahid's drugs from the police and she agrees. When Mobeen finds out, he physically confronts Shahid.
22"Wifey Riddim"Ollie ParsonsGuz Khan and Andy Milligan17 December 2017 (2017-12-17)
Mobeen's little sister Aqsa is suspended from school for fighting bullies. Believing that Aqsa would benefit from a female role model, Mobeen agrees to Uncle Habib's suggestion that he meet Khadijah and her father to discuss an arranged marriage. Things do not go to plan as Uncle Shady attends the meeting and ends up in a physical fight with Khadijah's father.
33"Upper Room"Ollie ParsonsGuz Khan and Andy Milligan17 December 2017 (2017-12-17)
Mobeen and Nate visit Eight's grandfather, who is terminally ill. He confesses to a bigamous marriage to Jamila, an assistant at his video rental business, and asks Mobeen to take him to see her at his shop one last time. When the four men arrive, Eight's grandfather reveals that Jamila left ten years ago and he actually wanted to go to the shop to dispose of a stash of pornographic VHS tapes before he dies and his other wife, Nadia, finds them.
44"H-ALTRight"Ollie ParsonsGuz Khan and Andy Milligan17 December 2017 (2017-12-17)
Mobeen takes the blame when Aqsa throws a flask at racist leader Robbie Worthington during a demonstration, and is arrested. He finds himself in the back of a police van with Worthington. The two argue and Worthington faints. After the pair are released, Aqsa again throws her flask at Worthington.

Series Two (2019)

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
51"Prom Night"Ollie ParsonsGuz Khan and Andy Milligan6 February 2019 (2019-02-06)
Mobeen is worried about rumours of debauchery and the threat of a stabbing at Aqsa's prom night, so attends with her in a car borrowed by Eight from a local gangster, Azaar, without his permission. Azaar drives by, recognises his car and threatens Eight, but the police arrive to investigate rumours of knife crime and the gang disperse. Ridwan, a classmate of Aqsa's who has a crush on her, arrives with a katana and is lectured by his hero, Mobeen. While playing with the katana, Mobeen is tasered by police.
62"Wrestling with the NHS"Ollie ParsonsGuz Khan and Andy Milligan6 February 2019 (2019-02-06)
Aqsa is injured during a game of WWE and is taken to hospital by Mobeen, Nate and Eight. While waiting for Aqsa to be treated, Mobeen meets an upper class man who complains about waiting times in the overstretched A&E and espouses racist views. Eight gets lost in the hospital and, posing as a doctor, performs surgery on the upper class man. The hospital authorities become worried about how Aqsa obtained her injury and call the police, however the policeman who arrives knows Mobeen and states that he's sure he would never intentionally hurt his sister. After this, the upper class man comes to the police officer and complains about his anus being stitched up.
73"Return of the Pack"Ollie ParsonsGuz Khan and Andy Milligan6 February 2019 (2019-02-06)
Mobeen's old friend Cal is released from prison and struggles to adjust to a crime-free life. Nate and Eight organise a homecoming party for Cal but Azaar arrives and Cal robs him at gunpoint. Aqsa is angry with Mobeen when she finds out he isn't her official legal guardian.
84"Fake News"Ollie ParsonsGuz Khan and Andy Milligan6 February 2019 (2019-02-06)
While queuing outside an indoor mini golf centre, where Mobeen, Nate, Eight and Aqsa are going to celebrate Aqsa's 16th birthday, Mobeen is filmed punching a dog, which is sent to attack him by its owner, who'd argued with Mobeen about her place in the queue. The video goes viral and Mobeen enlists Uncle Shady's help to remove it from the internet. While Mobeen is on a date with Aqsa's teacher, Miss Aitken, Nate and Eight are attacked by Azaar and his gang, leaving Mobeen plotting revenge.

Series Three (2020)

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
91"You Reap What You Sow"Ollie ParsonsGuz Khan and Andy Milligan26 January 2020 (2020-01-26)
102"Moving Food"Ollie ParsonsGuz Khan and Andy Milligan26 January 2020 (2020-01-26)
113"Permanent Exclusion"Ollie ParsonsGuz Khan and Andy Milligan26 January 2020 (2020-01-26)
124"Boys In The Wood"Ollie ParsonsGuz Khan and Andy Milligan26 January 2020 (2020-01-26)
135"This Is The Ends"Ollie ParsonsGuz Khan and Andy Milligan26 January 2020 (2020-01-26)

Series Four (2023)

