Wonderful character development!

Just perfect...

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

First heard Count Arthur (CAS) on BBC radio and loved it. He gets words and all sorts wrong and is quite a horrible, if hilarious, character who gets into all sorts of situations. The TV CAS is the same character but here he is NICE!I wasn't sure how it would work on TV but it does. With Graham Lineman (Father Ted, The IT crowd) on board there are some surreal moments, and Rory Kinnear takes a bit of getting used to. I only have to look at Count Arthur's character and I'm already laughing. The episode in which we have a copy of the story 'Misery' is hilarious. No bad language, just laugh out loud fun.

I'm an admirer of music hall and the stars - sadly now nearly all dead - who carried on the tradition in Variety. What a joy then to hear the not very old Steve Delaney as a kind of living throwback to an era that ended perhaps 80 years ago. It's all in the delivery - all those - pauses, that - pause - make the difference. Hia Count Arthur,is a wonderful mixture of performance and - pause- creativite writing. What he has done is to create the once popular entertainer in his twilight years when memories and bookings have dried up and he no longer a public figure. Not that the Count will acknowledge this change, he has retained all his overbearing self-confidence, much of his old vigour but much less of his brains and almost none of his memory. Old performers never die - they merely lose their marbles.The radio shows were uncluttered. Regulars who feature in the Counts life included: Geoffrey, dimwitted friend, the local butcher (the Count loved offal), and the proprietor of the local greasy spoon, were all minor characters. Steve Delaney's magic was convincly demonstrate what utter mahen could result when gross-error and enormous undaunted overbearing self-confidence coincided.That was the Count at his very best. I cannot imagine how Delaney worked out the convoluted plots in which comprehensive havoc was wreaked without apparent design. The Count's credo was: Never apologise, never explain - he didn't give a damn about anybody else, and in any case had such a faltering grasp of reality that explanation that anyone else would understand, was totally beyond him.Graham Lineham to my mind was at his best with the IT Crowd. Here though he clutters and pads out the cast and plot with regulars who just have too much to say and no compelling logic that they should be there (why does the Greg Kinnear character's life revolve round Count Arthur?). A real life Count Arthur = mega-egotist - would be complaining to his agent and his writer, that the others are stealing his scenes and his thunder. After all these years, Count Arthur is still the star - and we should never (be allowed) forget it!

I know, realise and fully get why Count Arthur Strong is seen as a Marmite comedy, I know people that genuinely detest it, I get that, I have to admit that I am a huge fan of it, it's quirky, slapstick, zany and madcap, I love it. As a character he's pompous, idiotic and would drive anyone to drink, a huge round of applause for Steve Delaney, his delivery is incredibly slick, as is his timing. Rory Kinnear shows just how versatile a performer he is, he's brilliant as Michael, the pair offer such different comic styles. Two brilliant series transmitted, and luckily a third is due soon. Some of the funniest comedy moments I have seen in years, Linehan's involvement is obvious, The Ice Cream van, The local elections, and of course the false leg. I missed Katya, but her storyline in the first series was hilarious and truly moving.I guess it's a show that could take a bit of time to get into, but I'm sure once you watch, you'll be hooked, I love it. 9/10

I'm a big fan of Linehan and I have enjoyed all of his work thus far. That said, I have not been a big fan of the radio series, and was slightly apprehensive when I heard of Linehan doing a series based on it. The radio show itself has garnered polarized responses from audiences, so you very well know that it's not going to get any better with the TV series.What works: 1. Delaney's very good with his mannerisms and I thought the character translated quite well into TV. 2. The gags which are classic Linehan moments (Jack the Ripper tour gag, Arthur as Dr. Two etc.) are excellent. Those alone salvage the show from being a poor one.What doesn't work: 1. Rory Kinnear as Michael - such a needless and irritating character. I really like Kinnear, but not in this role. A total miscast, if the character was necessary at all. 2. The pathos - they're all downright terrible. The one involving Eggy especially was unbelievably bad. 3. Over explanation of some gags - especially by Michael, is such a fun killer.Overall: Not great, and not Linehan's best, but still very Watchable and has a few flashes of brilliance. But seeing how the series has ended, and given that it has been recommissioned, I hope he rectifies these flaws and does a much, much better job with the second series.