The Smoking Room

The characterastion of The Smoking Room is the best I've seen in a sitcom since The Royle Family. For example the character of Robin evolved over the course of the series from a mild-mannered trivia fiend to a man whose afraid of his fellow smokers finding out that he's gay and also afraid that Ben from the Postroom isn't in love with him. The character of Annie is afraid that she's going to end up alone so she'll go to any length to get a man even if that means dressing up like a policeman. Lilian on the other hand is afraid of getting older and being alone

And Janet is afraid that because she's the boss' P.A. and she's a bit more well-bred than the other characters than she'll never be accepted as one of them. On the surface Sally seems like an easily irritated loudmoth but on the inside she is very caring. She is the only person who realises that Robin is gay and doesn't tell any of the other smokers. She comforts Annie at any point when she's about to break down and in her last scene of the series she even cheers Janet up by agreeing to having a girlie chat with her.

And while Sharon likes to stamp her authority on the other smokes she's as insecure as the rest of them. She doesn't know how to communicate with any of the others and in the last episode they rejected her social advances.

There are some stereotypes Barry the guy who can't do the crossword, Heidi the most boring woman you'll ever meet and the foul-mouthed security guard Len. I Hope this comes back for a second series because its enjoyable and a good concept. 9/10

The Smoking Room is one of the simplest set ups I have ever seen for a show. All episodes have been set in a single room (with the odd exception of a shot outside the room)but to be honest I think this is a great strength.

To set up is simple, as mentioned above a Smoking Room in a workplace that is frequented by a select group of workers who's conversations and interactions go from normal to simply strange.

A run down of the regular cast is ...Theres Len the foul mouthed Security guard, Sally and Annie the best friends (or at least as far Annie is concerned), Barry who just cant handle the crossword, Heidi the woman so boring no one noticed she was on Maternity Leave, Lilian the 40 something divorcée who is rediscovering her youth, Sharon the Boss who is as mad as her employees, Clint the handyman who just isn't very handy, Robin the not very good closet gay man, Gordon who is just odd and my personal favourite Janet who is the bosses long suffering PA.

My favourite thing about this show is its so deadpan. It has not been written for laughs and this makes it all the more funny. The cast is top notch and everyone fits together like a jigsaw.

As mentioned above my favourite Character is Janet, played by the wonderful Selina Griffiths who is just fantastic and steals every scene she is in, having been in a similar job position myself, I cant believe how similar we seem, funny in one respect, quite scary in another.

Anyone who hasn't seen this show, it is repeated all the time on Digital TV or you could go and buy the DVD, series one is out now and Series 2 will be out 16th October.

So to sum up, THE SMOKING ROOM, SMOKING HOT! 10/10

The Smoking Room (TSM) is only ever compared with The Office because both are set in workplaces! Where TSM differs is that the daily grind of worklife does not drive the story.

In TSM, office discussions are banned. Our regular set of smokers skive off their working day and discuss biscuits, holidays, Eskimos, crosswords, and any number of other topics. Characters wander in and out of the room, and leave their day job outside.

It's part of the joy of the series to try to piece together what the characters do: Annie and Sally are graphic designers; it's clearly a major company with several different branches. Occasional glimpses of the outside world are provided: a vitally important Japanese client visits, and is in need of a cigarette. No lighter or matches can be found. The tension rises as the regulars try to keep their VIP happy, and she demonstrates her dislike of all things British (notably Penguin bars and Jim Bowen's gameshow Bullseye).

There are plenty of asides regarding unseen characters (Lil's friend Tess Pownall is described as having a chest like "a pair of wizened yams"), plenty of huge laughs, scathing one-liners, running jokes, and some great ongoing stories. The story of Ben from the post room, hints about a past relationship for Sharon the non-smiling boss, Janet's desperation to be included leading her to a not-necessarily happy ending ... two series and a Christmas special have been made, and I can only hope for a third. The second series ends with a number of colossal cliffhangers: the characters are so believable and their situation so genuine that I can't wait to see them again.

Located somewhere between The Royle Family and The Office, The Smoking Room has it all. Although many of the characters are stereotyped the jokes come thick and fast. As in The Royle Family the episode usually starts with a joke and ends in the punchline. For example in the first episode the characters were trying to remember the theme from Little House on the Prarie and in the end someone remembered it and in the most recent one everyone was looking for a light and in the end they found one. Robert Webb seems to be proving himself as a breakout sitcom star after starring in the underrated Peep Show. While veteran actors such as Paula Wilcox and Leslie Schofield are joined by lesser known actors who are just as funny. In the end this isn't as good as The Royle Family or The Office but better than most of the sitcom dirge that is churned out at the moment.

Well done BBC!!!

This is an excellent Show but what the hell is it with this 'The Office' fixation that so many reviewers have? it is nothing like 'The Office' except for the fact that there is probably one around. Is 'Dad's Army' like 'Mash' like 'Green Wing' 'cos they share a military kind a thing and a medical kinda thing? This like that cos it's about life. If one must compare shows do it for more than something superficial. Otherwise judge on the shows merits, of which getting to the point SR has may. brilliant well observed writing, brilliant well observed acting, brilliant well observed direction, to say nothing of props, lights, SFX, casting and subliminal mind control.