User Reviews

Phil - "Lousy script"

As a Wirral resident it is difficult to take this programme seriously- we're too busy wondering if they deliberately took a real place and misspelt it or were just thick. As Ricky Tomlinson's in it (ex Brookside) we just assume it's a deliberate joke - on us.

All the Tranmere Rovers fans in our house feel put out by the depiction of football on this side of the river as nearer the bottom of the barrel than the top. We nearly got into the premiership not that long ago and *did* actually manage to lift a trophy or two. Even now, we're not exactly dodging relegation to the conference!!!

As for the actual series - I just don't find two slobs slagging each other off funny. Lousy script. How the hell did they get this commissioned? I can only assume they were looking for a series for Ricky Tomlinson, and this is all he can do. All it does is show his limitations as an actor.

Written by Phil Brighouse, Wirral, Merseyside, 20th October 2005

Jack - "Packed with laughs"

I quite liked the film this series was based on but it was a bit hit and miss at times. The TV series is real quality though. Great characters, brilliant acting, funny scenes and good dialogue. I think Ricky Tomlinson is one of the best and most lovable British comedy actors of all time alongside Ronnie Barker and David Jason. Amanda Redman is also really good in this. One criticism - it could be longer. Seems quite short - maybe because it is on ITV. Summary: packed with laughs, a great show!

Written by Jack Bertilloni, 11th October 2005

Scott - "Passable"

This spin off from the patchy but sporadically amusing film, Mike Bassett: England Manager, is, somewhat unsurprisingly, patchy but sporadically amusing. The first episode started strongly with a funny 1940s-style football report. The rest of the show failed to fully exploit the comedy goldmine that is English lower league football, although there were some good gags involving Ron Atkinson, Lee from Steps and The Guardian. Ricky Tomlinson is a great comedy actor who lends the material more weight than it deserves, but ultimately he's playing a one-joke character (unbelievably useless football manager) who, based on the first episode, doesn't really deserve his own sitcom.

Written by Scott Thompson, 2nd October 2005