The Supersizers Go...

This tour through England's culinary history was most entertaining as Sue Perkins and Giles Coren dressed in the clothes and ate the foods from six periods: Elizabethan, Restoration, Regency, Victorian, Second World War and the 1970s.

Each of the six episodes started with them getting a health check... and usually being warned that the planned diet wouldn't be very good for them. The then dressed up and took the roles of a couple living in the specific era. Much of the food looked less than appealing and such delights as boiled calf's head must have given vegetarians nightmares.

The two presenters were both very entertaining, although they are clearly not taking the roles too seriously and frequently ended up quite drunk... solely for realism of course. Over the course of the week they sample various types of food from that eaten at formal occasions by the rich to that eaten by the less well off. They were frequently joined by experts on the periods concerned and would discuss the food with them explaining what class of people would eat what foods. At the end of each episode they returned to the doctor for a second check up with results that were sometimes surprising.

While it is easy to laugh at what people ate in the past I'm sure that people will look back on what we ate now with equal amusement in the future. I hope that there is another series one day although I'm not sure what time periods they would cover.

This is an intriguing and enjoyable series. The attention to detail is incredible and the hosts are witty and engaging. The series that cover the earlier periods are perhaps more interesting and yet shocking for the use of offal and small animals no longer considered proper or appropriate for eating. The coverage of political, cultural and socioeconomic history is also entertaining if not always thorough, as this is entertainment after all. The one thing I find a little disturbing is how frequently Sue Perkins is put in silly subservient positions (Damsel in Distress, housewife, desperate sister looking for marriage), while Giles goes off for some amazing meal and champagne with a group of men. In the War Years for instance, Sue is left at home when there were plenty of women working--some even in Churchill's war room, I suspect. I think the producers could have been more imaginative with Sue's roles, and not leaned so heavily on sexist clichés about women of each period. It would have been a firm 9/10 for me, if this had not been the case.

Caught two of the series 1 episodes completely by accident while we were on holiday at the British south coast last summer. I was hooked immediately and have caught one or two extra episodes after that.

I was elated to find out a second series (called "The Supersizers Eat...") is now airing on the BBC. I have now seen almost all episodes in this new series and this has only reinforced my fan status.

No expense spared (or so it seems?), lots of research (or so it seems?), very funny (definately!). Pure infotainment. Brilliant, just brilliant...

Looking around on the internet it seems the BBC seems to have no plans to get this beautiful series on the foods of Britain through the ages out on DVD. I find this simply incomprehensible. I'd buy the series in a heartbeat and cherish it as funny historical reference material.

Engaging, interesting, and funny! Great entertainment and needs to be streaming somewhere.

I wish they would re-run this. Giles and Sue were such a good pairing, it was hilarious. Loved it!