Colin's Sandwich

The central character, Colin Watkins, is an educated, intelligent, neurotic man in his mid-thirties. By day he works in a dead-end job for the now defunct British Rail in their complaints department, where he listens to, and attempts to appease, a combination of complainants and abusive customers. (At the time the series was broadcast, British Rail had a poor reputation for its performance.) While the job involves mundane tasks such as photocopying and dealing with customers, Colin dreams of being a horror author.{{Cite web|url=https://sabotagetimes.com/tv-film/colins-sandwich-mel-smiths-unsung-masterpiece|title=Colin's Sandwich: Comedy Legend Mel Smith's Unsung Masterpiece|last=Luck|first=Richard|website=Sabotage Times|language=en|access-date=12 April 2019}}

Colin lives alone in a top-floor flat though his girlfriend Jenny. His best friend Des often share time with him there. Jenny and Colin are revealed to have met at university and share a sexual relationship, though apparently do not maintain one. He is a neurotic who often turns to alcohol (whisky or white wine) for solace. Jenny is more down-to-earth and is a stable figure in his life. He tries to do the right thing in the numerous situations he ends up in (being bored by friends' endless dreary dinner parties, finding a dead cat and returning it to its owner, going on holiday while continually fretting about leaving appliances on in his flat). He is often conflicted and has a borderline depressive attitude to life – brought about in one episode by his colleague leaving British Rail for pastures new who encourages Colin to do the same.

The overarching plot of Series 1 has Colin submitting one of his few finished works to John Langley, a tough publisher who includes it in his anthology of horror short stories.

After its original transmission, the second series was repeated on BBC2 during the Summer of 1992,{{Cite web |title=Colin's Sandwich |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?q=Colin%27s+Sandwich&after=1992-01-01T00%3A00%3A00.000Z&before=1992-12-31T23%3A59%3A59.999Z#top |website=BBC Genome}} and it was frequently shown on UK Gold during its early years,{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Tanya |date=April 20, 2009 |title=Colin's Sandwich |url=http://www.noisetosignal.org/2009/04/colins-sandwich.html |website=Noise to Signal}} although the show has rarely been repeated since then. The series was released on DVD by Simply Media on 9 June 2014, nearly a year after Mel Smith's passing. The boxset consisted of both Series 1 and 2.{{Cite web |first= |date=June 9, 2014 |title=Colin's Sandwich: Complete Series 1 and 2 [DVD] |url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Colins-Sandwich-Complete-Mel-Smith/dp/B00JMCXJ4G |website=Amazon}}

{{Series overview

| color1 = #A42D29

| link1 = #Series 1 (1988)

| episodes1 = 6

| start1 = {{Start date|1988|10|18|df=y}}

| end1 = {{End date|1988|11|22|df=y}}

| color2 = #B88D72

| link2 = #Series 2 (1990)

| episodes2 = 6

| start2 = {{Start date|1990|1|12|df=y}}

| end2 = {{End date|1990|2|16|df=y}}

}}

{{Episode table| background =#A42D29 |overall=6 |series=6 |title=30 |director= |writer= |airdate=22 |episodes =

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=1

|EpisodeNumber2=1

|Title=Flaunt It

| DirectedBy = Jamie Rix

| WrittenBy = Terry Kyan and Paul Smith

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|10|18|df=y}}

|ShortSummary=Colin's told that he's the only man for a huge photocopying job, a fashion assignment in Bengal means an unwanted emergency dinner party, and an extremely boring guest stands in the way of an exciting opportunity.

|LineColor=A42D29

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=2

|EpisodeNumber2=2

|Title=Time Out

| DirectedBy = Jamie Rix

| WrittenBy = Terry Kyan and Paul Smith

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|10|25|df=y}}

|ShortSummary=A decision has to be made about who's entitled to a period of leave, Jen suggests going on holiday to get away from the British summer, and different requirements lead to a suggestion about going separate ways.

|LineColor=A42D29

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=3

|EpisodeNumber2=3

|Title=Enough

| DirectedBy = Jamie Rix

| WrittenBy = Terry Kyan and Paul Smith

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|11|1|df=y}}

|ShortSummary=Colin's told to cut back on excesses for a fortnight after a health scare, the agony of it all isn't helped by a leaving party and Chinese takeaway, and an appointment with old acquaintances only prolongs the agony.

