Bleak Expectations

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Bleak Expectations

Genre	Sitcom
Running time	29 minutes
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Language(s)	English
Home station	BBC Radio 4
Syndicates	BBC Radio 4 Extra
TV adaptations	The Bleak Old Shop of Stuff
Starring	Tom Allen James Bachman Mark Evans Sarah Hadland Anthony Head Richard Johnson Susy Kane Geoffrey Whitehead Celia Imrie
Written by	Mark Evans
Produced by	Gareth Edwards
Recording studio	BBC Radio Theatre
Original release	15 August 2007 (2007-08-15) – 25 December 2012 (2012-12-25)
No. of series	5
No. of episodes	30
Opening theme	Mazurka from Three Characteristic Pieces by Edward Elgar
Ending theme	Mazurka from Three Characteristic Pieces by Edward Elgar
Website	www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00cwgs6

Bleak Expectations is a BBC Radio 4 comedy series that premiered in August 2007. It is a parody of the works of Charles Dickens such as Bleak House and Great Expectations, from which it derives its name, including adventure, science fiction, and costume dramas set in the same period. Bleak Expectations parodies several of their plot devices whilst simultaneously tending toward surreal humour along the lines of The Goon Show. The series also demonstrated a fondness for allusions to parodies of the films of Alec Guinness, particularly the Edwardian satire Kind Hearts and Coronets.

Bleak Expectations is written by Mark Evans who plays minor characters in most episodes, and is produced by Gareth Edwards. Its opening and closing theme are the main theme of the Mazurka from Three Characteristic Pieces by Edward Elgar.

The plot revolves around Philip "Pip" Bin, the fictitious inventor of the bin, and his various fantastic adventures as he attempts to thwart the machinations of his evil ex-guardian, Mr. Gently Benevolent. Pip narrates it as an old man to the journalist (and his eventual son-in-law) Sourquill, who brings various useless inventions to assist in recording the events.