On the Road Again

If there is a criticism about this episode. It is that Emma Thompson was sidelined quite a bit as Suzi Kettles.

The Majestics are getting ready to tour with Danny McGlone as lead singer. However he is late for rehearsal at Bomba MacAteer's house.

Rehearsals do not go as well as planned. For a start they have to keep the noise down as Bomba has young kids. Bomba is also not pleased that Vincent Diver (Maurice Roëves) has made a young woman pregnant. Especially as he is married to Bomba's sister.

There is more concentration of Vincent here, a man who lives the rock n roll life. Approaching middle age but always has an eye for the ladies. He tries to chat up Suzy Kettles when she phones the hotel.

Roëves was better known for playing baddies at the time. He was also establishing himself on American television at this point. However he could see a quality script and grasped the character of Vincent with both hands. He is simply brilliant and there are bits here such as the troublesome lighter that will come to play later on in the series.

The episode is peppered with little jokes and banter between the characters. Bomba putting towels on his drums to quieten the noise.

Eddie Clockerty cannot help being sleazy, tampering with the signed contracts and it seems the Inland Revenue are on his back as well.

It was also good to see a flashback scene of Big Jazza and the band performing on television pop show back in the 1960s.

The Majestics get ready for their first gig of the silver jubilee tour.

This is a solid chapter to the story with good character writing and performances.

Some of the banter between the band members before the tour begins is great, particularly as the bickering in a living room surrounded by toys and 2 crying babies. This plus other humorous moments remind you how small time they are.

There is more focus on Vincent and his young girlfriend. He is painted as quite the sleaze-bag in this one and the seeds are being sewn for tragedy and fireworks with his general character and situation.

John Byrne's writing continues to be great, but personally I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the opening episode because the character Suzie Kettles isn't in it as much. However, when Emma Thompson and Robbie Coltrane do share scenes together they have the most natural chemistry of all the performers.

For me it's a 7.5/10 but I round upwards.