Mrs Brown's Boys, the Irish sitcom starring Brendan O'Carroll as the titular matriarch, has become the most-watched comedy or drama of the Christmas period, with an audience of 11.7 million on Christmas Eve. The show's third series is currently outperforming Miranda on BBC One on Monday nights, despite being largely unheralded by critics.
Critical opinion of the show is scathing. The Metro described it as a 'comedy hewn from the dark materials that spewed forth Love Thy Neighbour and Bless This House', while the Daily Record called it 'lazy, end-of-pier trash'. The Independent crowned it 'the worst comedy ever made', saying it is 'more than 10 times as crass' as Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.
Despite the critical backlash, Mrs Brown's Boys has won both UK and Scottish Bafta awards, as well as the National Television Award for Best Sitcom, voted for by viewers. It also boasts the highest audience appreciation ratings of any BBC comedy.
Brendan O'Carroll, who has been developing the character for 20 years, says he does not know the secret to its success. 'Analyse this and tell me what the secret is, 'cos I don't have a f**king clue,' he said. The character began life on Irish radio before O'Carroll brought her to the stage following a failed film that left him £2.2m in debt.
Director Ben Kellett attributes the show's success to its arrival 'fully formed', with established characters and storylines honed over two decades of development. The show features O'Carroll's extended family and friends, and its humour draws on working-class Dublin life.
