Reggie Perrin

Reggie Perrin is a remake of the classic BBC sitcom of the 1970s and writer Simon Nye roped in creator David Nobbs to co-write the reboot.

Reggie is still commuting to work and hating it. He works for a grooming company instead of Sunshine desserts, with a still horrible but now younger boss (Neil Stuke.) He fantasizes about his fellow worker Lucy Liemann and the office doctor from the original is now replaced by an equally vapid holistic consultant who is very funny.

We also have Reggie's wife as well his mother, his father in law and some office workers in the set up.

The series did not quiet fly despite the update. I think Reggie's wife was not as well developed, the boss was more weaker here and it lacked the zaniness and some of those characters with catchphrases that the original was loaded with.

A nice attempt but not quiet there but in its own right still better and funnier than a lot of other sitcoms.

Any humor was drowned out by the laugh track being monotonous, too early, too loud and breathless. Edit the laugh track or make a version without laugh track available and it should be 9 stars

Watched the first episode of this today and was quite impressed. There are a number of reviews out there which see even the making of this series as a desecration of the grave of Leonard Rossiter, which tends to colour their opinions of the show itself. Well, I was a fan of David Nobbs original book "The Death Of Reginald Perrin" before the Rossiter series was ever made, and found that the original TV series reduced some key features (the hippo mother-in-law, CJ's "I didn't get where I am today...", Tony's "Great!!"s) to a cartoonish level. What I have seen in one episode of the 2009 version is an attempt to bypass most of the clichés of the original version, and focus on the true and timeless humour of a staid man coming apart. At first sight, it seems to me that Martin Clunes, David Nobbs and Simon Nye have worked long and hard together to produce a piece of work that will stand apart from the so-called classic. Definitely worth checking out, whether or not you have any preconceptions.

Although I'm plenty old enough to have seen the original series' broadcasts, I never saw any. So, I come to this series with no preconceptions.

Martin Clunes is without doubt the standout actor in this series and I felt an increasing empathy with his character as the story unfolded. I really enjoyed his dark sarcasm and flippant attitude towards the world, all whilst trying to hold down a high power job and being oblivious of a failing marriage.

How many of us turn up at an office job wishing they could be farming penguins instead; poor but happy.

The last scene had me in tears, being a bit close to home for me, and was disappointed that this was the last ever episode.

All in all, a hugely enjoyable comedy with plenty of poignant life stories threaded through it.

I watched because it was Martin Clunes ...and he's just fabulous at all he does. I was pleasantly surprised to see the style of comedy! I wish there were more series! I've watched these over and over every month or so, ( in between watching Doc Martin😉)