Dukesquay

This is a terrible follow-up to the original 'Mamma Mia' film, which was surprisingly bright, energetic and joyful. The original film (based on the concept used in the stage musical of the same name) seemed to blend the music of Abba with the storyline seamlessly. This follow-up just seems to be a mish-mash of songs and plot that doesn't work. The storyline seems cliched and formulaic. The only surprises are how flat most of the performances are and how poorly some of the songs are delivered. The duet between Dominic Cooper and Amanda Seyfried, 'One of Us' falls completely flat. Sadly, the film never really recovers after that despite Lily James doing her best to inject some genuine energy in to the proceedings. I sincerely hope there is no 'Mama Mia 3'.

I liked Mina until I watched this mini-series. Unlike the previous couple of reviews, I thought the way she spoke to experienced members of the construction team was unacceptable. I felt extremely sorry for Thomas who seemed to be caught between the requirements of construction company he worked for and Mina's demands. I don't think he'd have walked off the job - making himself unemployed - without good reason. I don't know why Mina didn't talk to the construction company manager rather than picking at Thomas constantly. I found it hard to watch. It's worth noting that Mina did not get on with Martin, Thomas's replacement, and eventually terminates the contract with the construction company. Maybe Thomas had the right idea. In the earlier seasons of 'Good Bones' Mina and her mother Karen made a great team and Karen brought a lighter touch to proceedings. Mina just seems to moan.

Hard to believe this series has now been going for nearly 20 years. Sadly, it's showing its age. There really is only so much that can be achieved by seeing houses bought at auction and later returning to see what the buyers have done with them. The early years, with Lucy Alexander and Martin Roberts were great fun. Their enthusiasm was infectious and there was great chemistry between them (even though they were only shown together briefly during each episode.) Adding Dion Dublin, as a third presenter, diluted the mix and further changes, after Lucy departed, haven't helped revive the show. The programme also seems to have run out of new ideas and seems to be covering the same types of property renovation over and over again. Occasionally, they even pick up the same people buying and renovating properties from different auctions. Too much repetition has put me off watching.