Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

I can't believe my PBS station picked up this dreck. Maybe it's a show with a message - that a boring, nearly mute woman who doesn't seem to interact with her family beyond meekly nodding and smiling at their boorish, inane behavior will wind up with a boorish, inane family. She gives no guidance to her children; lets her in-laws walk all over her as they make nasty proclamations; watches her brother and his wife behave awfully in her home and has a nearly wordless relationship with a family friend who is in love with her. They should have drawn a cartoon bubble over her head saying "Nobody home. Be back later. Or not" Is it supposed to be funny that people are always standing awkwardly in the front hallway saying nothing? Or did I just drop a spoiler? Maybe I should have written a SPOILER ALERT - People stand around doing and saying nothing. A lot. Is this meant to be endearing? Who knows? Who cares? "Look how annoying my family is and I am powerless. I cannot tell them they must behave appropriately in my house or leave it. Woe is me." I guess this is what passes for "gentle comedy."

This a poignant comedy about reforming relationships following a loss .. it is gentle and unassuming.. and absolutely brilliant.. a real gem ..

I originally watching this series from series 2 - a strange place to start and it took a while for the character development to occur - however when I watched series 1 everything set its self in place.... Focusing on the woman of the household played by Lesley Manville, it is quite a heartwarming situ comedy which seems to place itself on certain lifetime events from within the family perspective be it mothers day or children moving out or going on holiday... The children in the show are probably the weakest element of it - as they portray stereo typical teenagers yet appear in the body's of 20 somethings and over empathises the naivety you expect from a 16 year old... That being said the dialogue and and issues tackled are on point and I often wonder about my own mother and family experiences - is that how she felt, is that what went on in her brain...It is not the most polished of shows and the direction could be a bit more speedy and the children a little less idiotic however it has had me close to tears on occasion which for a 6'3 male is a hard thing to do.Kudos to the team, I hope they continue to bring this different comedic performance into future series

I also missed this the first time around and, after catching a promo to the second series (which looked like something I would enjoy), I quickly caught up on the first series over the course of last w/end courtesy of iPlayer, and I am hooked. Reminiscent of the Detectorists in that the comedy is subtle and underplayed. The characters are well written and the acting is top-notch. You really feel as though you're eavesdropping on a real suburban set-up in Chingford.Would recommend to any fan of Damned or Detectorists.