Early Doors

Why is it that every comedy now has to either have some "incredibly original" gimmick, or be extremely vulgar, or both, to hit it big? This consigns near-masterpieces like Early Doors to the slops bucket of TV history. Yes, as many observe, little happens in the course of the half hour, but you certainly don't even think about that when you're watching it. Cash and Mealey's genius is to realise that everybody's lives are generally repetitive, and so they are likely to have the same discussion in the same refuge every day. This is never treated with a hint of irony, but genuine warmth for the old school pubs that Ken and his lost bretheren run. Lacklustre shows like The Smoking Room and Little Britain, so pleased with themselves and determined to run down the losers, halfwits and layabouts of this world, would do well to learn from this and find that happiness is in whatever routine you, not society, carves out for you.

I love Early Doors! Every character is so complete and every one of them each have their moment of the comic genius. Some of my favourites are of the cleaner, Winnie, winding up Jean - especially the scene where she's winding Jean up about her husband going to court for 'allegedly' being too familiar with the barmaids.

Scenes that absolutely kill me are: 'Do you like circuses?' 'And all the kids shout out 'where's dopey?'' There are just too many moments of comic genius and this is the only comedy (other than The Royale Family) that I can watch over and over again and never get bored of it.

Please, please, Craig Cash, if you read this, do a third series! I know you can do it. Save us from crap like 'My Family'! You're the best.

The other day I went to my special little video shop again to get some nice DVD for the evening in and found Early Doors sitting on the shelf. I had never heard about it, I didn't know the actors and feared I wouldn't be able to understand the northern dialect. But I rented it nevertheless (there were subtitles, they convinced me, because the mere sound of a Yorkshire dialect is beautiful, but I also want to know what they say) and was interest what Early Doors would be.

In the first episode I got to know the characters, in the second their habits and moods, in the third you got used to them, in the fourth you started to like them, in the fifth you did like them and the sixth... was the last, unfortunately, although by now you loved the pub and its people and wanted to know more about them. But then it was already over. Three hours had passed without me noticing it! I hope there will be more episodes out on DVD soon, I really would love to watch them.

And I can't get this catchy tune from the credits out of my head. For days now I'm humming it. This really is a beautiful little gem of a series. Typically British, I'd say. Let me tell you, if you love Britain and the British, watch Early Doors. You won't be disappointed. Time for more, gentlemen, please!

Early Doors is laugh-out-loud funny, tender, heartwarming, exasperating, fascinating, at times even a little disgusting, this television series has everything anybody could want, and more. From the very first episode of the first series you take the cast to your hearts and want to know more about what the community, collectively and individually, get up to next. The main takes place in Ken's pub (the landlord) and the comings and goings of this 'small world' (the theme tune taken from Roddy Frame's debut album Surf) are not to be missed. The characters are all so very real and this snapshot of working class northern life is a real gem...you can't fail to fall in love with it! Enjoy! :)

I watched both series on the BBC and now own the DVD's. A well crafted comedy with what I would consider instantly likable characters. To pick out one character, would be a dis-service, as all shine. I believe the key to good comedy is the relationship on and off camera between the actors and it's a delight to watch the out-takes on the DVD, must have been a joy to go to work everyday.

Shame it's not too well known, people either shake their head or shrug their shoulders when I ask them if they've seen it. I prefer this to the Royle Family, probably cause I know what it's like to walk into a pub where the regulars are regular. Hoping for more.