|LineColor=A42D29

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=4

|EpisodeNumber2=4

|Title=Pussyfoot

| DirectedBy = Jamie Rix

| WrittenBy = Terry Kyan and Paul Smith

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|11|8|df=y}}

|ShortSummary=Colin's offered a chance to be published in the Langley Book of Horror, the pressure of a deadline leads to a bad case of creative impotence, and an effort to get away from constant distractions leads to the biggest yet.

|LineColor=A42D29

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=5

|EpisodeNumber2=5

|Title=Back from Bengal

| DirectedBy = Jamie Rix

| WrittenBy = Terry Kyan and Paul Smith

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|11|15|df=y}}

|ShortSummary=Colin worries about his story making it to John Langley's office, the wait for the ring of the telephone is interrupted by returning friends, and an attempted apology leads to the most boring ear-bending in history.

|LineColor=A42D29

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=6

|EpisodeNumber2=6

|Title=Night on the Town

| DirectedBy = Jamie Rix

| WrittenBy = Terry Kyan and Paul Smith

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1988|11|22|df=y}}

|ShortSummary=Missing out on a Eurotunnel event leaves Colin considering his future, good news from John Langley comes with an invite to dinner, and a moment of cowardice on the underground proves to be a distraction.

|LineColor=A42D29

}}

}}

{{Episode table| background =#B88D72 |overall=6 |series=6 |title=30 |director= |writer= |airdate=22 |episodes =

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=7

|EpisodeNumber2=1

|Title=A Bit Whiffy

| DirectedBy = Jamie Rix

| WrittenBy = Terry Kyan and Paul Smith

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1990|1|12|df=y}}

|ShortSummary=Colin enjoys the praise that comes with the launch of the Langley Book of Horror, a film producer asks for a treatment by the end of the week, and Jen wants to relax after suddenly finding herself out of work.

|LineColor=B88D72

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=8

|EpisodeNumber2=2

|Title=A Piece of Cake

| DirectedBy = Jamie Rix

| WrittenBy = Terry Kyan and Paul Smith

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1990|1|19|df=y}}

|ShortSummary=Colin tries to hold in his inner child when he attends a boring wedding, Trevor's announcement that he's getting married comes with a surprise request, and attempts to inject some originality don't quite hit the mark.

|LineColor=B88D72

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=9

|EpisodeNumber2=3

|Title=Zanzibar

| DirectedBy = Jamie Rix

| WrittenBy = Terry Kyan and Paul Smith

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1990|1|26|df=y}}

|ShortSummary=The fallout from a hijacked train provides inspiration for a story for a TV series, Jen accepts the offer of a lift for a second interview in Berkshire, and Colin begs not to be left alone with two consistently tedious guests.

|LineColor=B88D72

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=10

|EpisodeNumber2=4

|Title=Night Thoughts

| DirectedBy = Jamie Rix

| WrittenBy = Terry Kyan and Paul Smith

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1990|2|2|df=y}}

|ShortSummary=The demands of writing a screenplay begin to take their toll on Colin, the breaking point comes while standing in for Travers on a phone-in radio show, and Jen suggests that it might be time to hand in his notice.

|LineColor=B88D72

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=11

|EpisodeNumber2=5

|Title=Frank

| DirectedBy = Jamie Rix

| WrittenBy = Terry Kyan and Paul Smith

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1990|2|9|df=y}}

|ShortSummary=Alan Hunter proves to be a perfectionist when it comes to endings, Jen starts to question whether there's a future in her relationship, and Colin rushes to the hospital when Des calls with bad news about his father.

|LineColor=B88D72

}}

{{Episode list

|EpisodeNumber=12

|EpisodeNumber2=6

|Title=Out to Lunch

| DirectedBy = Jamie Rix

| WrittenBy = Terry Kyan and Paul Smith

|OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1990|2|16|df=y}}

|ShortSummary=Colin tries to shut things out by keeping himself as busy as possible, Jen suggests going on a relaxing holiday to get away from it all, and a trip to the 'best restaurant in the world' proves to be a stressful experience.

|LineColor=B88D72

}}

}}

{{reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|id=0094439|title=Colin's Sandwich}}
• {{British Comedy Guide|tv|colins_sandwich}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120718053647/http://homepage.ntlworld.com/stephense9/colinssandwich/ Colin's Sandwich unofficial fan site]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colin's Sandwich}}

Category:1988 British television series debuts

Category:1990 British television series endings

Category:1980s British sitcoms

Category:1990s British sitcoms

Category:BBC television sitcoms

Category:British English-language television shows

Category:Television shows set in London