Episode 2 of Special1 TV has been released, and it’s an instant classic. This one has many more laughs than the debut episode on BBC 3. It’s one of those episodes that has a little something for everyone.

It’s a perfect episode to watch in the build-up to today’s England against Algeria game.

Be champions!

The Special One has returned to the airwaves with episode 1 on BBC 3. This one, released on the first day of the World Cup, features Jose alongside Wayne Rooney and Sven-Goran Eriksson as well as the usual cast of call-in experts such as Rafa, Didier Drogba, David Beckham and even Tom Cruise.

It’s not their funniest episode, but there are a couple of chuckle monents here and there.

One thing I noticed, however, is that the episode is approximately one minute shorter than the previous show on Setanta. This may not seem like much, but one minute is a long time on a short TV show like this and doesn’t give creator Mario Rosenstock as much time to develop story lines or gags. Hopefully BBC will give him his minute back.

The trailer for the upcoming relaunch of Special 1 TV, this time on BBC 3, has been launched (see above video).

While I’m excited about the show coming back on the airwaves, I must say that I am very underwhelmed by the trailer. They could have put some effort into it rather than this weak attempt.

Let’s hope the show itself is a lot more creative. There’ll be so much fodder for the first episode that creator Mario Rosenstock may not know where to start. Rafa getting the heave-ho. The Special One being special and moving to Spain. Sven in charge at Ivory Coast. Rooney being Rooney, and so much more.

Special 1 TV, the cult TV show that was a hit on Setanta Sports from December 2007 until May 2009, is making a triumphant return to the airwaves this June courtesy of BBC. The new show, still under the “Special 1 TV” moniker, will be available on BBC 3.

The show was a bigger success in the United States than the United Kingdom. And I’m sure there were far more people who watched the episodes via YouTube in the States than in the UK.

The relaunch of Special 1 TV on BBC3 this summer is perfect timing especially with all of the fodder Mario Rosenstock – the man behind the show and the voices – will have available to him during the World Cup. Imagine what they can do with Jose, Sven (managing Ivory Coast), Rooney (hopefully winning the World Cup for England), Drogba and so many other characters.

“Special 1 TV episodes will be produced by production company Caboom for BBC3 and BBC online ahead of each of the England games, capturing the mood, atmosphere and anticipation from Jose’s South African studio in the lead up to what’s undoubtedly going to be one of the most exciting World Cup tournaments of recent years. With Wayne and Sven embedded in the tournament, Jose will be doing what he does best – shouting in his opinion from the outside,” according to a post on the production company’s website.

Damian Farrell from Caboom says that “We are delighted to be working with the BBC on a World Cup version and very excited in particular with the opportunities presented to us in working with BBC online to further build on the social media and online potential of content like this. The show will also feature a puppet version of England manager Fabio Capello whose approach and attitude to the beautiful game will undoubtedly stand in complete contrast to puppet Sven’s tactics of hanging out in South Africa for the month, on an all expenses paid trip courtesy of the Ivory Coast.”

“Special 1 TV” begins on BBC3 on June 11th with daily episodes available on BBC online during the World Cup.

Episode 4 of Special 1 TV is now available. This week’s escapades include:

• Wayne Rooney gets benched again,
• Jose’s secret plan to overcome Man United in the Champions League,
• The quest for a nickname for Guus Hiddink,
• Fergie and Voyeur have a war of words,
• Ronaldo has a new song, and
• Special 1 TV is big in Germany.

Danke.

Now THAT's funny.

The Football Comedy is closely related to the Football Film: both are nearly impossible to pull off and both tend to leave fans deeply divided.  In my experience, football comedy is usually best when it targets soccer’s absurd periphery, like When Saturday Comes’ tongue-in-cheek reporting on money in modern English football, Mitchell and Webb’s exquisite dissection of the moronic bombast of Sky Sports, or Steve Coogan’s take on inane TV sports analysis.

