Cabin Pressure: The Complete Series 3

By: John Finnemore

Narrated by: Stephanie Cole, Benedict Cumberbatch, Roger Allam, John Finnemore

Length: 2 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Stephanie Cole, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Roger Allam star in the first series of the hit sitcom about the tiny charter airline for whom no job is too small, but many, many jobs are too difficult. By John Finnemore (‘The News Quiz’, ‘That Mitchell & Webb Sound’) Run by the forbidding divorcée Carolyn Knapp-Shappey (an unfortunate marriage, namewise, but in Carolyn’s opinion, marginally better than Carolyn Shappey-Knapp), her two pilots are the smooth, experienced and almost-certainly-fired-by-a-big-airline-for-all-round naughtiness Douglas, and struggling almost-competent pilot and sweaty man Martin. All-round help is provided by Carolyn’s near-idiot son, Arthur...In the first of the complete six episodes - ""Qikiqtarjuaq"" - when MJN Air flies a party of tourists near the North Pole, Arthur goes hunting for polar bears, Carolyn for a rogue lemon and Martin for a believable French accent...

Then we travel to episode 2 - ""Paris"", and when a bottle of highly-expensive whisky goes missing, Martin becomes the Miss Marple of MJN Air with Arthur assisting as his trusty Doctor Watson and Douglas hindering as his untrusty prime suspect. On to part 3, ""Newcastle"", where love is in the air, but also unfortunately in a small airport in Birmingham - and Martin has to choose between career, romance and fixing a very small tail-light. Part 4 finds us on the way to ""Ottery St Mary"". Martin is a Man With A Van, Douglas flies A Plane With An Otter and Carolyn dates A Pilot With A Problem With Sheep. And two mysteries solved - the name of Carolyn’s dog and the rules of “Yellow Car”.

Arriving at episode 5, ""Rotterdam"", it's Lifejacket, Camera, Action as stardom beckons for one of the crew of MJN Air... but who will get to blow the final whistle? And will they look good in a vest? And in the last episode of the series - ""St. Petersburg"" - some vodka and an unwary bird could spell the end of the line for MJN Air, and when Carolyn meets her ex-husband the atmosphere turns even icier.... With special series guests Timothy West, Anthony Head ('Buffy') and Mark Williams ('The Fast Show').

©2011 Pozzitive Television Limited (P)2011 AudioGO Ltd

Critic reviews

"The more I listen to John Finnemore's Cabin Pressure, the more I think what a stonking masterpiece it is. Perfect in every department." (Philip Pullman)

well written and funny

One of my favorite programs of all time. I have listened to it multiple times and it never gets old. Great cast too.

Utterly brilliant radio comedy.

Buy this audiobook. Buy it now. Buy it fast. You'll laugh until you're sore in the stomach listening to the adventures of MJN air, Britain's least competent but most endearing airline. This is British radio humour at its very best, and it has Benedict Cumberbatch in the cast (as Captain Martin Crieff)! The entire series is excellent - there's not a dud episode among them. I cannot wait for more episodes so come, and have listened to these ones many times and they just keep staying funny. This is a future classic, destined for the comedy hall of fame.

cant go wrong

All seasons of thisshow hold a high quality, and you really cant go wrong with The. enjoy one of The Best comedies available

WHAT A JOY!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Going on a roadtrip? Feeling a little punk? Nothing will make the time pass like a great laugh with the crew on Cabin Pressure. Beautiful voices. Lovely humor. Can't get enough. Have listened to this over and over.
Great characters.

What did you like best about this story?

Hillarious!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This just cracks me up!

Obsessed

I love this program so much. Funny, witty and charming. Fantastic acting. Just brilliant. Do yourself a favor and listen.

MJN keeps flying, I keep laughing

Fabulous as per usual.
"Qikiqtarjuaq"-- what Douglas puts Martin through is excruciating and hilarious
"Paris"-- since I came to Cabin Pressure as a fan of Benedict Cumberbatch from Sherlock, this is my very favorite episode, in which Martin attempts to solve a mystery on board
"Newcastle"-- Benedict Cumberbatch is replaced in this episode and the stand-in doesn't quite have his note of desperation. Wish I could hear the real Martin try to flirt with the female pilot they are ferrying
"Ottery St. Mary"-- Delves into the age-old questions, (1) can one visualize 100 otters and (2) would they fit comfortably in Gertie? This episode is special because finally, finally, for once, Douglas does something nice for Martin
"Rotterdam"-- Really makes the most of the radio format as Martin, Douglas, Herc and another man also named Martin compete to sound the smoothest and most confident for MJN's welcome recording.
"St. Petersburg"-- a tense but great day, in different ways, for Martin, Douglas, Arthur and Carolyn and hence a treat for listeners. I was delighted to hear that a fourth series is planned, but if this had to be the show's finale, it is fitting.

Worth the credit just for a single episode.

I'd never heard of John Finnemore before listening to this series, but I was intrigued by a comedy starring Benedict Cumberbatch [who was astonishing at the National as both Frankenstein and his monster, although more known this side of the pond for playing a contemporary Sherlock Holmes], Stephanie Cole [Waiting for God, Tenko] and Anthony Stewart Head [Buffy, Little Britain, Free Agents]. To my surprise, they do a beautiful job together!

Dame Cole has always played characters decades older than herself, and here she plays someone closer to her own age, owner of a struggling single-plane airline, and mother to the steward, the endearingly rattle-brained Arthur, played by Finnemore, the genius behind the entire series. Cumberbatch is the pilot [after seven goes at the pilot's exam] who works unpaid just to fly. His suave co-pilot is a demoted captain who knows all the tricks of the trade, but can't bear to tell his wife he's not #1 on the flight deck any more.
Each episode is a new and alphabetic destination, with some word games for the bored cabin crew, trouble and hijinks.

In Series 3, they veer from Paris to Ottery St Mary to Rotterdam, but the episode in St. Petersburg is worth the price of the whole set, with beautiful voice performances, wordplay, zaniess, and poking fun at the flight industry. Looking forward to Series 4!

Endless laughs

Which character – as performed by the narrator – was your favorite?

Martin and Douglas are a perfect couple. I can't stop laughing at Douglas's antics and poor Martin's desperate attempts to make everything better.

Top Notch

I loved this series. The voice actors are great. The plots are clever. I laughed out loud listening to it. Highly recommend!

The Cabin Pressure lover

Loved this book!! I feel that I am lost without Cabin Pressure. I just love it!!!!!!!!!!!