Bleak Expectations

The Complete BBC Radio 4 Series

By: Mark Evans

Narrated by: Anthony Head, Celia Imrie, David Mitchell, Geoffrey Whitehead, Jane Asher, Raquel Cassidy, Richard Johnson

The complete collected series 1-5 of the gloriously daft Victorian romp Bleak Expectations.

Gasp at the evil Mr Gently Benevolent, played by Mr Anthony Head! Weep at the trials of our young hero, Pip Bin, played by Master Tom Allen! Be moved to joy and sorrow by the remarkable narration of Mr Richard Johnson! Swoon at the fragile beauty of Pip's poor mama, played by Miss Celia Imrie! Wonder at the thespian prowess of Mr Geoffrey Whitehead as six different siblings! Follow the remarkable adventures of young Pip Bin as he struggles to rescue himself and his sisters from the schemes of his evil and badly named guardian, Mr Gently Benevolent, and the blood-curdling Hardthrasher family.

Immerse yourself in a timeless epic featuring terrifying schools, even worse prisons, opium dens, disguises, court cases, shipwrecks, underwater squirrels and swashbuckling long-lost aunts. Revel in the many fine quips, characters and scenarios written by Mr Mark Evans and produced by Mr Gareth Edwards, previously renowned for their craftsmanship on the works of Messrs Mitchell and Webb.

Series 1: Televised as The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff on the BBC. Episodes: 'A Childhood Cruelly Kippered', 'An Adolescence Utterly Trashed', 'A Youth Utterly Crocked', 'A Young Adult Bitterly Dismantled', 'A Young Love Mercilessly Dismembered', 'A Life Sadly Smashed Then Happily Restored a Bit'.

Series 2: 'A Happy Life Cruelly Re-Kippered', 'A Re-Kippered Life Smashed Some More', 'A Recovery Made Miserable', 'A Restoration Re-Ruined Only Even Worse', 'An Already Bad Life Made Worse but Sort of on Purpose', 'A Happy Life Broken' and 'Then Mended a Bit'.

Series 3: 'A Lovely Life Re-Kippered Again Once More', 'A Now Grim Life yet More Grimmified', 'A Sort of Fine Life De-Niced Completely', 'A Horrible Life Un-Ruined and Then Re-Ruined Again', 'An Evil Life Sort of Explained', 'Lives Lost', 'Ruined Wrecked' and 'Redeemed'.

Series 4: 'A Tolerable Life De-Happified', 'A New-Spoiled Life Smashed Some More', 'A Wretched Life Made Much, Much Sadder', 'A Painful Life Re-Miserablised', 'A Now Tricky Life Woefully Miseried Up', 'A Life Destroyed then Repaired and Re-Happied'.

Series 5: 'A Pleasant Yet Dull Life Re-Evilled', 'A Re-Excited Life Made Distinctly Dangerous', 'An Alrightish Life Savagely Frozen to Bits', 'A Writerly Life Made Dreadfully Different', 'A Terrifying Life Made Even Scarier a Bit Some More', 'A Loved-Up Life Potentially Totally Annihilated'.

Audio updated as of February 2020.

©2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Absolutely hilarious

I have actually lost count of how often I've listened to this. It is my absolute favorite! Probably over a hundred times by now, as I used to listen to this every night while trying to fall asleep (had noisy dorm neighbours that I needed to drown out and I can't fall asleep with music on). The characters are amazing and hilarious, I cannot pick a favorite, but Anthony Head is glorious in anything he does!
After 8 years and the fact that I know it by heart, it still makes me laugh. So five stars and swans all around!

Kitschy but very fun!

This series is a nice parody of the classics from the 1800s… kitschy fun with a Dickensian twist!

Delightful

Funny, punny, clever heartfelt. Great voice acting and foley work. Top marks. World liste again.

😂😂😂😂😂

brilliant writing brilliant casting brilliant performances

I have listened to this again and again since I first heard the show years ago. if you're not dead then you'll enjoy this immensely. you may enjoy it as well if you're dead, I can't really say.

Hilarious

I read the description for this show awhile ago and thought it sounded weird and not very funny, but recently I finally decided to give it a shot, and honestly, I can’t believe I waited this long. Bleak Expectations is brilliant, especially if you know anything at all about Victorian literature. If you’re familiar with John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programme, Bleak Expectations is a bit like an extended ‘since you asked me’ sketch- satirical, punny, and more than a little absurd. I often burst out laughing in public while I’m listening because it’s just so funny. The voice acting is also excellent, especially Anthony Head. Overall, really really great.

Ripping yarns meets Dickens

The selection of the cast is first class, and the performance of the cast is superb.
The audio book is hilarious from start to finish.

a surprise treat

I bought this without a lot of confidence - but was pleasantly surprised. I'm a Brit who doesn't adhere to the sometimes popular conceit that British humor is the best. This was to my mind all that's best when Brit writers and performers hit the mark. Frequently ludicrous, but cleverly so, with just the right scattering of double-entendre to spice it up. The casting was really good and they made it work well. Really good stuff

Utterly delightful and so very fun

I am a fan of Charles Dickens and this parody/satire seemed right up my alley. And it was! This is so different from the "typical" British comedy which is funny but not laugh out loud funny. Bleak Expectations is laugh out loud funny. Some of the jokes are incredibly witty and clever...and some of them are just the most obvious puns. But honestly, I didn't even care because 1) I love puns and 2) it had earned my delight long before that. The story just gets more and more ridiculous as it goes on (there is an alien invasion at one point) and somewhat repetitive since it's pretty much always the same bad guy who just doesn't seem to be able to stay dead. But again, honestly I didn't care because I just enjoyed the ride. The performances were really great; I've loved Anthony Head since Buffy the Vampire Slayer and he is just phenomenal at voice acting here.

Some small technical notations: I was frustrated that each episode of the series is not a separate chapter so it would be really difficult to jump to a specific episode. The last series seems to be grouped into episodes as chapters but the others are not. Not sure if this is something Audible could fix, but listeners should be aware. Also, there is a technical issue with chapter 216: there is about 30 minutes of dead air after the episode ends. It doesn't appear that any episodes are missing; there's just a few minutes you have to fast forward through to get to the next episode.

Overall, very highly recommended if you have any affection for Charles Dickens or ridiculous comedies. This series was a bright spot during a difficult time and I will absolutely listen to it over and over again.

That strange wacky British humor

I am returning this audio book. I really enjoy the actor's voices, especially those I recognize from Cabin Pressure. But I do not get British humor when it gets wacky. Perhaps it truly is funny to someone British, but I am left baffled . . . wondering what is funny. Over and over again in this audio book

I will keep trying out other British BBC comedy series since some of them really are funny, but there must be some cultural divide where the wacky stuff doesn't translate.

Most of this book, to be honest, I slept through. But I tried before and after sleeping through the middle of it to listen to the story and jokes - because I really wanted to hear some comedy. But this book didn't work for me and I can't finish it. I had to go reload Cabin Pressure and John Finnemore's Double Acts onto my iPod to get some good laughs.

Final chapter is missing

Had the final chapter been included, this would have five stars. Too bad. Want a refund.