Captain Clark is struggling to sleep, the weight of the off-course cruiser that’s under his command is getting to him. And then the brown stuff hits the fan… sort of.

The writers of this comedy sci-fi disaster show really have it in for Hugh Laurie’s Clark. They must wring their hands with glee every time that they heap more misery onto the well-meaning-but-inept actor posing as a captain. At the start of this episode we’re told that a shield of human faeces is still the best radiation shield, protecting the crew and passengers from contracting cancer. This will not end well.

What seems like the ideal PR opportunity of Clark and chosen civilians being filmed on the ship’s bridge, with the images being beamed back to Earth, feels like a perfect moment. And then the waste pipe ruptures and a literal shit storm sprays out into space for the whole world to witness. Of course, we shouldn’t be surprised, because if it can go wrong, it most certainly will.

Verdict: More misery in the stars as the cruise of a lifetime becomes even more unforgettable for the worst reasons. For fans of schadenfreude and witty putdowns. 7/10

Nick Joy