The Power of Parker (2023– ) User Reviews (14)

Very enjoyable, with a nice chunk of nostalgia.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 30 July 2023]

Martin Parker is a self made man, but he's run into financial difficulties, he's forced to take drastic action. His family life is also complicated, he has a social climbing wife, and a demanding mistress.

When I saw a sitcom starring Conleth Hill and Sian Gibson, I was all over it, I wanted to love it, and for the most part I did.

The best thing, the nostalgia, if you're my age, and grew up in this era, you'll spot so much, the accuracy was amazing. It's the late 80's, early 90's brought to life, the music is awesome.

It's funny, there are definitely a good few laughs, it's not belly laugh humour, but it's amusing, Sian Gibson really does supply a lot of the humour.

The BBC doesn't exactly have a comedy armour right now, I'm not sure Not going out will run for much longer, inside no.9 is ending, it needs good shows, this one has potential to run for a little while.

As well as Hill and Gibson, you'll see plenty of well known faces, including George Costigan and Sheila Reid, it's very well cast.

Very watchable.

8/10.

Lighthearted and enjoyable to pass some time

[anniebleasdale-97708 · 8/10 · 15 August 2023]

The Power of Parker isn't going to win any awards for services to television. Having said that, it provides plenty of lighthearted and nostalgic humour (I say that despite not having been born when this was set). If you're a fan of the cast members, you'll be a fan of this.

I watched the series in two sittings, it made me chuckle throughout and I had a smile on my face for most of the episodes. No, it's not a groundbreaking comedy. No, it hasn't got laugh out loud and roll around on the floor in fits of giggles moments. But it IS funny, despite what other reviews may say. The storyline isn't actually that far fetched and there are loveable characters, as you can expect from the names in the cast list.

This is a how for those who are fans of (northern) British humour and TV. The show felt like a warm hug and a good cup of tea on a rainy afternoon. If recommend it and watch it again. Give it a go before you write it off.

The banter is what makes it

[andrewpeel · 8/10 · 30 August 2023]

As someone whose from Manchester and lived there in the 80s/90s the memories this series brought back are excellent.

What really makes the show is the banter. Northerners are known for the banter and every episode is littered with one liners that from the time. Setting it in Stockport is a stroke of genius for many reasons. At this time many of us in Manchester thought Stockport was 'posh' and a great night out. People in Stockport cherished a Stockport address and looked down on Mancunians.

The two sisters at the centre of the story are great and watching Parker slowly unravel just adds a layer of dark comedy.

More Coronation Street than Comedy

[JRB-NorthernSoul · 6/10 · 29 July 2023]

Good to see something set up North. This had a fun start with the cheesy 90's TV advert and a cast of well-known actors who have comedy chops. Production values were cheap and cheerful but it was well enough made.

This is a watchable show with a few gentle laughs and some nice 90's nostalgia for those old enough to remember, but I was left a bit disappointed.

For me the lead character needed to be a lot bigger, Parker was a bit underwhelming as a lead and I'm not that bothered on going on a journey with him. The show would have benefitted from a more dramatic storyline and a funnier script it's all a bit soapy.

The soundtrack of pop songs from the era seemed to be randomly inserted every 5 or 6 minutes?

Better than many recent UK comedies but one you could safely skip.

Inoffensive, easy-viewing but stuck in an identity crisis

[cjc_u · 7/10 · 28 September 2023]

As a big fan of Sian Gibson and Conleth Hill I had high hopes for this new comedy. And in parts it hits the spot, especially in the first couple of episodes.

But I got the feeling as it progressed that the writers were caught between creating a straight comedy and a light, romantic drama. It's rarely laugh-out-loud yet equally doesn't carry sufficient weight in the drama stakes.

Gibson brings her usual charm to the role, with Sheila Reid in good form too, but I felt overall the plot overstretched and at times plodding to fill six episodes. A three-part series would, I think, have given ample time to tell the story and better pacing.

Love it

[cathyannemoore-66196 · 10/10 · 29 July 2023]

This was obviously written by someone who lived in Stockport in the 1980s / 90s. The dressing of the sets is spot on. The tea sets, the sofas cars etc etc. It's not perfect some of the writing is not that funny but I've given it 10 stars because it took me back in time and I like many of the actors. It's a very good cast and the script has a lot of northern humour in it that they deliver well. Although, some of the humour may be too nuanced for anyone who is not northern. What is also nostalgic is the choice of music which is a backdrop of chart hits from that era. I'd love a season two to be made.

Comedy with more up its sleeve

[Ron_Bacardi · 9/10 · 26 August 2023]

I really enjoyed 'The Power of Parker'. I was expecting a well-written but fairly run of the mill comedy - not so! There's a lot more going on than first appears. As the series progresses, it subtly morphs into a comedy drama, with the plot almost threatening to outdo the comedy. Fortunately 'The Power of Parker' is packed full of funny characters, witty observations and social satire, some cracking dialogue, and a scene stealing performance by Steve Pemberton.

We learn more about Kath (Sian Gibson) and Diane (Rosie Cavaliero) and their respective relationships with the eponymous Martin Parker (Conleth Hill), and Martin's other - potentially deadly - indiscretions are revealed. The backdrop of 1990 is a treat for those of us who remember when wallpaper and rugs really were that beige, and it affords some well-observed satire about gender roles (many of which have sadly not gone out of fashion with the furnishings).

