Kate & Koji

A ' Count Arthur Strong' setting redone with some underused Actors/Actresses that deserve to be on TV more often then the terrible ones we constantly see, a good first episode with my fingers crossed it continues to get better.

Yes, I'm old ... 71, and I love detective series. I long for more "Vera", "Midsomer Murders," etc. I've watched all of Wallander (3 versions), Foyle's War, Endeavour, Morse, Lewis, Vera, etc. All good ... but I find the newer series are becoming very dark with way toooooo much exploitive & gruesome reality. I am an intelligent woman and I don't need every gruesome detail discussed and shown on the screen. I'm finding the current world reality quite gruesome enough and need some levity ... but GOOD acting and writing for comedy is hard to come by. I found "Kate & Koji" really fun to watch. I was sad when each episode ended. Refreshing characters and, of course, Brenda Blethyn! Just hope there are more seasons and more series like it.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was a refreshing change in humour. We've had years of dumbed down humour, this was a lot more like it, cutting, sarcastic, and humour that was very much on point.

Blethyn was cracking as Kate, such a change in character from Vera, shows what a damn good actress she is.

A few jokes about The BBC.

Will it last more than just a single series? I do hop so. 8/10.

Kate is an older hot headed uncompromising cafe owner who dislikes change, doesn't really understand the modern world and doesn't really want to, and Koji is a dignified African gentleman who is seeking asylum, and also a Doctor. At first they don't get along but as he is desperate for food, drink and a warm place to be, and Kate needs to attract customers, they reluctantly find compromises, and character driven amusement ensues.

There are many other background characters, most follow fairly simple archetypes making it easy to get into, and it's definitely aimed at an older audience as it's basically old fashioned 70s style humour, just set in the modern world.

Oh and the lefty papers hate it with a passion as much as they hate Mrs Brown's Boys and for all the same reasons, so if you like that, check it out.

I found this very funny. The main character (Kate) is similar to Barbara (1990's series stating Gwen Taylor) and if you liked that then you'll like this. Probably also appeal to people who found the excellent Dinner Ladies funny as it is a similar sort of humour.

You would expect Brenda Blethyn to be good but she is more Vera than Alison Little (Chance in a Million - also an excellent comedy). But Jimmy Akingbola who I've never seen before is excellent in his deadpan delivery and Blake Harrison has managed to get away from the terrible Inbetweeners to be good in this show.

One reviewer actually said this was "borderline racist". Good grief - it is exactly the opposite of that.

However I can't see how the plot can develop and so I expect one (or maybe two) series.