Early Doors

Why is it that every comedy now has to either have some "incredibly original" gimmick, or be extremely vulgar, or both, to hit it big? This consigns near-masterpieces like Early Doors to the slops bucket of TV history. Yes, as many observe, little happens in the course of the half hour, but you certainly don't even think about that when you're watching it. Cash and Mealey's genius is to realise that everybody's lives are generally repetitive, and so they are likely to have the same discussion in the same refuge every day. This is never treated with a hint of irony, but genuine warmth for the old school pubs that Ken and his lost bretheren run. Lacklustre shows like The Smoking Room and Little Britain, so pleased with themselves and determined to run down the losers, halfwits and layabouts of this world, would do well to learn from this and find that happiness is in whatever routine you, not society, carves out for you.

I had the fortune of catching season one before I returned to the states. I told my friends about it "oh it's the uk version of cheers then?" well no, I don't remember sam talking a pee with the door open or norm and cliff talking about having bit on the side. Some might find it a bit boring but me I could have watched until closing time. 10/10 pure (working) class

Ken runs The Grapes, a failing Manchester pub, frequented by a handful of loveable locals. A pub where more goes on than meets the eye, probably.

This has to be the most underrated and forgotten 'MASTERPIECE' that has ever come out of the BBC. Writers Craig Cash and Phil Mealey created something absolutely wonderful with this one.

Why on Earth did this not get more coverage and no further series? Criminal: so funny, beautifully written and meaningful events, the characters were all thoroughly believable and lovable!

I was lucky enough to see the live stage show, none of the magic has gone, this show is begging to be brought back to our screens, comedy is pretty much dead, this could bring it back to life!

Jean and Winnie's dialogues are just the funniest thing I have ever seen; incredible! But the line of Eddie and Tommy speaking about Joan's driving test - what sign would you expect to see on a narrow country lane? The answer: 'fresh farm eggs for sale.' Absolute genius!

I can see the same fate happening to the current series 'The Visit,' which is very similar and again wonderfully fantastic. Why aren't these on BBC in prime spots instead of rubbish like 'After You've Gone' and 'Green Green Grass'? Please, someone read this and take note.

To the regiment! I wish I was there; a real gem of comedy with a hint of heartwarming drama running through it as well.

10/10.

Early Doors is laugh-out-loud funny, tender, heartwarming, exasperating, fascinating, at times even a little disgusting, this television series has everything anybody could want, and more. From the very first episode of the first series you take the cast to your hearts and want to know more about what the community, collectively and individually, get up to next. The main takes place in Ken's pub (the landlord) and the comings and goings of this 'small world' (the theme tune taken from Roddy Frame's debut album Surf) are not to be missed. The characters are all so very real and this snapshot of working class northern life is a real gem...you can't fail to fall in love with it! Enjoy! :)

This show is just about as good as TV gets. To watch it and suddenly realize 30 minutes have elapsed invariably surprises me. It is just about the most relaxing TV I have ever seen.

The Grapes is typical of the back street pub close to extinction in the north west of England. Especially one that serves cask conditioned beer. It's a celebration of it's gentle goings on and a sad obituary to their passing.

The latest series has just started and Ken realises the men in suits from the PubCo are round the corner, waiting to do what men in suits are consistently good at. Close the pub.

In the second episode, Ken soldiers on stoically, he has a cold, his bone idle fat arsed mother asks how the kettle works, the degenerate bobby's Phil and Nige are passing the dutchie in the back room and in the front room, the sparse customers expose their lives unashamedly because that's what you do in The Grapes.

After an episode packed with one liners, Ken finds himself propositioned by his barmaid. I only hope we don't have a storyline coming on. God forbid it. Early Doors is The Grapes not The Rovers Return.