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A peculiarly Australasian take on the sitcom and all the better for it say I.

This is a gem. Helen Fisk is a solicitor moving from Sydney back 'home' to Melbourne after the collapse of her marriage. (Ray) Gruber & (Roz) Gruber are a small family law firm looking for an additional lawyer owing to Roz's temporary suspension. Enter Helen.

This has some fast paced dialogue and is quirky but endearing. I do hope they decide to make Season 2!

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S2 (Started: 03/12/23, Finished: 08/02/24)

They did it! Great news, season 2 is already shaping up for some low-key, endearing, funny, subtle and all-round comedy goodness. Definitely time to commission S3 now!

Roz's conciliation business is taking flight and Fisk is undertaking the bulk of the work in the Gruber & Gruber practice. I can't quite tell you how brilliant this is - you need to watch this yourself. I'll say it again - commission S3!!

Alongside 'Trailer Park Boys' and 'It's always sunny...', 'Flaked' has one of the most attractive intro title sequences of any tv series I think I've seen. The paintings in the back-drop, the music - divine.

Intrigued to see WA acting a character (Chip) that is an ex-alcoholic who has previous for killing someone in an RTA. He now runs a furniture store in Venice beach and hosts an AA group.

The dialog is well paced and written, but having a handsome, fit, alpha didn't quite fit the bill for the character until you realize Chip is married (but separated from) to a movie star. Chip spends a lot of time through S1 being obvious girl bait. I guess there's a challenge to my preconception of what an ex-alcoholic who as killed a man should look like. More lines and aged I would say. Also, there's something creepy about 50-something 'boy-men' chasing after twenty-something women (maybe I'm jealous).

Attractiveness of the entire storyline lies in the louche lifestyle Chip leads to someone who has spent their career working in a 'fairly' straight laced environment.

Having finished this, the cinematography, gorgeous location (Venice) were great. The script was good. Felt it could have had more legs, beyond S2 had the storyline been able to wrest free of 'Chips' life and move into other characters in greater depth.

I started watching this on iPlayer on the strength of having Lauren Socha and Siobhan Finneran as members of the primary cast.

The ruse is that Cathy Walcott's (Ellie White) father is being thrown a surprise birthday party. As the assembled party goers lie in wait, Mr Walcott enters the room only to suffer a massive heart attack which instantly kills him. Herein begins the story. It becomes apparent that Mr Walcott has a mistress (Siobhan Finneran) and moreover another daughter - Cat (Lauren Socha)

Very glad I watched this. Great comedic cast with aforementioned as well as Rebbeca Front as 'Colin's' wife. Holly Walsh's writing is bang on the money. Do hope series 3 will be commissioned!

I started watching this on the strength of Aziz Ansari (Dev) performance in Parks and Recreation. I wasn't sure what to expect from Master of None and I suppose it's one mans journey through (into) adulthood.

S1 saw Dev's girlfriend head to Japan and now in series 2 it looks as though he fell in love with wrong girl. All of the storylines are set in New York city (except when there not) and Dev's friends provide a supporting cast who also tell of their stories of the sometimes painful/joyful transition from young adult to slightly older adult. I have to say the end of S2 (Ep9 and 10) were a little too drawn out for my liking, would have benefitted from judicious editing.

I watched the first episode of this sometime ago now (a year?), however, I was intrigued to go back and revisit. I do wonder whether this series inspired 'it's always sunny in philadelphia'? The lilting title music is a rare treat (similar to IASiP) and the antics of Ricky, Julian and Bubbles amongst the wider cast of characters on this Nova-Scotian based Trailer Park provide a microcosm of peoples lives that are funny with a mixture of occasional tragedy thrown in for good measure.

Notably there is a change at S8 from the original producers / writer (Mike Clattenburg et al) to (presumably larger pocketed) producers and then writing credits are shared between Mike Smith (Bubbles), John Tremblay (Julian) and Rob Wells (Ricky).