No.
overall
No. in
series
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
141"Gotta Catch 'Em All"Akaash MeedaGuz Khan and Andy Milligan8 June 2023 (2023-06-08)
Mobeen and Nate are 2 weeks away from finishing their sentences, with Mobeen being a designated listener. His work as a listener gets him into trouble with an inmate known as Megalodon, who attempts to transfer with Sajid's cousin Chippy. Aqsa returns, and complains about medical school.
152"It's Not What You Know..."Akaash MeedaGuz Khan and Andy Milligan8 June 2023 (2023-06-08)
While in the prison infirmary trying to befriend a man named "Memory Stick", who has information on Khan, he meets Nida, the infirmary doctor, who takes interest in Mobeen and helps his sister Aqsa getting a placement for her medical degree. Nate and Harper start to develop a friendship, which makes Mobeen jealous.
163"For the Many, Not the Few..."Akaash MeedaGuz Khan and Andy Milligan8 June 2023 (2023-06-08)
Mobeen tries to visit Nida in the night, but is caught by Harper and Nate, who force him to get information on Memory Stick, whose name is revealed to be Colin. An inmate known as Jamal needs help dealing with losing his kids, and Mobeen and Harper deal with him, which in turn makes Colin agree to work with them. Megalodon attempts to attack Mobeen when he tries to enter Jamal's cell, which is stopped when he is defended by Chippy and Sajid. As a result, Megalodon incapacitates Chippy, and Mobeen tries to kill him. Megalodon knocks him and Sajid out, and starts a prison riot.
174"Death Row Records"Akaash MeedaGuz Khan and Andy Milligan8 June 2023 (2023-06-08)
Mobeen and Sajid escape their cell and escape to the Chaplain during the riot, along with Harper, Nate, and Colin. Megalodon arrives with Nida - revealed to be the daughter of Khan - who takes the memory stick. Megalodon then stabs Mobeen while the Tornado Team enter. A mid-credits scene shows Mobeen awake in the hospital bed, and Aqsa in Sharjah, about to be in a meeting with Khan.

Critical reception

Writing for the Financial Times , Harriet Fitch Little described the first series as "an exceptionally funny character comedy that spins jokes with a subtlety that’s rare for such a young writer". [12] Before the release of the third series in January 2020, the NME 's Gary Ryan said that Man Like Mobeen "isn't just one of the funniest sitcoms of recent times – it may also be one of the most important" and described the show as " Only Fools and Horses meets Breaking Bad – a lightning-in-a-bottle sitcom that features flawed-but-loveable characters you enjoy hanging out with, while actually saying something about the world they inhabit". [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Clunes</span> English actor (born 1961)

Alexander Martin Clunes is an English actor, director and television presenter. He is best known for portraying Dr Martin Ellingham in the ITV comedy-drama series Doc Martin, Gary Strang in Men Behaving Badly, and William Shawcross in William and Mary. Clunes has narrated a number of documentaries for ITV, the first of which was Islands of Britain in 2009. He has since presented a number of documentaries centred on animals. He has also voiced Kipper the Dog in the animated series Kipper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Vegas</span> English actor, ceramicist and comedian

Michael Joseph Pennington, better known as Johnny Vegas, is an English comedian, actor, writer, and director. He is known for his thick Lancashire accent, husky voice, angry comedic rants, and use of surreal humour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British humour</span>

British humour carries a strong element of satire aimed at the absurdity of everyday life. Common themes include sarcasm, tongue-in-cheek, banter, insults, self-deprecation, taboo subjects, puns, innuendo, wit, and the British class system. These are often accompanied by a deadpan delivery which is present throughout the British sense of humour. It may be used to bury emotions in a way that seems unkind in the eyes of other cultures. Jokes are told about everything and almost no subject is off-limits, though a lack of subtlety when discussing controversial issues is sometimes considered insensitive. Many British comedy series have become successful internationally, serving as a representation of British culture to overseas audiences.

Tamsin Morwenna Banks is a British actress, comedian, writer, and producer. She appeared in the Channel 4 comedy sketch show Absolutely, and wrote, produced, and appeared in the British ensemble film The Announcement. She voices Mummy Pig, Madame Gazelle and Dr Hamster in the children's series Peppa Pig. She adapted Nick Hornby's novel Funny Girl for Sky Max and is a writer on Slow Horses for Apple TV+.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Holness</span> British comedian

Matthew James Holness is an English comedian, director, author, plus actor. He created and played the fictional horror author Garth Marenghi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Berry</span> English actor

Matthew Charles Berry is an English actor, comedian, musician, and writer. He has appeared in comedy television roles in The IT Crowd, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, The Mighty Boosh, Snuff Box, What We Do in the Shadows, and Toast of London, the last of which he also co-created. The series earned him the 2015 BAFTA Award for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme. As a musician, he has released ten studio albums.

