The fifty-ninth TV show: #507 Knowing Me, Knowing You
I haven't gotten to The Day Today yet, the predecessor of this show in a way - or rather, where the character of Alan Partridge originated. However, I have listened to the preceeding On The Hour radio show, which sets it up just as much.
That Alan Partridge, originally a sports caster, can be presenting a chat show is a testament to how quickly it felt like a developed character. A lot of it builds on known stereotypes that hold up even now - this was parodying Top Gear before that show was established, amongst other things.
The main part is that it's hilarious, trading on a lot of general tropes and subverting them, mostly from incompetent hosting that pushes far beyond Alan Partridge's limits. It works well, though and we raced through this. Now to watch the follow up series for more.