Wonderful writing, well-crafted characters and a gripping narrative. And very, very funny! Recommended!

Woeful

[mbell-56214 · 1/10 · 1 August 2023]

A show set in 1990, and written like something from the 70's. This is just so old hat and just another example of the BBC been stuck in the past. Gave it two episodes and only broke a smile once during these episodes. It's just lazy writing and not in the least bit funny. Not a likeable character in the whole thing.

Now just repeating the above due to the 600 character rule... A show set in 1990, and written like something from the 70's. This is just so old hat and just another example of the BBC been stuck in the past. Gave it two episodes and only broke a smile once during these episodes. It's just lazy writing and not in the least bit funny. Not a likeable character in the whole thing.

Don't be confused, this is not a social commentary on 90's culture

[KneeDamage · 10/10 · 29 July 2023]

Just watched the whole thing in one go. We were entertained throughout, it's not belly laugh after belly laugh but it is funny and engaging.

It looked pretty authentic, loved all the contemporary references especially Rumbelows (for the young ones, think Curry's or the Amazon electrical page)

The acting was great, no Oscars for sure, but it was great to see some actors we hadn't seen for a while rather than the same ol' same ol' faces you see on everything these days.

Overall it's worth a watch. It's not going to tax your brain cells, there were some laugh-out-loud moments and it'll make you chuckle, so give it a go.

As funny as a long night in with toothache

[tony_carlin · 1/10 · 30 July 2023]

Tried to watch this, got about 20 minutes in and have yet to even raise a titter. I so wanted to like this but it was like a Poundland version of car share with totally unbelievably obscure and weird characters. Turned it off and watched something else, anything else would do. When we compare recent programmes like two doors down and the previously mentioned car share this is a very poor imitation of comedy and I don't know why or how they managed to get a series made.

I think they must have thought "oh it's her from car share it'll be funny". Sorry but it wasn't.

Let's hope the bbc can try better next time.

Excellent

[steveevans-35154 · 8/10 · 26 August 2023]

Six episodes of this new comedy.

It's a very entertaining show. The laughs come quickly and the two lead woman are excellent.

Season two already being filmed and season three commissioned and I'm not surprised.

Coupled with the soundtrack it's pure entertainment with some risqué jokes.

We laughed all the way through. I never received facsimiles that Parker did. What a shame.

Some of the jokes are toilet humour but that sits fine with us. Maybe we are an immature audience.

I'm surprised there were low reviews as it's easy viewing at only 30 minute episodes.

Can't wait for the new season.

Witty and Nostalgic

[Petro-G · 9/10 · 31 August 2023]

In trailers this sitcom looked pretty silly initially, but turned out to be something of a gem. Polished acting and a funny script, the series was slick and fast-moving. I enjoyed the nostalgia of the times and the premise of a smaller entrepreneur doing battle with the Rumbelows of the day. The two ladies in Parker's life were tremendous and played with aplomb by Sian Gibson and Rosie Cavaliero. The other characters in the sitcom all played their part too in producing a very enjoyable series. I don't often laugh out loud at today's humour but the blend of nostalgia, quirkiness and a funny script performed by some excellent character actors, really hit the mark for me.

terrible

[bwvqbzzvd · 1/10 · 4 August 2023]

The power of parker is terrible its not funny i am surprised that thus is being shown on prime time television.

The Power of Parker is set over a few days in 1990, about the implosion of businessman Martin Parker's carefully built, nicely managed and altogether very pleasant life. He (played by Conleth Hill) is a respected member of the community who runs his late father's successful electrical superstore. He has been married to Diane (Rosie Cavaliero) for 25 years, has a son and a daughter who are no trouble and they all live in a large, immaculate new-build with a pillared porch in a nayce part of town.

The only downside - apart from his decidedly unnayce father-in-law Dougie (George Costigan on fine, if unhygienic, form) - is that the business was more successful when his father was running it and Martin is in hock to local villains, the Slater brothers, for an amount that keeps getting further and further out of his reach. So it unfortunately becomes time to end things with Kath (Sian Gibson, also the series' co-writer, with Paul Coleman), his mistress of 25 years, to avoid paying her rent on the flat above the abandoned butcher's shop in which he had generously installed her when times were good.

Storyline sounds promising but the script is terrible and tries to hard to be funny, it is confusing in parts don't know if it will improve as it goes on as i was so bored and unimpressed with it i definitely won't be watching the rest of the series.

The Power of Parker

[studioAT · 3/10 · 9 September 2023]

Where did this go wrong?!

A good cast, two thirds of the team behind 'Car Share', this should have been gold.

It starts well, the first couple of episodes are very strong, but it falls flat on its face on the third go and never really recovers.

Sian Gibson tries hard with weak material (worrying, seeing as she's one of the writers), but I've never found Rosie Cavalerio funny in anything she's done before, and this show doesn't change my opinion. She's miscast here badly.

This should have been a three part series, or a ninety minute one off for Christmas etc. At six episodes a fairly premise is stretched too far.

A shame, this should have been better.