Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #946 in DVD
• Released on: 2007-11-12
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 176 minutes

DVD Description
Jack Dee stars as Rick Spleen, a successful but world-weary stand-up comedian who spends too much of his time hosting corporate events in the BBC comedy sitcom, Lead Balloon.

Rick and Marty, his American co-writer, spend their days arguing, drinking too much coffee, and devising work avoidance strategies.

Further distractions are provided by Magda, Rick’s home help, his show-biz agent wife Mel, their teenage daughter Sam and her feckless boyfriend Ben.

Lead Balloon is co-written by Jack Dee and Pete Sinclair. This DVD includes all six episodes in series 1.

Episode 1: "Rubbish" - Rick fronts a lame government TV recycling campaign which backfires spectacularly. He falls out with café-owner Michael over a homemade fruitcake, and has a full-on row with unhinged baby-present shopkeeper Maureen.

Episode 2: "Wayne" - A teaspoon crisis in the Spleen household leads Rick to petty theft. Meanwhile, Rick's sleep is disturbed by the paperboy, Wayne, who is very punctual, very noisy and has a brain the size of a walnut.

Episode 3: "£5,000" - Rick gets in a punch-up at an awards ceremony and ends up with a black eye. Marty is preparing to pitch a programme to the BBC and Michael is delighted that Rick has accidentally sponsored him a small fortune for his Skipathon.

Episode 4: "Allergic" - Rick discovers he may have inadvertently killed one of Britain's best-loved entertainers, but he's preoccupied by a missing shoe-organiser. Meanwhile Rick prepares for upcoming appearance on topical news panel show Bullet in the News.

Episode 5: "Pistachio" - Rick buys himself a scooter but worries that it makes him look gay. Hosting the Air Conditioning and Climate Control Awards goes disastrously, and a trip to the local dry cleaner ends in a heated argument.

Episode 6: "Fatty" - Rick is publicly humiliated on TV by daytime chat-show host Adam Green. He also has an unfortunate encounter with an acquaintance at the gym, and Ben manages to destroy Rick's brand new DVD player by taking the back off.

Synopsis
The complete first series of the comedy show featuring Jack Dee as comedian Rick Spleen. Features the episodes 'Rubbish', 'Wayne', '£5000', 'Allergic', 'Pistachio' and 'Fatty'.

Customer Reviews

The best comedy show for 06 and 07
Lead Balloon works on every level as every character trait and grouping is a winner and the comedy interaction is so well acted and scripted.

Dee's Day
Although this show has been often described as 'The British Curb Your Enthusiasm' I can see why, but it's an awful lot better. The storylines centre around Rick Spleen a comedian who has to take various corporate gigs to pay the bills, the other characters are Marty, Rick's witty American writing partner, his partner Mel a showbiz agent, their daughter the lacklustre Sam and their Eastern European cleaner Magda. Special mention must be also be made of the slightly unhinged local cafe owner Michael. Most of the episodes include Rick doing something to avoid opening his wallet, which almost always fails.

It's a great comedy and the sly sarcastic dark wit used throughout is excellent. The characterisation is spot on and I'd advise readers to give it a try if they haven't already.

Watch Without Prejudice
I don't mind Jack Dee but I LOVE this show. I could not believe that it had previously been described as a "5th rate Curb Your Enthusiasm". I am a massive fan of Larry David, have all the Seinfelds & all 5 series of Curb - but honestly get past series 3 & the laughs & plot lines wear pretty thin.

It's easy to look down on Balloon as a poor man's "Curb" if you want to apply some intellectual snobbery but trust me on this - you would be wrong. Sure the show gives Larry & his genius a nod, but the dialogue is razor sharp, the character interplay is witty & well observed. In short it is highly watchable & very funny. An essential gem in any comedy collection. My vote for best new comedy of the year.

Series 2 has a lot to follow.