Home from Home

I watched the pilot and thought that this is like those unfunny comedy shows that used to be on ITV. But I watched the first episode of the series because Emilia Fox was in it. The writing seems to be better and the gorgeous Niky Wardley is always worth watching. I would have given the pilot a so-so average 5 but now I give it a 7.

Absolutely love home from home it's a good old fashioned English comedy with warm characters who you love. You find yourself rooting for Neil but laughing at his failures also. Love it

Can't believe this was commissioned the pilot was dreadful but thought I would give it the benifit of the doubt ,big mistake some of the most unendearing characters on tv with a pathetic storyline

Home from Home rather started out like One Foot in the Grave. Johnny Vegas plays Neil Hackett and he is stuck on the motorway traffic and goes on to a school coach to give an errant boy a piece of his mind. Very Victor Meldrew-ish.

Hackett is a working man of modest means. He might embarrass his wife Fiona and two children every now and then but he has saved enough money to buy a compact holiday chalet in the Lake District. The kids seem less impressed, no television means no sports and also there is no wifi.

They meet their upwardly mobile neighbours in the holiday park. Robert and Penny Dillon are well to do, well travelled and used to the high life. Penny seems aloof, you get the impression that she does not want to be there. Robert seems more down to earth, sexier, charismatic and also practical. He mends the Hackett's television reception that Neil was having trouble with.

You now sense then that this is going to be more like the 1980s sitcom Ever Decreasing Circles. Neil being jealous of the more posher neighbours who have seen and done better things.

This was a pilot episode but I suspect if it was a series we can guess Vegas will be having regular rants on the state of the world and then feeling insecure about his life and wife who might have her head turned by Robert's infallible charm.

Oscar Kennedy was his usual brilliant self, the greatest natural i've seen in years, even if its not my kinda picture i'll watch it cause Oscar's in it & if the film isn't great its Oscar who gives it life.