User reviews

Just started watching this again and it hasn't aged at all. It's still brilliant which I'm pleasantly surprised by because a lot of comedy hasn't. Just great!

This is what comedy, and for that matter films, are all about. The characters are deep, real and extremely funny. The beauty is that these are all people we know. At times you may not notice, but Peter Kaye plays several of the characters. My personal favourite is fire officer Keith Lard who interferes with dogs in the worst possible way and has no connection whatsoever with Keith Laird of Bolton Fire Service. Max and Paddy probably take the prize of the regular crew. One of the great things about this series is that every time you watch it, you spot something else that's funny and make sure you listen to the music that's playing. The good news is that series 2 is now out and Max and Paddy will return in their own programme at some point.

I must admit that the league of gentlemen and the office come very close to this as a comedy series, but phoenix nights has it all! the office is brilliant but, there is only one main joke, David Brent, obviously Gareth, Keith and Tim are amazing too but there is only so far you can push this humour, as you end up cringing at Brent sometimes (oi Brent, give it up!) the league of gentlemen is also absolute class, but i think there's a bit more of a story in phoenix nights and as they are all milling about under one roof the opportunities for gags are endless.

don't get me wrong i do love the league of gentlemen and i know it does have a very entertaining and fulfilling storyline but (maybe its because I'm from up north) i just think phoenix nights has the edge.

there are more "spit your tea out" laughs in P.N and continual background gags, also the ability of Peter Kay to play 3 roles, each equally funny, just makes this the best modern comedy available! little Britain comes nowhere near, its fairly funny in parts but too repetitive.

people have recommended the mighty Busch which i have not watched yet.

When I was a lad my father used to take me & my brothers to a Working Mens Club on Saturday nights. It was AWFUL! Old people sat at regimented benches miserably supping ale, useless ventriloquists, tone-deaf singers, crap magicians & an obese nut-case who used to wander around selling cockles and mussels.

But we LOVED the place!

Peter Kay is a genius. He's got such a wonderfully original and quintessentially English sense of humour. Yeah! We love being "little Englanders" and I've laughed my head off throughout every episode of Phoenix Nights. I doubt this show will ever be seen outside Britain & I'm sure that people from other countries who live/work here will be utterly mystified by it, however. Peter Kay is the patron saint of the northern working class, of which I'm a proud member. "Top bomber!"

Brian Potter does all he can to make his Club, The Phoenix Club, the best in the area. Helped by his staff, he always made sure that a trip to The Phoenix Club was a memorable experience.

Very few shows knew when to stop, so many continued past their sell by date, Phoenix Nights, Fawlty Towers and Car share however, all left us wanting more, all ended at the top of their game.

It's joyous from start to finish, incredibly funny, with a mix of sarcasm, slapstick and some incredible one liners.

We do have The Max and Paddy spinoff to enjoy, but Phoenix Nights consists of twelve magical episodes spit over two series. Both series have their highlights, but nothing beats Sammy the snake.

In my youth, I worked in a working man's club, I think it even had the same wallpaper, so as I watch this, I get a huge sense of nostalgia, it takes me back to my younger years.

The cast are tremendous, but Peter Kay so often steals the show, his facial expressions are incredible.

Wonderful.

10/10.

Some British Comedies don't translate into US sensibilities and are not as funny outside of the UK. Phoenix Nights is NOT one of those. This series is a well-crafted set of stories taking place in a small working-class night club that will keep you laughing long after you press the STOP button. Phoenix Nights works on many levels but it starts with a tight script, delivered with verve by a widely talented cast, flawlessly directed and photographed, every character in the series that contributes a vital beingness to this story of a worn-formica nightclub in Northern England. The sets, staging and costumes are as rich in comedic detail as are the intertwining plots. And the vacuum-tight editing of the series make this one of those shows you'll watch again and again. And if watching Phoenix Nights for laughs isn't enough reason for you to purchase these DVDs, then purchase them to use as a textbook example of how a creative ensemble can work together to produce a first-rate comedy series and put together an informative and entertaining commentary track. Phoenix Nights is the best reason for Americans to purchase a multi-region/multi-standard DVD player. Phoenix Nights may be the most entertaining TV series America never gets to see. If you're NOT in the UK or Europe, here's what you gotta do: - bite the bullet and buy the DVD's from AMAZON.CO.UK and watch it on your computer (The DVD's are Region 2; non-US), or - spend a few bucks and get an all-region DVD player and then watch it via your stereo-connected wide-screen TV, or - sit around and hope and pray that UK's Channel 4 exports the show to a US network.

