Line #10 Series/LeadBalloon

Context Series / LeadBalloon

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1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/lead_balloon_9.jpg]]
2
3	''Lead Balloon'' is a BritCom on [[Creator/TheBBC BBC Two]] starring Jack Dee as Rick Spleen, a successful yet disillusioned stand-up comedian and serial liar. It follows the exploits of hapless Spleen as he searches through life for a crumb of comfort, his habit of pathological lying frequently digging him into holes, alongside his partner Mel, writing partner Marty, unmotivated daughter Sam, her boyfriend Ben, local café owner Michael, and Eastern European cleaner Magda.
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5	!! This show provides examples of:
6	* BolivianArmyEnding: Series 4 (currently intended to be the last) ends with Rick's career seemingly being ended for good, but all we see is the [[spoiler:photograph of him accidentally punching Clive's wheelchair-bound mother in the face on the front page of a tabloid]].
7	* BottleEpisode: The penultimate episode of the show features a grand total of two characters: Rick and a surprisingly pleasant psychopath called Donald, played by Robbie Coltrane. Two journalists turn up [[TheStinger after the credits]], but it's a two-hander through and through.
8	* BritishBrevity: Four series for a total of 27 episodes.
9	* CringeComedy
10	* DiggingYourselfDeeper: Much of what Rick does.
11	* EthnicMenialLabor: Magda the cleaner.
12	* TheEeyore: Rick, obviously. Also Magda.
13	* FawltyTowersPlot
14	* FormulaBreakingEpisode: The penultimate episode, "Blade", is a two-hander between Rick and Donald, a prison convict who has taken him hostage, featuring none of the other cast or other features of the series.
15	* IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: Each episode title is one word taken from an element of the episode ("Pig", "Points", "Hero", etc.)
16	* IdiosyncraticWipes: Scenes are sometimes punctuated with Rick writing down a one-liner in a notebook.
17	* RealSongThemeTune: A cover of ''One Way Road'' by Paul Weller.
18	* StatusQuoIsGod: If it appears Rick is about to receive a substantial boon to his career, you can bet it won't take.
19	* UnsympatheticComedyProtagonist: Rick Spleen.
20	* WeWantOurJerkBack: Marty's reaction when a near-death experience (temporarily) turns Rick into "Ghandi-Rick".
21	* YankTheDogsChain: ''Lead Balloon'' is practically ''[=YtDC=]: The Series''. Played mostly for laughs, of course.

Context Series / LeadBalloon