But football comedy intended for “the fans” is usually doomed from the start, suffering the a priori limitation of having to carefully cater to the absurd, partisan bias of the average club supporter. Hence the gratingly unfunny Special 1 TV (formerly known as I’m on Setanta Sports), Setanta’s five minute Spitting Image-style puppet show featuring Jose Mourinho, Sven Goran Erikkson, Wayne Rooney and Fabio Capello, among a few other familiar off-screen ‘callers’ (Fergie, Becks and Benitez, rounding up the LCD of recognizable football characters).

Of course many Eee Pee El fans will disagree violently with me on this (scroll down for the usual grab-bag of epithets).  Love for the latex megalomaniac Mourinho and his apparently brain-damaged side-kick Wayne Rooney seems near universal on the blogs.  Some close friends of mine have even expressed envy at my Setanta subscription, not so much for the three Saturday fixtures but for the five minute, post-match S1TV featuring moist globs waving their gloved hands around while making jokes well below the comedy line.

It seems to me in conceiving the show, the producers thought as long as the puppets looked and sounded right the need for funny dialogue would be moot.  They also took care to avoid pissing off their less-than-anticipated number of subscribers by removing any hint of cutting satire (here’s a great example). There’s a reason main on-screen characters are ex-Premier League managers—anything touching on the actual absurdity of the current Premiership might stumble on the truth and thereby piss off thousands of vulnerable supporters, able to mobilize on a moment’s notice with on-line petitions and Facebook groups calling for boycotts (the Rooney puppet, depicted as a rambunctious man child, doesn’t count.  A Ronaldo puppet on the other hand…).

Yes, the show is only five minutes long and easily avoidable.  That’s not the issue.  The issue is is that it seems to have become part of the ‘zeitgeist.’  References to S1TV are near ubiquitous in the English press, and football bloggers almost choked when they swallowed last month’s ‘cancellation’ prank whole (a marketing gimmick for the above-mentioned name change).  I just think we can do better than this, and that there is a place for good, biting satire in deadly-close proximity to match day fixtures—the more offended partisan fans the better.  If they need any inspiration, they could go no better than go back to the original Spitting Image, the show that cut into the dark, horrible heart of Thatcherism with little remorse. Lord knows the Premier League is still ripe for the pickin.’

These are the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of ANYONE else at EPL Talk.

Episode 3 of Special 1 TV is now available featuring an interview with David Beckham and Tom Cruise. Plus, Sven shares his desire to leave the Mexico job for Portsmouth. And Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose build up their camaraderie ahead of the Inter Milan against Man United game.

For those of you who haven’t seen the second episode of Special 1 TV from last week, it’s a classic. Jose plays word games with Wenger, which results in Wayne Rooney requiring medical attention. Plus there are a bunch of other hilarious gags in this episode. Enjoy.

The first episode of Special 1 TV has premiered, and it’s an instant classic. Be sure to check out the tribute to Robbie Keane, a call from Beckham in Milan (sounding clueless) and even a surprise phone call from a closet West Ham United supporter in the United States.

It’s all here in the first episode of Special 1 TV, the sequel to I’m On Setanta Sports:

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The characters from Special 1 TV, the new show to replace I’m On Setanta Sports, have spoken. The show will debut after the Manchester United versus Everton match this weekend on Setanta Sports UK, and will be available shortly thereafter on the interweb. Here’s the latest statement from our favorite trio, The Special One, The Boy and Sven:

The Special One: “My fellow football fans, I am humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed. I thank Sven, Wayne and Fabio for the generosity and co-operation they have shown throughout this transition. Today, I say to you the challenges we face with my new show, Special1 TV, are real, they are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this viewers: They will be met.

“Special1 TV will proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas that for far too long have strangled sports punditry.”

Wayne Rooney: “Ahhhh that’s brilliant like. I have been counting down the number of sleeps to Saturday and the new show. I am more excited than a new puppy.”

Sven: “Wella … he is always promising more than he can deliver. Different wrapper maybe but I think the same self indulgent content. And how narcissistic is naming the show after your self penned moniker. Ridiculous.”

One possible reason that the show changed its name and has been rebranded. Special 1 TV now has a sponsor — Pools4all.com