Not like the US Red Dwarf pilot. That actually is tear-your-eyes-out bad.
The producers just have to pick various people who are a good pick to play off Richard Ayoade being himself, and send them off places to film how they get along with each other. Ideally, picking people who love to travel and have a good time to slightly annoy Richard.
TV that produces itself.
The curve ball, which defied all expectations, was the episode in Madeira which paired him up with someone with a similarly rapid-fire and dour wit: Robert Webb. In contrast to the rest of the series, one of the funniest things I've ever watched.
But I think it suffers the same problem as the US Red Dwarf and the early episodes of the US Office, you can't expect to clone the characters. You have to deviate. Hew to the spirit, but not necessarily the letter.
Terry Farrell got role of Cat in the 2nd attempt for pilot, a year before arriving in Deep Space Nine as Jadzia Dax