Dinnerladies - The Complete Series DVD

Advantages: A brilliant observational comedy!
Disadvantages: No special features, misleading cover art.

This sitcom is like no other, it originally aired in '98 during the time when comedies filmed in front of a studio audience seemed old. This was a brave choice by the writer, the multi-talented Victoria Wood, because it might have been slated for being old fashioned and cheesy, but it was not, instead there was something new and refreshing about this comedy. Apparently it was just an experiment to see whether she could write a sitcom, and in my opinion ...
...name, it takes part in a factory canteen and follows the lives of the workers there. The characters are Bren (Wood), Tony (Andrew Dunn), Dolly (Thelma Barlow), Jean (Anne Reid), Twinkle (Maxine Peake), Anita (Shobna Gulati), Stan (Duncan Preston), Philippa (Celia Imrie), Jane (Sue Devaney) and Petula (Julie Walters). Each of these characters are brilliantly cast and written, you will definitely feel like you've met at least one of them before. That's ... Read review

Advantages: Victoria Wood, Julia Walters, Celia Imrie etc etc
Disadvantages: No Extras!

..., but if you want something easy to watch, humorous with a great cast then this is for you. The DVD contains 10 half hour episodes, but no extras which is a shame as Victoria Wood and Julie Walters are as funny when interviewed as when they are reading from a script. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be on offer anywhere, the cheapest I have seen it is £16 which I think is a bit steep, but was worth it!... Read review

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Advantages: Insite into a factory kitchen/canteen
Disadvantages: It makes your sides hurt (through laughter)

...Dinnerladies - The complete first series. There are no extras on this DVD. This is the funniest series that I have even seen, I can relate to this programme in so many ways, as being a chef myself, you had to start somewhere, and when I first saw the first episode, I was hooked. Mondays - the first episode, well you know yourself what its like, getting up for work on a Monday morning, when you would much rather just stay in bed, well there they al are, in their fetching tabards, and little hats, The you hear a voice " shutter's up , lets feed the faces of folk', well that did it for me, you knew he meant business, that was Tony, Catering Manager, he's the one in the white overall, who's always got something else to do. Just as they are about to start serving lunch, this woman from Human Resources appears, and tries to get... Read review

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