David Tennant showed off his improvisation skills in a cameo appearance on British TV show Hang Ups last night (August 15).
The Tenth Doctor popped up as wannabe Spider-Man, Jerry, one of the patients of Dr. Richard Pitt (Episodes‘ Stephen Mangan), a psychotherapist offering web therapy sessions. Speaking of webs, here’s David attempting to sling some:
Watching #HangUps pic.twitter.com/mBm6gcpY4g
— Dawn (@_gryffindawn) August 15, 2018
If the premise sounds familiar, that’s because Hang Ups is a British version of an American TV show. The conduit usually goes in the other direction, as depicted so brilliantly in Stephen Mangan’s other show Episodes. For every successful transatlantic adaptation such as The Office, Shameless and House of Cards, there is an I.T. Crowd or Skins or The Inbetweeners.
Stephen’s new show Hang Ups is a British remake of Web Therapy, the improvised comedy that ran for four seasons and depicted a therapist (Lisa Kudrow) who works with patients over the internet. Joining him are other recurring cast members Charles Dance (Game of Thrones and, well, everything), Jessica Hynes (Spaced, W12) and Richard E. Grant (Withnail & I).
And whereas the patients in the original were played by American stars such as Lisa’s Friends co-stars Matthew Perry, David Schwimmer, and even Meryl bloomin’ Streep, Hang Ups features distinctly British character actors, including Harry Potter stars David Bradley and Ian Hart, the actor Kevin Eldon (Game of Thrones), Sarah Hadland (Miranda), and our very own David Tennant.
The latest episode aired in the U.K. last night (August 15), showing David’s character get to grips with being Spider-Man. But what didn’t air were the outtakes, filmed as the two actors improvised their lines, which ended up on the cutting room floor.
Thankfully they’ve been released by Channel 4, including this one of David’s character channelling his rather formidable mother:
And then this one, of him impersonating Jerry Hall.
#HiImJerryHall #HangUpsOuttakes
Hang Ups. New comedy on @Channel4. Wednesdays, 10pm. pic.twitter.com/VnzfS9ng3H
— Hang Ups (@hangupsofficial) August 15, 2018
It all adds up to a very disturbed character indeed, even leading David’s wife Georgia Tennant to quip yesterday, “I have to admit I’m genuinely concerned about my personal safety.”
Hmm. Us too, Georgia!
Did you enjoy David’s impersonations?