- Radio Times
- Review by:
- Alison Graham
It's Christmas at St Saviour's and someone has stolen the Three Wise Men's camels from the Nativity display. Vicar Adam Smallbone refuses to be downhearted - maybe the missing beasts can be replaced by cows? "A Wise Man crossing the desert on a cow?" blusters outraged parishioner Adoha.
That's Adam, a man for whom there are never problems, there are only solutions. But even his legendary compassion and good nature are stretched by a truly testing Christmas. He loses a friend, he is head-butted by another, supposed, mate and his father-in-law (a magnificently austere Geoffrey Palmer) arrives unexpectedly. Worse, Midnight Mass is disrupted by drunks and Adam (Tom Hollander) melts down in a spectacular, funny/sad, Adam-type way.
Christmas specials of television comedies are so rarely special, or even Christmassy, but Rev is a fount of goodness and kindness all year round and especially at Christmas. You'll have a few tears and a heart as warmed as a plum pudding by the end.
About this programme
7/7. Adam prepares for his first Christmas in London, but soon discovers St Saviour's is a world away from his sleepy old parish in Suffolk. The Archdeacon is on his back to maximise profits, the diary is packed with unusual events and he is up at the crack of dawn every morning to cook breakfast at the homeless shelter. Exhausted, and with Midnight Mass looming, the last thing he needs is a house guest - least of all his cantankerous father-in-law. Geoffrey Palmer guest stars in the comedy, with Tom Hollander, Olivia Colman, Simon McBurney and Lucy Liemann. Last in the series.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Rev Adam Smallbone
- Tom Hollander
- Alex Smallbone
- Olivia Colman
- Mick
- Jimmy Akingbola
- Colin Lambert
- Steve Evets
- Nigel McCall
- Miles Jupp
- Ellie Patman
- Lucy Liemann
- Archdeacon Robert
- Simon McBurney
- Adoha Onyeka
- Ellen Thomas
- Martin
- Geoffrey Palmer
- Courtney
- Severn Brand
- Lisa
- Katie Males
- Chloe
- Eliza Newman
- Steve Warwick
- Ben Willbond
Crew
- Director
- Peter Cattaneo
- Executive Producer
- Tom Hollander
- Executive Producer
- Kenton Allen
- Producer
- Hannah Pescod
- Writer
- James Wood
- Writer
- Sam Bain
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