Will, extremely sorry to have finished this. What a fantastic series. A fitting tribute paid to John Dunsworth in S12, Ep 10.

Quickly became embroiled in this charming animated comedy of a 'super-secret agent'; Archer, working in his mother's detective/spy agency.

The characters are well developed (e.g. Lana; fellow super spy and love interest of Archer, Pam; head of HR and all round party animal, Cyril; accountant and sometimes spy and constant target of Archer's mean quips, Cheryl: Heiress with twisted persona who is only there for the ride, Kreiger: equivalent to James Bond's 'M', Ray; competent, but effete man and lastly but by no means least Mallory Archer proprietor of said agency: Archer's mother, rarely to be seen without a drink who doesn't take any prisoner's (and herself an accomplished spy)).

The storylines through the earlier series were plausible enough with the team engaging in spying missions made all the funnier that when (inevitably) compromised the shoot outs are punctuated by the characters arguing about each other's annoying habits! Later series strayed into time slip / imagined territories, that although aren't misplaced, do require the viewer to remember where the 'jumping off' point for these series of episodes was. I really enjoyed the dialog and running jokes, the cast provide a superb set of voices, with guest appearances by Pam Adlon and Christian Slater to name but two.

One of Ricky Gervais's early character incarnations. Derek is a man with a good heart and learning difficulties

This is less sitcom and moreover drama with a pointed message that 'kindness' just might be the key to life. I applaud RG for this, it cannot be repeated enough.

Well I watched the original TV series at the time of airing (was it 1999 / 2000?), but watched on this occasion on Netflix.

Spaced is very much of the late 90's / early noughties and revolutionized the format of the (at least this ) sitcom (e.g. Fast cutting between scenes with sound effects). It was and is a landmark series, largely lauded as having cult status. The writing, editing, acting was completely original and was a prelude to Simon Pegg's super stardom in Hollywood.

I watched really to check my own remembrance of the series. A great watch if you like great comedy.

Quite appropriate that I should have completed P&R in 2022 on Netflix. I first started watching this circa Jan/Feb 2013 on Channel 5 (UK). I was unemployed at the time and feeling a little low, but P&R was one of a few beacons that lifted the 'fog' (albeit briefly).

I think you either get sitcoms or you don't. I certainly do (although my wife doesn't), the well intentioned aims of Lesley, Ron, Ann, April, Gerry, Donna, Tom, Andy, Ben and Chris, but often with disastrous (and hilarious) execution makes for light hearted take on the whims and folly of local government. The subject of P&R is the apparent and overt lampooning of local government in the US, however, I do wonder if the writers weren't trying to make a veiled comment on the necessity of government in redistributing wealth and prosperity (sometimes necessity) via taxation. Yes, if you are looking for heavy duty drama or reportage this is not it. But the glorious endeavours of the crew never failed to bring me a smile. I loved this. Go and watch!

Much underrated sitcom from the mid to late 1990's detailing the lives of three twenty something's flat-sharers. A less complicated time (no mobiles, little to no internet). At the heart of the story is the Matthew Malone character (played by Ben Chaplin (S1) and Neil Style (S2,S3)) the proprietor of the flat who's parents have died in a tragic car accident and left him with financial means and a severe case of agraphobia as a result of the trauma. It's not often mentioned, but this drives the characterization and is a subtle modifier of the plot of the entire series. It's precisely that 'absence', that makes Matt over-compensate his masculine credentials and despite being a sitcom, allows the viewer to develop at least some sense of sympathy/empathy with the Matt character across the episodes.

'Game on' holds a special place in my heart. When the first episode (27th Feb 1995) was broadcast I had recently graduated. Having recently left a heady (well not that heady - tea anyone?) house share with two good friends in Liverpool and had recently started work at a research centre in a reasonably rural location in the south-east of the UK. I knew no one, the average age of my colleagues was mid-late forties and I pined for my social life!

Another sitcom I had watched occasionally in the noughties, but not the full series. I was really watching this for Dylan Moran's character; the misanthropic Bernard Black and proprietor of said bookshop. However, the strong supporting cast of Bill Bailey and Tamsin Grieg make this complete.

