Here's to You, Mrs. Hammer

Having watched and enjoyed the entire run of the show during the past few weeks, it was with a heavy heart and some trepidation that I approached the final episode.

But I really, really enjoyed it as it showed a greater depth and awareness beyond just silly spoofing.

Listening to Alan Spencer's commentary after was also very revealing - I had no idea it had divided opinion amongst fans. But as he put it himself, the fact that fans criticised Hammer acting out of character meant that he had a character in the first place, that he wasn't just an empty cipher for endless jokes.

I also liked the fact that they left the ending open, that it was neither happy nor sad, just inconclusive.

It was very much a character-driven final show, allowed the actors to show more dramatic range and just validated in my view how good it was at the time, how much it's aged well and how badly it's missed.