Let's be honest here - comedies set in working men's clubs are now an old idea now. Phoenix Nights is great, however, and is made better by the fact that it all could happen in real life. Some of the gags are hilarious - and it is good to see how this show has not been ruined by a rubbish third series. My favourite episode was the one where Brian Potter and the guys held a fun day to reopen the Phoenix Club - I was literally wetting myself with laughter when "Sammy Snake" rose up in front of an audience watching Jerry sing. The second series is personally my favourite, but the first series has such brilliant things to offer as - a racist folk band, a Western evening from hell, and the prospect of a horrible future for the Phoenix Club. It set the way for a second series, and it is good to see how that managed to maintain the strength of this show's comedy - it can also be quite moving in parts. Phoenix Nights saw when it reached its peak and stopped before it jumped the shark - unlike Little Britain, which is constantly being mined for a hint of a gag and will soon become rather hated than loved. And Brian Potter can be far funnier than Andy and Lou. This was definitely the thing that established Peter Kay as one to be reckoned with - and I can see why. Phoenix Nights is pure genius - prepare to be amused! 9/10

Just watched this again after so many years. Nostalgia has neither enhanced or dimmed the sheer brilliance of this show. Kay's genius lies in nailing everything we knew and loved about social clubs and the people who worked and frequented them. Those lucky enough to have lived in those times will have experienced so many episodes and little vignettes of the sort of madness that goes on in these places, plus how they acted as the glue for working class communities.

Still incredibly funny, it should be placed in a time capsule as an example of how to create a sit-com. The casting, locations, timing and direction are of the highest order. It is a joy for everyone. Utterly peerless.

I live in the south of England and I can still recognise the situations in a cr ap club, but it's still a brilliant club as a local social meeting place. I had a feeling the writers were real working class, as so much comedy on TV is taken over by Oxbrige ex footlights people, so it's good others have a chance and can show real is better than studying for years what working class people are supposed to be like. I envy how good the northerners are at bringing humour to everyday situations. They aren't stuffy and find it easy to laugh things. The bouncy castle reminded me of a real viral video where children were unknowingly sliding out of a part that looked rude, so made me laugh extra loud when something similar was brought to the show.

After first watching Pheonix Nights during its original release and numerous times over the past 22 years it has lost none of it's power to make me laugh.

Brian Potter is a great lead comedy character, up there with likes of Trotter, Fletcher, Fawlty, Partridge and Brent. Peter Kay plays and writes the character incredibly well. What makes it work is the combination of Brian with the supporting characters. Dave Bramwell's Jerry and Neil Fitzmaurice's Ray Von are also fantastic creations. As a combined writing/performance team they should always work together in my eyes.

Other characters all have memorable moments played perfectly by performers like Steve Edge, Toby Foster, Janice Connolly, Archie Kelly, Justine Moorhouse, Paddy McGuinness, Ted Robins and Daniel Kitson.

Visually it feels like a classic working man's club in a town not unlike my own in South Wales. I think this, plus all the Northern English humour makes it feel authentic and brilliantly observed by the writers and filmmakers.

If Kay and the others have good ideas to follow it up with a third series or movie, I hope they do so, as it would be both a travesty and a waste if more of their creativity to goes untapped. I am unsure about other areas of Britain, but "Clubland" is dying in my community, as the population ages and the younger generations socialise differently. The writers could use this theme to give the characters and culture a poignant and proper send off.

I have reviewed each episode individually on IMDB.

He may be currently winning acclaim with 'Car Share' but this show was one of the first occasions where Peter Kay burst into the publics imagination.

There are all the hallmarks of his ability being displayed here, from great verbal and sight humour, and also some lovely characters, all of whom are real and relatable.

It's not as consistently funny as 'Car Share' is, but Kay was still learning his craft. Each episode of this show though does have it's memorable and quotable moments.

Have a watch if you get the chance.

This comedy, which ran for two series, was co-written by and starred (in several roles), Bolton comic Peter Kay, who has his finger perfectly on the breathing pulse of North West England (speaking as someone the same age as Kay who comes from a part of the NW not a million miles from Bolton). Phoenix Nights was set in a lousy Northern club with 'entertainment', bingo, and droll staff, just the kind of club that existed in the 1970s and 1980s.

Brian Potter, owner and sometime licensee, is wheelchair bound and sarcastic, with his wingeing voice and blustering manner. Played by Kay he is a great creation. The main target for Brian's verbal attacks is Jerry 'St Clair' (Dave Spikey) who acts as compère and - at times - terrible entertainer. Doormen Max (Kay again) and Paddy (Patrick McGuinness) went on to have their own spin-off series.

Alongside the long-running feud between Potter and Den Perry (Ted Robbins), the high points of Phoenix Nights includes the variety 'auditions' which ended each episode (who could forget the doves which flew into the air condition fans, or the ping pong lady?). The audience at the Phoenix were real-life Bolton residents, and their reactions are absolutely genuine.

I have two favourite episodes - the one with the outdoor entertainment ('Sammy the Snake' (!), and the Children's Activity Hut, formerly the Gents loo); and the Stars in Their Eyes episode (with the jam-jar glassed club worker as Gary Glitter, and Jerry and Brian as Elton John and George Michael).

