Is it too early to reminisce about Friday Night Dinner

[Utter Shit]

I've been rewatching it recently and it's really, really good. Probably the most recent 'classic' comedy that I can imagine still watching in 20 years.

Six series is a good run for a UK show and it is pretty consistent throughout - Jim doesn't properly get into his stride until series 2, but otherwise everything is in place from the start and it didn't really feel like it was running on fumes when Paul Ritter's sad death brought it to an end.

And what a fantastic performance he gave as Martin Freeman. So uniquely, believably weird.

[Bad Ambassador]

Martin Goodman.

[Terry Torpid]

I got plenty of laughs out of it. Nice to have a sitcom that was entirely focussed on comedy, and never took itself too seriously. No major arcs, no tragic pathos, no points to be made, just jokes.

I was quite repetitive though, in a Roy Clarke kind of way, and I think Jim's writing and acting got a bit too broad as it went along.

[Steve Faeces]

I think it's really well observed in how adult sons interact with their parents and each other when they're back in the family home.

I never really liked the Jim character. I think they could have written him a little less pathetic and socially isolated. I haven't seen the last two series so perhaps the character develops more. The Partridge books and podcasts do better with jokes about a man bullied by his large dog. With Jim it's the case that of course he's bullied by Wilson because he's a completely pitiful man.

[Utter Shit]

Martin Goodman.

FUCKING HELL

[Average Comedy Enjoyer]

If I have one complaint it's that the always have their front door wide open. It must be like a bleeding fridge in there.

[frajer]

If I have one complaint it's that the always have their front door wide open. It must be like a bleeding fridge in there.

Boiling in here.

[BritishHobo]

Jackie and Martin are great, because they're not really very much like my parents, but the writing and performances makes them feel very relatable in that sense.

[Deskbound Cunt]

I liked it in the main but hated the Jim character. Makes me uncomfortable the writer having lolz at a character who is lonely and probably has mh issues. Oh and Martin got irritating when he became "eccentric dad".

So, make that 3/5 characters then. Sounds about right.

[Utter Shit]

Oh and Martin got irritating when he became "eccentric dad".

But that was his character from the first episode?

[Armin Meiwes]

The most relatable character for me was Mr Morris because he REALLY reminded me of my grandad. Shalom!

[Butchers Blind]

The most relatable character for me was Mr Morris because he REALLY reminded me of my grandad. Shalom!

"Punk rockers"

[Pink Gregory]

"Punk rockers"

"RUTHERFORD'S!"

the end of that series, where the family are all celebrating that nice grandma doesn't marry him, is the closest it ever got to sentimental, but it was earned.

[BritishHobo]

Fucking hell Mr Morris was good. And I was glad they never gave into the temptation of bringing him back more regularly, which would inevitably have ruined the character. It always felt all the more special when you'd get someone who was so awful they united Adam and Jonny.

[Steve Faeces]

The exchange where Mr Morris is complaining about "all the men on the TV these days calling themselves Beau Brummels" is probably my favourite bit of the series.

[DelurkedToHelp]

"RUTHERFORD'S!"

the end of that series, where the family are all celebrating that nice grandma doesn't marry him, is the closest it ever got to sentimental, but it was earned.

I've only watched it the once at the time of broadcast but from memory, the episode in which Jim's dog has died had sentimental bits/wasn't played entirely for laughs.

[DelurkedToHelp]

I feel Jackie and Martin took the news of the sons having both gotten their respective partners pregnant unbelievably well considering they hadn't even met said partners before the night they found out about the pregnancies.

[daf]

Any "females"?

Lovely bit of squirrel!

[IsavedLatin]

Jackie and Martin are great, because they're not really very much like my parents, but the writing and performances makes them feel very relatable in that sense.

Yes, this; none of the content of the obsessions were the same as my dad's, but the manner and tone of dadness in Ritter's performance were absolutely spot on (and hence at least partly why I was quite so enormously upset when he died).

[Terry Torpid]

Going around with his top off, intermittent (and convenient) hearing problems, and the glasses case poking out of the pocket are my dad to a T. Similar hair too.

[Pink Gregory]

Going around with his top off, intermittent (and convenient) hearing problems, and the glasses case poking out of the pocket are my dad to a T. Similar hair too.

Robert Popper inspired by memories of his own dad drinking ketchup out of the bottle.

[The Late Satoru Iwata]

I like the series and shall give it a hearty scream in the car.

Hip-hip...

AAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!

[madhair60]

it was ok. not many laughs but it passed the time

[lauraxsynthesis]

Was thinking about Paul Ritter yesterday. When he played Jimmy Perry in that Dad's Army docudrama and was all choked up by Bud Flanagan recording the theme tune. Ritter was such a bonus in everything he was in.

It's amazing how enjoyable this show was when it was so formulaic - dad says xyz, salt in the water, neighbour turning up etc. I put it down to the depths of comedy in the performances.

[jobotic]

Paul Ritter was a friend of friends. Think I met him once but don't remember. Anyway they really liked him. He was good in Chernobyl.

Friday Night Dinner was alright. Agree with Madhair. Not so good that I want to watch it again, containing as it does one of the nastiest people around.

[Armin Meiwes]

Paul Ritter was a friend of friends. Think I met him once but don't remember. Anyway they really liked him. He was good in Chernobyl.

Friday Night Dinner was alright. Agree with Madhair. Not so good that I want to watch it again, containing as it does one of the nastiest people around.

Mean grandma?

[Cuellar]

The exchange where Mr Morris is complaining about "all the men on the TV these days calling themselves Beau Brummels" is probably my favourite bit of the series.

Yeah ditto. Was trying to find a clip of it on YouTube but all the "Best bits of Mr Morris!!" compilations don't include it because people are idiots.

Likewise calling Simon Bird "Mr Molester" and then when Martin attempts to throw him out saying "Oh your top's come off, has it?" before tearing his own shirt off.

[DelurkedToHelp]

[PlanktonSideburns]

The look of genuine love that Micheal gives his boys as they come in the house,  'Hello Bambinos!' Before returning to his mad shed based bickering is really delightful

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

Martin.