Worth watching if you were young and carefree (or mostly so) in the early noughties - fond remembrances of those times!

Caught on BBC iplayer over Christmas.

Everything after entering the house was (mostly) plausible, but it was based on the condition that those agreeing to the tenancy had to completely give up any privacy they once had. For me, this would have been a deal killer after reading the first of the 200 conditions. Otherwise, this was a well scripted, shot and acted drama.

Started watching as a replacement for my finishing off of Parks and Recreation (actually some overlap, between finishing P&R and starting this).

Might this series eclipse the joy I derived from P&R? It looks that way. The 'action' revolves around a Cloud 9 superstore in Missouri and the employees of said store. The central characters are Amy (America Ferrera) and Jonah (Ben Feldman); a store supervisor and the 'new boy' employee (and college drop out) respectively. The writing is humorous, but keen; with topical storylines of corporations exploiting low paid shop floor employees, whilst ensuring executive pay and conditions are maintained. The ensuing romance between Amy and Jonah provides a gently bubbling plot device through the first four series. Yes, the characters have more fun than you could ever expect to have in retail (I paid my dues working in retail believe me), but that's probably true of any job. There is a strong cast here, working with a robust script.

Sadly, art mirrors life and the demise of the retail sector is reflected in the later episodes (S6). However, the finale reaches a happy and satisfactory conclusion. That's what I want from sitcoms, not gritty realism. Well worth a watch 😉

Caught on BBC iPlayer over January. This was ostensibly sold to the viewer as a drama, but it was a drama that really utilised the full range of human experience and emotion. Opening as a thriller in which we're tyring to work out who the 'unknown man' is and why 'they' are trying to kill him, it progresses via some cunning plot twists, veering between occasional comedy, suggested romance and then towards some dark, dark and tragic corners of what human beings are capable of.

Shot (I guess) in Australia, this was a great alternative (to UK, US) location and a chance to get to see a country I've never been to. Also the series subtlety (IMO) provides an impression (how accurate - I don't know) of life in Australia's more rural enclaves. Definitely worth a watch for Jamie Dornan's and 'Helen's' (Danielle Macdonald) performances, plus a strong supporting cast. Also the choice of locations for different scenes (e.g. Houses, bars) definitely echoed the mid-century modern interior / exterior architecture feel that I've seen in many other current ( ~ last 5 years) sitcoms and drama's. All in all - worth a watch!

Comedy caught on BBC iplayer featuring Frank Sinatra and Groucho Marx. My curiosity lead me here, and the one liners from Groucho were up to par. Hadn't realised that the female lead was Jane Russell.

The storyline revolves around a bank teller winning a small fortune on the horses with the bank simultaneously losing a similar amount from accounting fraud. I'm guessing this was made circa 1940-something, yet there are familiar (possibly dated?) storylines - girl wants financially embarrassed boy to marry her, imperiled boy looks like he may be wrongly accused of embezzlement.

It is what it is, watch it for Groucho's performance.

Caught on ITV hub. This film (c.1974) adaptation of the 1970's TV series has a storyline that might be remarkably prescient for the 21st century.

A property developer is buying up the series of Edwardian terraces on Myddleton terrace, one of which Robin Tripp, Chrissy and Jo occupy. Their landlord's being George (Brian Murphy) and Mildred (Yootha Joyce). The right thinking trio mount a petition to halt the development and there the story begins in earnest. I did feel that the storyline somewhat petered out, this was clearly a spin-off from the popular tv series and I'm not sure it was completely pulled off in that regard.

Love the locations and 70's era comedy - which despite the 'prevailing attitudes of its time' shows remarkably strong female characters getting one up on the male protagonists.

Viewed on a friends recommendation and glad I did.

