Colin's Sandwich
Colin's Sandwich is a British sitcom that was broadcast on BBC2 in 1988 and 1990. It starred Mel Smith as Colin Watkins, a British Rail administrator who aspired to be a horror writer. The show was written by Paul Smith and Terry Kyan and ran for two series of six episodes. In the second series, Colin manages to achieve some small successes as a writer.
Synopsis
The central character, Colin Watkins, is an educated, intelligent, neurotic man in his mid-thirties. By day he works in a dead-end job for the now defunct British Rail in their complaints department, where he listens to, and attempts to appease, a combination of complainants and abusive customers. While the job involves mundane tasks such as photocopying and dealing with customers, Colin dreams of being a horror author.Colin lives alone in a top-floor flat though his girlfriend Jenny. His best friend Des often share time with him there. Jenny and Colin are revealed to have met at university and share a sexual relationship, though apparently do not maintain one. He is a neurotic who often turns to alcohol for solace. Jenny is more down-to-earth and is a stable figure in his life. He tries to do the right thing in the numerous situations he ends up in. He is often conflicted and has a borderline depressive attitude to life – brought about in one episode by his colleague leaving British Rail for pastures new who encourages Colin to do the same.
The overarching plot of Series 1 has Colin submitting one of his few finished works to John Langley, a tough publisher who includes it in his anthology of horror short stories.