Eric & Ernie

You just cannot make a better biopic than this.

Even their voices were down to a T, which is usually the most overlooked bit. They couldn't have got any closer to the real Morecambe & Wise unless they stuck a camera in the faces of the real M & W. This is so good it must have been a secret candid camera having followed them in real life. I'm just speechless.

You really can't see the join.

I'm of that generation that religiously waited for and watched Morecambe and Wise's usually superb BBC TV specials in the mid 70's when they were at their peak (although nowhere near enough credit is given to their writer Eddie Braben) and so was very interested to watch this dramatisation of their formative years.

It has to be said that their old employer does them proud with a well written, produced and acted TV movie. In truth I could find little to fault in it, my only complaints being perhaps the limited dynamic arc in the story itself and a little too much screen-time for the inspiration behind the project, Victoria Walters. That's not to say she's not good in the part of Eric's pushy, typical show-biz mother, but she takes too much focus away from our heroes, to the, as I say, slight detriment of the piece.

The other main casting credits work very well, with Jim (Vic Reeves) Moir a revelation as Eric's docile dad and the young actors playing Eric and Ern as spot on as they could be with look, voice and mannerisms. They have that essential ingredient for any double-act, chemistry. The script includes some decent gags, but enough of what really matters here, drama, to make it entertaining.

The duo's well-known personae are developed naturally and enough signposts are inserted to their future routines and catch-phrases to please admirers of their later work. As I indicated, this wasn't the most essential show-biz bio-pic I've ever watched but it was amongst the more entertaining of them.

What did I think of it (so far)? Definitely not "Rubbish!"

Simply the best programme on British TV over the festive period. Unlike previous biopics of comedians which tend to be dark and depressing, Eric and Ernie was a warm, moving and funny story of the early days of Britain's best loved double act.

The cast was marvellous, it was really like watching the real Eric and Ernie perform. Victoria Wood and Jim Moir (Vic Reeves)were outstanding as Eric's parents.

The film was clearly a labour of love and it shows in every detail.

So why did I give it 9 instead of 10? Well, I would have preferred it to end with their song "Bring Me Sunshine".

Watching this for my sweetheart, Miranda Hart. She's not in the movie, but it's a biopic of her comedy hero and his sidekick, Eric Morcombe and Ernie Wise.

Miranda loves Eric so very much, and it makes me care about them too. She is my darling, and we tend to have the same taste and things. So I'm sure when I get into their show, even if it's not my style, I will still like it.

Another reason to see this is Victoria Wood's involvement. I was pleasantly surprised to see her name be the first one flashing in the credits when I started watching it. So I'm looking forward to that. She was my British comedy favorite before I found my sweetheart, Miranda. But I still adore Victoria Wood, for different reasons. She was never my crush, she was always my role model in a way. I wanted to be more like her, and I saw a lot of myself in her. In the case of Miranda Hart, I'm just absolutely smitten with her and want to marry her. So I love them both, but as you can see, for totally different reasons haha!

If you love British comedy, I recommend this. It's got history, so much history attached to it.

A perfectly cast and brilliantly acted TV movie.

A funny and moving portrayal of Eric and Ernie's early days together. Victoria Wood and Vic Reeves were excellent as Eric's parents. Daniel Rigby and Bryan Dick were spot on as Eric and Ernie, their facial expressions and mannerisms were excellent, almost to the point that you believed they were them!

If it had been slightly longer it would have been interesting to see the relationships with their future wives expanded on a little more.

A must see programme for any Morecambe and Wise fan!

So why only 9 out of 10? - Because it finished too soon! I would have loved it to have gone on and told the rest of their story.