Dossa and Joe

I remember seeing this on the BBC a few years ago and loving it. I can't believe it wasn't a hit, as it was one of the best shows I'd seen in ages.

It's about an average Australian family. The husband is reaching retirement age and is dreading it. Since it aired years ago I haven't seen it again, and there was no DVD or VHS release, so It's hard to remember enough to give it a decent review. I remember the best scenes were around the table at the husband's workplace, where him and his workmates would play cards and talk nonsense. Hilarious stuff.

Overall it was a very funny show and should have run for more than one season. So if you ever get the chance to see it, see it, you won't be disappointed.

Which is to be funny. I expected a lot of this series, coming after the revelation that was "The Royle Family" - though that had slowly deteriorated through its three-season run. In fact I laughed only twice at the entire series of six half-hour episodes: I found it more depressing than anything else. "The Royle Family" was a near-miracle for its combination of richly detailed characters in realistic situations with laugh-out-loud humour. The jokes are very funny, but they didn't - at its best - seem like jokes planted to get a laugh: they flowed naturally from the characters' everyday conversations. The impression I had from "Dossa and Joe" was that Aherne had concentrated on building complex characters with convincingly rich backgrounds to the extent that she had forgotten about actually making it funny. I see now that it has some very eager fans, for the average rating at the time I wrote this was 9.7 out of 10 - but that was based on only 14 votes.

This was a fantastic mini comedy which Caroline Aherne really broke the typecast from slapstick comedy. I originally was concerned by trailers this might be Australia's Royale Family, but it was very funny indeed. As the previous user commented, I really can not comment much deeper than this, and also as the previous commenter noted, the scene where the guys around the table at work were pure comedy gold.

"See ya Robbo"

BBC Really should get their act together and put this on a DVD as soon as possible, because like Matt Berry and Rich Fulcher's Snuffbox, these shows were CLEAR fan favorites, but obviously not in the opinions of the BBC.

Should your friends happen to have recorded this, or BBC decide to release it on DVD, all cult comedy fans should watch it. For everyone who DID see this series... E-mail the BBC pleading for it's DVD release, I know I have!

I would love to be able to get hold of a copy of this series. I found this show very, very funny and yet it had some very deep incites into the mindset of many average Australians. I have known people like these characters!! I also believe it would be a great training tool for family councilors. A real shame it did not get the exposure it deserved. Our Australian ABC did not do a great job of promoting it here, which is strange given the great cast and their usual high standard of delivery and timing??? I think I will have to contact the BBC and plead, offer money and pretend I know people in high places to get a copy ….. or if you know a better way please let me know?

Sadly this hugely amusing television series produced in Australia by Britain's Caroline Aherne was not given the promotion and recognition it deserved. Like all good comedy, characters were beautifully observed and touching. We thought it was consistently even funnier than The Royale Family, made by the BBC in Britain. Television channels should give it a second chance by running it again.

The astonishing thing about anything performed, written or produced by Aherne is that it is full of surprises. Who would have thought the repeated scenes in which Joe lovingly smooths down a piece of timber would be funny, but it most certainly was.