Brown and Bye

Brown and Bye

Brown and Bye was the name of a pilot situation comedy first aired on BBC4 in June 2008 and written by John Jennings-Westwood. Although aired at prime time and repeated twice more in the same week, lack of sufficient advertising only meant the show received 20,000 viewers. Such low figures meant that the show's following three episodes were subsequently cancelled.

Plot

"Brown and Bye" is a sitcom based around two characters and best friends who run their own public house. Critics were quick to highlight the similar setting to the British classic "Open All Hours", but within the first two minutes of the pilot, the unique format of "Brown and Bye" was blatantly obvious.

The sitcoms two main characters "Yarts Bye" and "Ranj Brown" fit into the very familiar odd couple roles. "Yarts Bye", is a young, "call a spade a spade" Welsh bisexual, with what can only be described as alternative view on race and skin colour, that becomes more apparent the more he drinks. His fellow best friend and business partner, "Ranj Brown" is of Sri Lanken descent and although a quiet and placid gentleman when sober, transforms into a homophobic and abusive monster when intoxicated.

The result is a hilarious mix of pseudo-racist remarks and homophobic jibes that perhaps reflect a more realistic view of our society. Even so, the pilot episode received negative press, claiming it was nothing more than an excuse make racist comments and discriminatory jokes about homosexuals. Few critics realised the true nature of the show and the deeper message behind it.

Due to the bad press and poor viewing figures the show was axed.

Episodes

Although six episodes were written in total for the first series, only three episodes were ever commissioned, of which only the pilot was ever aired.

The Pilot

In the pilot episode Ranj and Yarts finally realise their dreams by buying a local pub called the Loweken Arms in the heart of North London. They plan to have a big opening night extravaganza welcoming as many new clientele as possible. However, hilarity insues over what type of customers they both want to attract... In the end neither achieve what they want only alienating themselves from the local community. They do however make some new friends that endeavour to help them throughout their problems.

Where's My Mother****ing Pizza?

After a failed opening night Ranj and Yarts decide to try and spread the word about the pub by advertising in local stores and distributing drinks offers to potential customers. Yarts soon decides it may be a good idea to see and what the other pubs and bars are like in a bid to understand what the local community enjoy. This soon turns into bar crawl with both Ranj and Yarts getting extremely drunk and rowdy. They both return home craving food and so decide to ring up the local pizza takeaway. When their pizza fails to show up after an hour, Ranj and Yarts decide to take a trip directly to the store only to find it closed... The episode ends with Ranj and Yarts being escorted back to the pub by PC Canwen.

10 Pints of Lager and a 4AM Curry

Ranj and Yarts decide that the pub needs a complete image change and soon go about making major structural changes. However, their inexperience results in Ranj jackhammering into a water pipe and flooding the pub. With the pub out of action while the plumbers and builders repair the damage, Ranj and Yarts arrange to go for a drink with PC Canwen and Dan Fortune. One thing leads to another and before they all know it, it's three in the morning and they're all extremely hungry. PC Canwen leads the gang to an out of the way curry house that's open till 4AM. The owners are soon at loggerheads with Yarts and the situation is made no better by Ranj's insistence on exposing his genitalia.

Other Characters

PC Canwen

PC Canwen is a Welsh police woman first introduced in the pilot and immediately finds a new friend in Yarts, a fellow Welshman. Characterised by what Yarts describes as "a cracking pair of noughts" she plays a key part in bringing the locals back to the pub for more banter and "Baywatch" banter courtesy of Ranj. In episode 3, she initiates Ranj and Yarts in the 4AM curry.

Dan Fortune

The owner of the local Chinese takeway also makes his first appearance in the pilot after Yarts throws a brick through his shop window. The incident allows the introduction of PC Canwen to the pub where she helps to resolve the situation. After several pints of ale, Dan Fortune finds himself two new friends in Ranj and Yarts, goading them into evermore extreme money making schemes.

Mama Janet

Mama Janet is a 55 year old single woman who is the proprietor of the local pizza takeaway. In episode two she becomes the subject of abuse from Ranj after his late night pizza fails to turn up.

Trivia

The actor who played Yarts Bye (David Tippet) was originally a fishmonger. He was asked to come for an audition after making a joke to the casting director about the large order of Pollock he'd just received.

In episode two Yarts is seen to buy a bottle of Gaymers apple cider but in the next shot it is quite clear that he is pouring a bottle of pear cider.

Ironically the actor who plays Ranj Brown is himself bisexual, whereas the actor who plays Yarts Bye got married when he was only 19 and now has 3 children.