A hilarious geeky comedy

Show in which every person will find identifiable narrative for their own lives.

- Hein Kaiser

It's funny, it's sad, it's hilarious and cringey at the same time. Hello Ladies, the Stephen Merchant created, directed and star-of, too, comedy is on HBO's corner on Showmax.

It's a show of ballooned reality proportions that expertly exaggerate some of the most challenging ideas we hold about being a heterosexual man, in search of a mate. Or simply just to mate.

The Office, The Bachelor, Three's Company (yes, the ancient John Ritter sitcom) and a soupçon of Karl Pilkington's adventures in An Idiot Abroad are all on a single show.

This is what Merchant dishes out, and it's generously done.

After all, Merchant is the one half of 21st century comedy's most successful pairing, with Ricky Gervais the other 50%.

Together they have devised some of the most self-deprecating, ego-bashing and downright funny comedy that the world has seen, especially when contrasting with the usual fare of sitcoms.

Hello Ladies has a familiar angle of attack.