It ended far too soon but the two series that were made are the stuff that makes classic comedy.

There are few things as quintessentially British as a working men's club, and there are even fewer things as brilliantly funny as Phoenix Nights. Created by the comedic genius that is Peter Kay, this series takes you into the heart of Chorley, Greater Manchester, where club owner Brian Potter is hell-bent on making The Phoenix Club the best in the land-despite every possible disaster thrown his way.

From start to finish, Phoenix Nights delivers a masterclass in observational comedy, with every episode packed full of brilliantly absurd characters, quotable lines, and that special kind of humour that you only find in the North. Brian Potter (played by Kay himself), a man with the body of a club owner and the attitude of a nightclub tycoon, is determined to overcome every setback-whether it's dodgy electrics, a fire, or the occasional lack of paying customers.

The first series is an absolute masterpiece. It's the kind of show you can watch again and again, and not only laugh at the same gags, but notice those hidden gems you missed the first time around. From Jerry St. Clair's (Dave Spikey) hopeless optimism to the legendary doormen Max and Paddy (yes, more on them later), every character is so fully realized that it's impossible not to fall in love with them. Every episode feels like a mini-event, with one ridiculous situation after another, as the club tries (and often fails) to become the hub of Chorley nightlife.

Now, I'll admit, the second series might have faltered a bit in terms of storyline-it didn't quite have the same tightness or polish as the first-but let's be honest, when you've got Peter Kay at the wheel, it's still top-tier comedy. The jokes, the one-liners, and the awkward scenarios remain just as hilarious. Whether it's a bizarre psychic night gone wrong, or Brian Potter coming up with yet another harebrained scheme to save the club, it's still comedy gold, and every misstep feels intentional and relatable.

That being said, the spin-off Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere didn't quite capture the same magic. While Max and Paddy are a fantastic double act in Phoenix Nights, their standalone adventures felt a bit forced, like a tribute band trying to fill an arena that's just too big. It had moments, but the magic of Phoenix Nights was in the ensemble, in the sheer madness of The Phoenix Club and the weird and wonderful community that surrounds it.

What makes Phoenix Nights truly special is that it doesn't just rely on punchlines and slapstick-it's the detail, the layers of humour, the subtle gags that you only catch on a second or third viewing. It's a snapshot of a very real, very familiar world for anyone who's ever set foot in a British working men's club. It's nostalgic without trying too hard, and the charm of it all is in how it captures that Northern spirit-gritty, resilient, and always up for a laugh, no matter how grim things get.

In short, Phoenix Nights is British comedy at its finest. It's the perfect blend of sharp writing, brilliant performances, and just enough ridiculousness to keep you coming back for more. If you haven't seen it, you're missing out on a classic that stands the test of time. And if you have seen it, well, there's no harm in watching it again-because, trust me, you'll still be laughing.

It seems strange why Peter Kay, Dave Spikey and Neil Fitzmaurice had to rewrite their previous vehicle "That Peter Kay Thing" when the elements of Phoenix Nights already lay within that underrated little gem; perhaps an issue over writing credits. The result is perhaps one of Channel 4's all-time great comedy's that surely rank alongside Father Ted and Spaced. From beginning to end Phoenix Night's combines side-splitting and subtle humour that will leave you laughing long after the dvds sell-by date, and a highly emotive storyline that will draw you in right up to the Goodnight Vienna credit.

Phoenix Night's is an ageing working-man's club operated by the cantankerous Brian Potter (Kay) and his compère (Spikey), who both seek to organise wackier events to draw in the locals. Despite their hard-fought efforts you can rely upon their crack-brained schemes to end in chaotic hilarity; such as organising a gun-slinging contest between Lancashire and Yorkshire, or booking a highly inappropriate pyhsic.

Another strength of the series is the use of Kay's comedic friends and the local residents of Bolton, transforming what could have been a run-of-mill situation comedy into an entirely believable working- class environment that could have been plucked from any working- town in England. As such the characterisation and interaction between the actors and the locals will leave you identifying with the characters and coming to love or hate them as much you would with any local club in your community..

Kay stated he is so proud of what they accomplished with Phoenix Nights, and it is impossible to disagree: Phoenix Nights is flawless.

This is hilarious. It really is. Peter Kay, quite rightly, was accused of theft by releasing 'new' stand up DVDs...when it was exactly the same show in a different arena! However, I can forgive anything after seeing Phoenix Nights. The 'Crimewatch' episode is incredibly funny.

The supporting cast is perfect and each one is brilliant in their own right.

The humour is very, very British...north west British.

The first thing I remember was seeing a guy driving and listening to the radio...he was listening to 'Chorley FM'. To hear the DJ shout 'Chorley FM...comin' in yer ears' had me helpless from the first minute.

