The Royle Family

An excellent cast given a superb script creates a minor comedy gem. Set in the downtrodden post-industrial north of England, the action rarely strays outside the living room of the titular wisecracking family, as tightwad patriarch Jim Royle (Ricky Tomlinson) holds court, kept in check by long-suffering wife Barbara (Sue Johnston, who had previously played Tomlinson's wife in the soap Brookside) and ordering around young son Antony (the remarkably assured debutant Ralf Little). The storyline of the first series revolves around the impending marriage of daughter Denise (Caroline Aherne) to her boyfriend Dave (Craig Cash), but the show is more about one-liners and character interplay than plotline; writers Aherne, Cash and Henry Normal keep the gags coming relentlessly as the action meanders in real time. A second series is in the works.

The Royle Family is successful because it's true. Political-correctness is non-existent in this household as it is in most. The dwelling is a mess. Who's house isn't? And the dialogue is never intelligent. It's silly, it's crude, but because it touches so close to reality, it's very, very funny.

Performances are perfect. The script is dead-on. The direction is perfect in that it is unobtrusive.

It is a strange ride watching the Royles. Most episodes are set entirely in front of the TV screen. So it often becomes a "Truman Show" experience as the Camera seems to be placed in the TV. Their lives are so real. And it is filmed in documentary style. It is the ultimate voyeuristic experience.

Royle Family is a remarkable TV show. There is none like it. The fact that only six episodes are created a year helps to keep the show fresh. We will never become bored of these characters. Far from it. We would love to see more of this household.

I urge you to watch an episode. From start to finish. There won't be any big scene to catch your attention but the entire episode will keep you entertained. And when the credits roll I guarantee you'll miss them when they're gone.

The royle family is clever because the action is limited, there are pauses just like real life and it's realistic, everyone has a Jim or a Barb or a Nana in their family and everyone at times slobs in front of the T.v and talks about the pub, club biscuits and toilets (Whether we admit to it or not) The acting is good, scripts are great and Caroline Aherne and Craig Cash have great character observation. Jim Royle's catchphrases are funny and well remembered and the extra characters, Cheryl, Mary, twiggy etc are cool.

Anthony and his dippy mate Darren are funny to watch doing their impressions.

I have read that some people hate this show because they think the language of northerners is hard to get and they are scruffy and live in council houses.

Welcome to the real world, people are scruffy and some do live in council houses, that can still be funny. i live in the south east of England, very far removed from Manchester but i still love their ways, their expressions and can still identify with them; it doesn't matter where you live, people all over the globe are getting married, having children, fighting with siblings, getting drunk etc.

Yes they don't do a lot but the T.V is full of action films and sitcoms with lots of action involved, this is realism, it's about people, real people, living together and it's the realism of the show that makes it funny. We can all go 'I'm just like that' or 'oh god we're like that'.

Give this show a chance, watch all the episodes they don't get boring, in fact it's quite addictive.

Now and then comes along a perfect series (Fawlty Towers and The Office spring to mind) everybody loves them and everybody is right!! Any great show is built on the writing and the writing here is near perfect. Any show which can run over 18 episodes and 2 specials and only use 1 set AND be funny every time is genius!! Caroline Aherene has been quoted as saying this is her best work and she is right. Tha acting is the icing on the cake of course, with special mention to Sue Johnson who should get loads of work. The whole point is the exquisite, REAL language and very few visual gags. This looks and feels real all the time and runs through all human emotion; ultimately 'though it is a show about love. 11 out of 10!!!

Totally unique.Tremendous observational comedy.We all know folk like these characters. The writing and acting are top notch especially Ricky T who really is one of the best character actors that the UK has produced. The episodes can be watched time and time again and are still funny after repeated viewings.Very few UK sitcoms are totally shot on film but in this case it lends a documentary feel to the whole proceedings.Thoroughly enjoyable and well reccomended.