Anna Crilly is an English actress and comedian.

Schlemiel is a Yiddish term meaning "inept/incompetent person" or "fool". It is a common archetype in Jewish humor, and so-called "schlemiel jokes" depict the schlemiel falling into unfortunate situations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gill Isles</span>

Gill Isles is a BAFTA winning TV comedy producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Bird</span> English actor and comedian

Simon Antony Bird is an English comedian, actor, director and producer. He is best known for playing Will McKenzie in the multi-award-winning E4 comedy series The Inbetweeners (2008–2010), as well as its two films, and Adam Goodman in the Channel 4 comedy series Friday Night Dinner (2011–2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Thomas (actor)</span> English actor and comedian (born 1983)

Joseph Owen Thomas is an English actor and comedian. He played Simon Cooper in the E4 sitcom The Inbetweeners (2008–2010) and its two film adaptations, The Inbetweeners Movie (2011) and The Inbetweeners 2 (2014).

Jason Maza is an English actor, producer, director and screenwriter.

London Hughes is a British comedian, television writer and presenter. She wrote and starred in Laughter Shock, a comedy for the BBC which piloted in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katherine Ryan</span> Canadian-Irish comedian, writer, and actor

Katherine Louisa Ryan is a Canadian-Irish comedian, writer, presenter, actress and singer.

<i>Uncle</i> (British TV series) British television series

Uncle is a British sitcom written and directed by Oliver Refson and Lilah Vandenburgh. Originally broadcast between 2014 and 2017, it stars Nick Helm, Daisy Haggard, Elliot Speller-Gillott and Sydney Rae White, and features original songs by Helm.

Ghulam Dustgir Khan, popularly known as Guz Khan, is a British comedian and actor. His TV appearances include Man Like Mobeen, Taskmaster, Our Flag Means Death and stand-up performances on Live at the Apollo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tez Ilyas</span> British Pakistani comedian (born 1983)

Mohammed Tehzeeb Ilyas, popularly known as "Tez" Ilyas, is a British stand-up comedian. He is best known for starring in the BBC Three comedy, Man Like Mobeen and presenting the satirical comedy programme, The Tez O'Clock Show on Channel 4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jaykae</span> English rapper and actor

Janum Khan, better known by his stage name Jaykae, is a British rapper and actor from Small Heath, Birmingham.

<i>Turn Up Charlie</i> British TV series or programme

Turn Up Charlie is a British comedy television series created by Idris Elba and Gary Reich. The series stars Elba as a disc jockey who reluctantly becomes the nanny for his famous friend's daughter; Piper Perabo, JJ Feild and Frankie Hervey also star. The series premiered on 15 March 2019 on Netflix. In April 2020, the series was cancelled after one season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiell Smith-Bynoe</span> British actor

Kiell Smith-Bynoe is an English actor most notable for his role in the shows Ghosts, Stath Lets Flats, Man Like Mobeen, and Enterprice.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 BBC 2017.
  2. Symons, Alex (14 February 2024). "Transcultural Comedy in Man Like Mobeen (2017-2023): How the BBC is Merging "Us"/"Them."". Journal of Popular Film and Television. 51 (4): 193. doi:10.1080/01956051.2023.2277258. ISSN   0195-6051.
  3. Symons, Alex (14 February 2024). "Transcultural Comedy in Man Like Mobeen (2017-2023): How the BBC is Merging "Us"/"Them."". Journal of Popular Film and Television. 51 (4): 197. doi:10.1080/01956051.2023.2277258. ISSN   0195-6051.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Jeffries 2018.
  5. 1 2 Ryan 2020.
  6. BBC 2018.
  7. 1 2 Lobb 2019.
  8. BBC 2019.
  9. "Man Like Mobeen to return for Series 4". www.comedy.co.uk. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  10. "'Man Like Mobeen' creator Guz Khan says season 4 could explore COVID in prison". NME. 3 September 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  11. "Guz Khan's BBC Three comedy Man Like Mobeen set to return to Small Heath for fifth series". bbc.co.uk/mediacentre. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  12. Fitch Little 2017.

Bibliography