This is a somewhat 'tongue-in-cheek' and it has an easy, dare I say it louche presentation of a pair of bounty hunters who roam the galaxy looking or a easy payout, of whom hides a slightly darker secret - that he once worked for the 'syndicate' (ruthless baddies), his partner being an ex-cop, who once hunted members of the syndicate.

I like the quirky, jazz themed (redolent of 1930's private detective pulp fiction) and futuristic environments. This will definitely appeal to fans of sci-fi.

Well, had been on my 'to watch' list for a while now and this viewing has been hastened by Sean Lock's untimely death.

In my opinion this sitcom captures a spirit (for at least some of us) of a period in our lives where we are broadly speaking free of responsibilities and obligations to others (e.g. For me, my mid to late twenties). The aimless abandon of Sean Lock's character who is long on time, but short on money leads to the viewer journeying into his innermost thoughts and idle wanderings. These are most readily manifest in 'imaginings' of what's happening in adjacent flats - brief and bizarre scenes ensue.

Benedict Wong, ably plays the naive flatmate to the Sean Lock's character who places frequent demands on him.

What to say, took eldest son to cinema to see this eagerly awaited final Daniel Craig outing of his (re)-defined James Bond.

I've been watching Bond films since forever. This was as good as any of Craig's previous outings, in fact maybe his best and final outing.

It's difficult to see where the franchise will go from here. I take it from this movie, that the future will be distinctly female. Maybe there will be echos to the Bond story-arc seen in that of 'Leon' and 'La Femme Nikita'. Two different films, but with a common element, some might say a 'fifth' (female) element ;-)

Indeed, no time to die.

Terrific high octane thriller with a slow burn ramping up of the tension! Many twists and turns in respect of the plot, great script, cinematography and moreover stellar cast!

Concluding with a strong moral message.

An impromptu viewing at the end of a holiday. Having read the millennium trilogy and indeed this book some years ago now (Lagencratz does full justice to Stieg's legacy), this was a welcome reminder of Salander's mission and modus operandi.

Foy's portrayl of Salander is well done, she captures that uncompromising and determined autistic streak in the character. There is a lot of action in the movie.

A Ricky G written, directed and acted in rom-com in a parallel universe where the truth is universally spoken, until one day....

Inevitable trajectory of said genre leads to... You guessed it. Suitably light (rare for him) and comedic script (US market). Has wide appeal.

Caught on Netflix in 2021 some 14+ years after this was originally screened on the BBC, ostensibly because I am a fan of his more recent work. The shows premise revolves around Andy and Maggie (Ashley Jensen); two jobbing extras looking for their break into the acting profession. Stephen Merchant plays 'Andy's' hopeless agent, ably assisted by 'Barry' (Shaun Williamson). Series 1 follows this arc until Andy has a sitcom (he has written) commissioned. Enter S2! One of the key elements of 'Extras' is the featuring of both Hollywood and UK acting heavyweights (e.g. Sir Ian McKellen and Robert De Niro are two).

Ricky and Stephen skillfully blend these heavyweights into the narrative of social faux pas and scathing commentary on social mores.

I've seen this movie before, but am revisiting as, (although a predictable plot) it has that 'feel good' vibe coupled to an easy going, gentler comedy.

Worth watching if you want your faith in human nature restored.

A must watch if you're a 40 / 50 something who grew up in the 70's / 80's and are now a parent yourself. Pam Adlon (who I hadn't heard of before) who wrote, directed and is the principal character (Sam Fox) in this sitcom / drama was an eighties teen idol (Beverley Hills 90210 I think - never saw this).

Well this follows the trajectory of once young, now not so young and trying to figure out how to balance the demands of bringing up three daughters single handedly, whilst having an acting career and managing an elderly parent and trying to have a life. I found many of the storylines resonated (albeit obliquely; I'm a parent, not of daughters), some sad, some funny and everything in between. The writing is good and a little off beat, insofar that Sam's dad (who is passed) visits the family from time to time. There's a great supporting cast here (Celia Imrie and Matthew Broderick get mentions), Sam's 'daughters' are all particularly strong amongst many other robust adult performances. Watch!