Plebs

If that joke in the summary makes you chuckle then you're going to love Plebs.

I guess I might be in a rare camp being both a fan of the Inbetweeners and of Roman history but when I spied this I knew I had to watch it. Not only does it capture the day to day life of Roman lower classes brilliantly (aside from the deliberately dodgy accents). but it's funny and entertaining in it's own right.

The main trio are all really good and we see them going about their daily lives whilst doing their best to get laid and climb the social ladder and failing miserably at both.

But as much as Will McKenzie steals the show in the Inbetweeners it's Grumio, who steals the show here. Almost every time he's on screen it's stupidly funny. He doesn't even have to open his mouth, he just has one of those faces and his stupid bowl head. But that accent of his is awesome.

It's only had one season so far, so it's still early days. It's landed a bit under the mainstream radar so I fear a second season might not land. But hopefully if it does a fan base will develop and we could be in a for an awesome comedy series.

Joel. Fry left and so did my interest in this show. Joel Fry's character was always trying to have sex with every woman he meets and at least one man but it was still somehow endearing but his replacement is a borderline sexual predator who has absolutely no charm and only thinks of himself. Not once in series 4 did even a hint of a chuckle present itself. The first 22 episodes were fun, series 4 turned into mean spirited nonsense.

Loving this - it's pretty much The Inbetweeners do Ancient Rome. Class.

The story focuses around 3 guys living in a pretty dull area of Rome (- not Gladiators, nor Senators, just blokes - hence the title) Tom Rosenthal plays the very straight Marcus, who has the most resentful slave ever in the fabulous Grunio (Ryan Sampson, rocking a hairdo like Howard from Big Bang, and pretty much channelling Baldrick with a grumpy attitude) They live with the over-sexed Stylax (Joel Fry), next door to the gorgeous but dim Cynthia (Sophie Colquhoun) and her scary and whip smart slave, Metella (Lydia Rose Bewley) - both from Briton.

A must see for Inbetweeners fans, do not miss the 2nd episode with Danny Dyer being a very macho but sensitive Gladiator.

Brilliant.

I loved this show, so much so that its now my most recommended show to my friends. Everyone is weary when i first tell them the premise and when they first see it. By the 2nd episode they also become a fellow plebeian. Give the show a try at least 2 episodes! You will most likely not regret it. Marcus can get a little annoying at times but Stylax more than makes up for it, being both a sexual deviant and a terrible influence. The pinnacle of the show is Grumio (Ryan Samson), he is hilarious and downright brilliant. The set up of the show is similar in each episode but the story is complex and witty. The landlord's banter with Grumio is also amazing.

Yes it was sad that Joel Fry left in series three, yes it did take time to warm up in series 4, but regardless this is all really great fun with some very strong comic performances.

Always a plan that backfires