Lab Rats

2008•30m

Lab Rats is a 2008 BBC 2 situation comedy set in a university science laboratory starring Chris Addison, who co-wrote the series with Carl Cooper. The series was produced by regular collaborator Simon Nicholls and directed by Adam Tandy. Its executive producer was Armando Iannucci with whom Addison worked in The Thick of It. Iannucci stated that the programme would be a traditional-style sitcom recorded in front of a live audience. He hinted that it will be a "very cartoony" show featuring "lots of giant snails". A pilot was announced as part of a series called "Behind Closed Doors" in Autumn 2006, but was never aired. A series of six episodes was broadcast in 2008, although the show was not recommissioned for further series.

Seasons

6 Episodes • Premiered 2008

1. A Snail

Within St Dunstan's University sits the Arnolfini Research Laboratory... staffed by idiots. Can Alex and Brian help a Russian professor clone his dead grandmother?

2. A Donor

Within St Dunstan's University sits the Arnolfini Research Laboratory... staffed by idiots. Why is there an annoying man in pink mohair in the pink freezer?

3. A Protest

Can Alex stop hippies from storming the lab? Why has the Dean filled every oven in the college with Dutch cakes? And who exactly booked Joan Armatrading?

4. A Bee

Thinking his rival, Dr Vaabit, has sabotaged his avocado plants, the Professor wants revenge. Alex and Cara get into trouble when farming some of Dr Vaabit's bees in a cabinet.

5. A Seven Nighter

Can the Lab Rats stay up for seven nights in a secret underground government facility without killing each other?

6. A Diary

Why has the lab got a pigeon loft? Can Alex prove his dad has really found Captain Scott's diary? And why is the Prof making Brian flirt with a weather machine?