I picked up series 1 on DVD very cheaply about 4 years ago but never watched an episode until this week. I have watched 8 of the 10 episodes now and I have to say overall I found it quite enjoyable. The show was created by Paul Abbott who went on to do 'Shameless' so it has a good pedigree.It doesn't always hit the mark but the dialogue is witty and generally sharp even if none of the story lines amount to a whole lot. But life is like that isn't it.
Liza Tarbuck carries the title role well, she's big brassy and confident - most of the time anyway. The singing is probably a bit overdone, I felt there was no need to sing a full song at the beginning, middle and end which is pretty much how it goes in each episode.
I really like Daniel Ryan, Claire Rushbrook and Sean Gallagher who are the principal members of the supporting cast - being Linda's best mates. I love watching out for early appearances of established stars or cameos even and this series is packed with them. Pam Ferris is brilliant as are David Morrissey and Christopher Eccleston - he plays twins - which I thought was a great storyline. I also spotted Maxine Peake (later to be Veronica in Shameless) as a receptionist in a gym.
