Common as Muck

Common As Muck was a comedy show about a group of binmen. Hey, at least it was original. It could have been about cops or doctors but no, instead we got binmen.

Edward Woodward was in the show along with other famous faces such as Tim Healy. I had watched a lot of Edward Woodward shows such as Callan and The Equalizer and at first, I had a hard time watching Woodward play a binman but I got used to it.

Surprisingly, the show was very good and has often been compared to an earlier series, The Boys From The Black Stuff. I didn't enjoy the second series as much as the first series but it wasn't too bad.

Common As Muck didn't last long. And that is the way things should be. I see a lot of American comedies running for years and clocking up over 100 episodes and they just get worse and worse. A good comedy knows when to quit before things get stale.

A fun first series although a bit too short

Could have done with the first part being 8 episodes

A fun series following bin men and their camaraderie

The second series strayed too far from the first, although I liked the second it wasn't a patch on the first and at times feels like the second series was a different show but with the boys as the characters

Common As Muck has a great deal in common with Auf Weidershen Pet. Both deal with the interesting situation of throwing together a riff-raff of different characters into one melting pot then standing back and watching the whole lot go off.

We are introduced to a group of very different men who are thrown together by their common trade, they are binmen. Their developing friendship, loves and various intertwined lives are followed closely as they bumble along. The cast read like a who's who of well established British actors. Edward Woodward, the comedian Roy Hudd, June Whitfield and Tim Healy of Auf Weidershen Pet fame. The tone is realistic, gritty, yet poignant and funny. Written and acted to high standard as you would expect of the BBC's recent northern dramas, it ran for two series and stands as another example of real everyday peoples lives and jobs being as interesting and funny as gritty and realistic.

I enjoyed both series but the first was easily the best. There was more intrigue and better stories. I was particularly amused by the painting of the church ceiling in the second series but I cannot remember much about the rest. The first series was fresh with vibrant storylines and needless to say an excellent cast.

This was a truly excellent series. It followed the lives of a group of binmen and their adventures in trying to carry on whilst their jobs are privatised and they are being hounded by their boss who wants them out. I got into this show as I had myself worked for the local council and this showed it in a quite realistic light. Being a binman is a dirty, tiring job, but the bond between workers was strong, (at least as I experienced it), and Common As Muck reflected this.

Best described as a Comedy-Drama, this show has some very unsettling moments of violence (see when Ken attacks Sunil when he thinks Sunil and his wife are having an affair), coupled with genuinely funny scenes. I defy anyone to not feel for all of the guys after a few shows, even Ken - superbly played by Neil Dudgeon.

The second series sees the lads moving on and is not quite as good, but still better than much on TV before or since. I strongly recommend viewing this show. I would dearly like to see it released on DVD.