Absolute gem and it has aged (ok only a decade old) very well.

Very northern English tales of the 'Phoenix Nights' night club's fall and rise.

Peter plays several roles. Main one is as a wheelchair bound owner of his beloved club struggling to keep it running despite the antics of a rival. Quite an actor!

The characters are a mix of some British celebrities (I hope they don't mind that I think that this program helped raise their profiles) and what seems to be extras or members of the public.

For me, all very loveable people and so funny in their antics.

I just wish I could stream rather than get off my ass to watch the dvds.

Highly recommended for giggles and hugs. :)

I never got why this was considered to be funny. It wasn't funny at all. I only barely remember it because it was boring, but I do remember being confused why anyone would like it, but the one person I know who thought it was funny also thought The League of Gentlemen was funny, so that's hardly a ringing endorsement.

'Phoenix nights' is destined to become a classic of British comedy, in the same league as 'Fawlty Towers' and 'I'm Alan Partidge'. It really is that good.

The humour is clever, observational, very politically incorrect and oh-so Northern England. As with all really excellent comedy it draws you in and makes you fond of the characters, despite their many flaws. You all know the type of people in this show because you see them everyday at home and work.

'Phoenix nights' follows Brian and his attempts to rebuild his nightclub for the third time... most recently after it burnt to the ground (hence the name phoenix). Peter Kay plays many of the parts himself (all brilliantly) including Brian, the club owner and memorable of all, Keith Lard the fire inspector with some odd personal habits. Quite apart from Kay, every single actor in the show does a superb job capturing the quirks and oddities that make human life so amusing... there's not one single bad performance.

The only possible problem is that it's hard to tell how well it will travel. Many of the jokes are, as I mentioned earlier, very British and even more specifically, very Northern.

Clubland will never die.

Well not if Peter Kay keeps treating us to this little lovely. Phoenix Nights is one of those rare comedies. Rare as in its actually funny (see ‘Ed Stone is dead'. Which is so unfunny its basically the ‘Anti-Phoenix').

Anyone who has grown up in the north will instantly recognise virtually everything that happens in the Phoenix. The theme nights, the cheesy compere, the ugly regulars who sit there all day on a pint of mild. Its all there. Which is one of peter kays strengths. Brilliant observation in all of his work.

The writing is incredibly strong and the performances are first rate. The comedy set pieces in each episode will have you in tears (‘The Stannah Stairlift Seduction' and the ‘Erotic Bouncy castle' are standouts).

Season 1 and 2 are, in my opinion, equally as good as each other. And, although it isn't really fair to judge the two together, I actually prefer the Phoenix to The Office. Judged purely on laugh out loud moments Peter Kays superb series just edges it for me.

I didn't think it could get any funnier. Then I watched the DVD with the directors commentary….

Just by fluke, I happened to catch an episode of this funny-as-all-hell show while vacationing in the UK. To the powers that be (being the TV station heads here in Canada): please pick up Phoenix Nights, and begin airing episodes here ASAP! This is too funny to miss! And as a plug to Canadian audiences: This could easily be a British companion piece to our "Trailer Park Boys" (except way better!)

Peter Kay / Dave Spikey are stand up comedians, very funny ones @ that along with Neil (shabba!) fitzpatrick, hopefully they are getting the reorganization for their work now. They draw a lot of comedy from real life things, which is why things like PN is so funny. (Fawty Towers, is another good example of such a thing).

I have a friend from up north (near Bolton) was shocked I knew about such working man clubs. Thing is, if your Irish, or of Irish origins, like me and used to go Irish clubs with parents, its really the same thing, and you can relate.

This show and the stand up comedy DVD's Peter / Dave have done, will have you laughing esp. the "bolton halls - mum needs a bungalow" one. They were clever in making the series as there is SO much scope with it, and hopefully more series will follow.

If you are a Brit abroad, or have watched a lot of UK TV, you would relate to many things , such as Jim "the" Bowen (super/smashing/great) being featured in it. Maybe other people would miss some of the jokes, but there is jokes in there everyone would get.

Some jokes are very subtle, and it's one you'd have to re-watch. Which is good, Naked gun, Aeroplane etc are the same in that respect. I think its like comedy I've watched from oversea's such as kids in the hall, red & green show etc. Although some of the jokes are localised, there are things in there to make you laugh.

If you like comedy which is based on real life , you'll like this. The cast is good, except the one who was the youth club dj.. he slated the show later after winning an award.. I don't find him as funny as a stand up comedian anyway, just thought it was a bit snipey TBH

DEN PERRY DID IT!!! =)

This IS the best thing on tv (even though it's not on at the moment. inviguratingly funny, showing that Peter Kay is a comic gem. The auditions at the end of each episode make me cry with laughter...the jugula...need i say more? 10 out of 10