Following in the vein of shows such as The Mighty Boosh, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace is a show that clubs to death the genre of hospital drama with the Dean Learner's wooden acting.<br /><br />Each of the actors play two sets of characters. Matthew Holness plays horror novelist Garth Marenghi who penned a horror show called "Garth Marenghi's Darkplace" which was cancelled in the '80s but resurrected in the modern day. Marenghi plays the show's hero, the doctor with a tragic past, Rick Dagless. Richard Ayoade plays the show's producer Dean Learner, and the stereotypical "boss" Thornton Reed. Learner continuously claims he was effectively playing himself, which explains his shoddy acting. Matt Berry plays Rick's buddy, the womanizing Lucien Sanchez and Alice Woole as the dumb blonde with telekinetic powers, Liz Asher.<br /><br />Although featuring various horror elements, such as a baby eye, an ape with mutating urine and a spontaneous detonating man, Garth Marenghi's Darkplace's real appeal is in it's homage to bad television. Everything from the acting, to the editing, to the writing, to the music, to the special effects, to the white maverick aggravating his uptight black boss is all done to show up the godawful '80s shows shown only at eleven o'clock on weekdays.<br /><br />The show however is also a brilliant example of cult British sitcom. Unlike other shows such as The Mighty Boosh or The League of Gentlemen which spawned mass publicity, cult followings and travelling shows, Garth Marenghi only ran for one series and still survives due to its popularity among the fans. If you feel like something that transcends television genres with pitch perfection, find this show and watch it within the nest 24 hours . . .<br /><br />. . . 23 hours 59 minutes. Don't make me sit here and count.