Meet the Richardsons

I really like this show, but I'm not sure if I should be embarrassed to admit it.

This is a semi-scripted reality show, perhaps similar to The Only Way is Essex, where cameras follow married comedians Lucy and Jon around various fictional and non-fictional scenarios.

The show is at its best when it appears to be unscripted, when Jon and Lucy are simply sitting on the sofa making each other laugh. Various celebrities make an appearance.

I think the real shameful joy of the show comes from its ambiguity. To what extent is it reality? Which parts are scripted? How different are the true Lucy and Jon from their comedy personas? To what extent are they just joking and to what extent do they genuinely hate/love each other?

They've freely admitted multiple times some sections were staged and reshot because a camera wasn't there when the initial incident happened. And frequently other shows have been exposed as being overly scripted yet there isn't any complaining about that. So some reviewers need a dose of reality.

With that out of the way, I think this show is cute and mildly funny. No, it's not a laugh a minute, but I don't think they were going for that anyway. In a way, we are just observing a comedy couple get on with their lives.

Most of the participants seem to be fine folks and I find Lucy's accent to be quite fun to listen to.

So overall I think this is some reasonably fun and light entertainment. Highly recommended.

Update for Season/Series 3: It seems they are changing things up a little bit, maybe to keep it fresh. This time the show appears more blatantly scripted, with longer story arcs. The first episode particularly had me in stitches the entire time, the remainder might have been a little slower. Comedy is tricky, everyone may not find the same things funny. Typically at least once per episode I am on the floor laughing my head off, though.

I really enjoy Jon's comedy and, recently, Lucy has started getting more exposure on TV on panel shows and stand ups.

This partially fictional series is excellent.

In particular, all of the background music (so far - 2 episodes) is by Jethro Tull, which is a pleasant surprise.

Who is the Tull fan here? Is it Jon or Lucy or was the selection made by one of the production team?

Unlike the previous reviewer, I think that TV panel shows are greatly enhanced by his presence. The series of Taskmaster he was in is by far the best series to date and 8 out of 10 cats does Countdown is only worth watching with him on it. Have only just realised that this programme is a mockumentary as dialogue and situations so believable. Lucy Beaumont is a very lucky woman.

It's so deadpan, these two really do deserve each other. Two comedy actors, letting TV crews into their personal world.

Is it scripted or ad-libbed based on their real lives? They are comedy actors after all - so we don't know what goes on when the film crew leaves and the doors are closed.

More of a sitcom than reality TV, two people, a couple struggling through life. John - famously lampooned for being single forever on various panel shows, lands a catch in Lucy, but does he know what he has let himself in for?

I'm sceptical it was a marriage of convenience, a symbiotic relationship where they could help promote each other.