Still Open All Hours

The overfed comatose state that comes with overindulging at Christmas tends to provide some cover for television specials that maybe wouldn't get away with it during the rest of the year. Still Open All Hours was screened during this period and just at a glance it seemed like it just the type of thing that needs that festive goodwill. Out of curiosity I decided to give it a go but unfortunately I do not think I would ever have had enough festive cheer for this to work. This special sees Granville now running Arkwight's corner store, with his lad Leroy filling the errand boy role. During the normal working day we see the colorful locals coming and going while Granville uses some old Arkwright trickery to shift a load of fish paste.

I did used to watch Open All Hours many years ago and I remember doing so more than once, so I must have enjoyed it but this rehashed special makes me doubt whether it was actually any good or not, because this 30 minute special certainly wasn't. The episodic nature of the show means we have locals coming and going and preventing any flow in the writing. On top of this the focus is on throwbacks and references to the original series, whether they work or not. Mostly the comedy is very dated which I guess comes with the territory but isn't really an excuse; it all seems very stiff and awkward as well. I think I laughed twice in 30 minutes, and those laughs were more chuckles than anything else – a Chuckle Brother being pulled around by a dog got me and the Johnny Vegas about "solo trumpet". Luckily the canned audience track had a much better time than I did – although their laughter at almost nothing and their "awww-ing" over a dog just reminded me that I wasn't making any noise.

The cast features a lot of faces and names; Jason is so-so, he overworks his lines as if the audience is slow and he really doesn't have the material anyway. Baxter's delivery is pretty poor and seems to be hamming it up a bit, perhaps assuming that this makes whatever he does funnier. Cole, Vegas, Williams and others all provide side characters and also contribute to the fragmented feel to the show. Maybe you have enough nostalgia to laugh because of what they are referencing (as opposed to laughing at the reference, which I think was the goal) but for me this was a pretty awkward and dated 30 minutes with a couple of chuckles amid a sea of poor writing and even festive cheer and nostalgia aren't enough to make me forgiving enough for this to work.

Terrific revival of the classic sitcom, with much the same cast, a plausible follow up scenario and the same gentle but genuinely funny sense of humour. Roy Clarke has lost none of his genius for turning a good line in to a killer joke, simply by tailoring his humour to the character and actor's strengths. Sir David Jason, ages the character of Granville to perfection and in doing so gives us a whole new insight in to why his Uncle was the way he was, by putting the pathos at a perfect pitch, never straying in to sentimentality. The new character of Leroy, is a modern equivalent of the Granville of old who much to his father's chagrin has everything he would have wished for in his youth. The father's half hearted attempts to "slow the lad down" only really serve to show how much he loves his boy as there is none of the genuine meanness of Arkwright senior behind the plans. All in all this demonstrates admirably how modern comedy has lost it's way, by showing HOW TO DO IT PROPERLY.

The original show was brilliant. Mrs and me have watched and re- watched episodes down the years and still have time for them.

The problem is not so much that the humour is dated. The 'dated' humour of the originals works very well for us and most recent stuff leaves us cold. We can watch Miranda Hart for hours and never smile once. We can watch Dad's Army, Blackadder, Porridge, Fawlty Towers and Open All Hours repeatedly and just keep laughing and loving them.

No, the problem is that Ronnie Barker has gone. He was a comic genius that lifted Open All Hours out of the ordinary, along with the fantastic cast around him and the strong interplay of characters of which he was the hub.

David Jason may or may not be in quite the same class as Ronnie, but he certainly has class and does a great job of being an older Arkwright-like Granville. The trouble starts with Granville's son, who seems to be a characterless non-entity who doesn't function as a comic foil and counterweight in the way that Granville played on near equal terms against Arkwright.

Nurse Gladys has been reduced to an appendage, since the 'relationship' with Arkwright is no longer there to give the part its special place. Nice to see her again, but what's she for now?

And I'm afraid I keep smelling whiffs of Last of the Summer Wine in the dialogue and run of casting.

Still, if enough people like this new incarnation, then it justifies itself, but it isn't the jewel that it was.

As a lifelong fan of the original series I was delighted when they announced this was being made. I can't lie and say I find it scream out loud humour, but it is funny enough, it's the kind of show that fills the void left by Last of the Summer Wine. A nice floaty light, humorous show to have chicken sandwiches and cheesecake while watching. It has glimpses of the original magic, there are times when it's quite funny, the true laughs come from the original cast members, Lynda Baron and Stephanie Cole are still great. Maggie Ollerenshaw still manages to inject a bit of magic as Mavis.

I think the first episode remains the funniest, since then we've had a few duffs, and a few good ones, it's one of those shows I'm glad is still on.

It's watchable enough, but it's massively missing Ronnie Barker. 6/10

Like I'm sure a lot of Open All Hours fans I was dubious about this revival,but it is reassuring to see it hasn't been something that has been just cobbled together to fill a slot in the Christmas schedules - Still Open All Hours not only stands up as strongly as the original but also begs the questions as to why this sort of comedy isn't on our screens more regularly.

Yes, it's not all perfect and some of the jokes don't do a lot for me (though the studio audience seem to get them) but with the great Sir David Jason back as Granville (but with a hint of Arkwright) and the welcome sight of some old faces combined with the lovely gentle humour of Roy Clarke's writing I see no reason why this show shouldn't return for a full series. Stay open a bit longer Granville.