I'd like to have seen them not bother, resurrecting OFAH instead - at least that was funny.

I was always surprised that Ronnie Barker bothered to do this, Porridge was a far superior show.

Those devices aren't for makers to gauge the quality of the product but to help advertisers determine market penetration and future strategies.

It would be better using the various thumbs up options on modern devices to get that kind of feedback.

Those shops are rubbish though - they look grim, have little variety and are generally more expensive than others. That's why there aren't so many of them around these days.

Seriously?! It was one of the worst TV shows ever made. Horrible - so twee, nothing happening apart from inane nonsense.

Scourge of Sunday evenings that!

Some very polarised views in the comments on this review in the Telegraph, which itself is less than complimentary.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/t...#disqus_thread

Just watching it now and rather underwhelmed, tbh.

Indeed. Like with a pilot episode of a show. I'm always amused they base whether to make a series or not on the basis of the so called ratings (as they don't actually count EVERY viewer, just a few hundred, I don't see the point of them!) because so many people DO watch a first episode out of curiosity and don't always bother going back to it.

This one-off was always going to get good so called ratings. Cos of the curiosity factor.

Plus, there's not much 'old' comedy on these days, it's all modern rubbish which I personally find as funny as piles, as they say!

And of course, so many remember Open All Hours. Another reason to watch from curiosity!

The people who are complaining about this show are in the same awful mind set as most TV executives, who I dare say dislike Mrs Browns boys, 321, and World in Action.

TV is here to provide FOR EVERYONE.

Far from it. I love Mrs Browns Boys. I love the original Open All Hours. This one was lacking for me.


And EVERYONE is different and has different views and opinions.

Not in our house! We turned it off! We were fans of the original, but thank god this was only a one off. I hope no-one considers financing a series, they would be wasting their money.

You see the forum is split i would love a series.

If Miranda Hart can ger financing anybody can IMO.

Originally Posted by artnada:
“Far from it. I love Mrs Browns Boys. I love the original Open All Hours. This one was lacking for me.”

They do i find Mrs Browns Boys unfunny, and loved this as well as the original nice to see how Granville has progressed .

I would not say they should stop making Mrs Browns Boys though as we all chip in for the licence fee.

not sure.. but we recorded it ..watched half and deleted it..We thought DJ looked uncomfortable it all seemed staged and the acting wooden. That is our oppinion mind you might enjoy it

not sure.. but we recorded it ..watched half and deleted it..We thought DJ looked uncomfortable it all seemed staged and the acting wooden. That is our opinion mind you might enjoy it

I agree. The talents of Barker and Jason were completely wasted. A gentle comedy is fine, just as long as it's actually funny, and Open All Hours could never be accused of that.

If everyday comedy was based on that opinion very Little apart from the Inbetweeners would ever get made.

Hi Everyone.....hope you all had a great Christmas and Have a great New year.....

Only just got around to watching this yesterday on the IPLAYER....I had avoided this thread on purpose as I wanted to make up my mind without seeing what others had thought and now that I have had a look through I was pleased that I had.

Like many I was concerned that STILL OAO was gong to be a big disappointment and I was happy to find that there was enough in it that that was not the case for me. OAO is one of a line of BBC sitcoms that I have great memories of and like to see again from time to time on GOLD or wherever. With this they may have come up with a follow on that may be able to move and update the story.

I laughed enough especially keeping in mind it was a Christmas "special"..I loved seeing how the characters had aged....James Baxter as Leroy played his part expertly....the cameos by JV and Barry "Chuckle" were great to see..... and DJ updated Granville excellently, although his make up looked a touch....odd.....there was enough in my opinion to see a series.

I don't think the small bits of the theme music was needed linking different parts of the story, but on the whole given that it was a "pilot" it worked for me.

I know reading above comments many are disappointed....I say give it a chance.

Love you all

It just like those people that when as soon as you mention canned laughter they chime in with 'but it was filmed infront of a studio audience'.
It doesn't mean that the laughter track hasn't been manipulated in some way.

id watch this a hundred times over mrs browns boys any day, I cant stand MBB its not even the slightest bit funny , I loved open all hours and this was never going to be AS good as Ronnie Barker isn't in it but it was a good idea and it was comical and light hearted with plenty of references to the old episodes and characters , id watch it if they were to do more. anything is better than citizen khan which is also garbage and MBB and David Jason is a legend

Obviously its all a matter of opinion, but not everyone will remember just how big LOTSW was -especially in the eighties when many saw it as a national treasure. Audiences of 19 million at its height and a prominent show for 20 years or so-it was only when Bill Owen passed away that its started to gradually unravel.

I would be astonished if there is not at least a follow up, if not a series. Those kind of viewing figures cannot be ignored.

A major factor for those figures will be that it was a one-off special at christmas.

Is that so well the christmas edition of Eatenders /Coronation street is a one off to, its ratings beat them both .

For goodness sake lots or people enjoyed it,that may not have liked contemporary Comedy let it lie.

Those that did not like it well it was not for you.

Erm... yes. It's a reboot of a well liked show which starred one of the nation's much loved actors, plus it was on during the christmas period which made it more of a special occasion.


I'd say those reasons contributed to why it had good figures.



I was replying to speculation of a series based on the good viewing figures. No sure there's any reason to have a go for that.

Critics are the cancerous bile of the media, their opinion deserves nothing but contempt and ignored.