Not Going Out - Series 1 - Complete (DVD)

...was an avid viewer, although not quite sure what the charm of the show was. Having watched most of the second series, I was hooked enough to buy the first series on DVD. And for some reason, the more I watch it, the more I like it.

I had no idea who Lee Mack was before I watched this show, but he is apparently a stand-up comedian, as is Tim Vine, who plays Tim. This explains an awful lot. As Lee, he tends to deliver his lines as if ...
...as funny if he was not around. Tim does bring a bit of male vulnerability to the show, which I like - it is clear that he has paid for his affair and would very much like Kate back.

Anyone who has seen the second series will know that Miranda Hart plays Lee's cleaner, Barbara, and she is certainly one of the highlights of the series for me. In the first series, she makes an appearance as a rather scary hypnotist that Kate sends Lee ... more

Lee is a layabout who can barely hang on to a job. He lives with Kate, who is American and a bit of a hippy. Lee's best friend is Tim, who used to go out with Kate, until he had an affair with a 23 year old bimbo - now he wants Kate back and is jealous that Lee shares a flat with her. To add to the complications, Lee is secretly in love with Kate, who is fonder of Lee than she will admit to. Determined to make something of Lee, Kate pushes him into all sorts of situations that he finds difficult to cope with, while trying to force him to exercise and eat healthily. Will Lee and Kate ever get together? And if they do, how will Tim cope with their affair?

I remember the very first time I saw this show on TV. I was so horrified by the bad acting and corny lines that I turned it off in disgust. Then the next week I caught it again, lasting a bit longer before I turned over. (Yes I know that means I was in on a Friday night - so I'm boring!) By the end of the series, I was an avid viewer, although not quite sure what the charm of the show was. Having watched most of the second series, I was hooked enough to buy the first series on DVD. And for some reason, the more I watch it, the more I like it.

I had no idea who Lee Mack was before I watched this show, but he is apparently a stand-up comedian, as is Tim Vine, who plays Tim. This explains an awful lot. As Lee, he tends to deliver his lines as if he was on a stage - the gags honestly come out that quickly - and this really put me off at first because it seemed so unnatural. Once I got used to it though, it all seems to make perfect sense, and I think it is to Lee Mack's credit that I actually found myself fancying him - despite the disgusting personal habits and lack of career direction. He is the master of deadpan humour, although once or twice I caught him smirking, and I love that - it is rare that one person can make me laugh so much these days.

I am less keen on Megan Dodds, who plays Kate. She has one of those annoying American accents that is a bit nasally and shrill, plus her desire to 'change' Lee into a health fanatic is irritating. She does have some good lines though and her interaction with both Lee and Tim is good, which does a lot to cover up her less than talented acting. In the second series, she is replaced by Sally Bretton, who plays Tim's sister Lucy, and I think this was a wise move.

Although I don't think he shines as much as Lee does, Tim Vine is a good sidekick for Lee to bounce off his philosophies of life, and I certainly can't see the show being as funny if he was not around. Tim does bring a bit of male vulnerability to the show, which I like - it is clear that he has paid for his affair and would very much like Kate back.

Anyone who has seen the second series will know that Miranda Hart plays Lee's cleaner, Barbara, and she is certainly one of the highlights of the series for me. In the first series, she makes an appearance as a rather scary hypnotist that Kate sends Lee to - she is really funny and again, I think it is a good move to include her in the second series.

In some ways, there are similarities with Men Behaving Badly, although obviously Lee and Tim don't live together - certainly Tim's obsession with Kate reminded me of the whole Tony/Deborah thing. However, the humour is really quite different. This probably sounds quite strange, but the humour in Men Behaving Badly is classy and understated compared with Not Going Out. Written by Lee Mack and Andrew Collins (scriptwriter for Eastenders and Family Affairs, amongst other things), it really is a gag a minute and I can quite understand why some people would be put off. I personally think the humour is an acquired taste - unfortunately, once you have acquired it, it is very hard to let go! One good thing is that it is not terribly smutty, so parents can rest assured that their children aren't picking up too much sexual innuendo and swearing.

The one thing that I really dislike about the DVD is the canned laughter. Why this is allowed, I will never understand - I understand that it is filmed in front of a live audience, but surely they can get rid of the laughter before it is put onto DVD. It isn't just that I find it annoying, I also find it a bit patronising - as if the director thinks we won't know when to laugh and so gives us a hint. It also feels quite dated - it is reminiscent of seventies sitcoms - and frankly is unnecessary.

The extras are reasonable. There is a documentary (if it's possible to use that term with Lee Mack and Tim Vine are presenting it!) that explains how the concept for the series came about, how Lee and Tim work together and how the characters were chosen. I found it interesting to find out a little about the background to the series, and there is a bit of an introduction to the second, particularly with regard to the settings. Then there is a photo slide show - these are just stills from the show and are frankly a bit of a waste of time - I really can't imagine who would find these interesting. Finally, there are three audio commentaries of the first three episodes. The commentaries are done by Lee Mack and the director. A fair amount of insight is given into why particular lines and actors were chosen, and so is interesting to a certain extent, but personally I find audio commentaries in general to be a waste of time and these are no exception.

It is a long time since I have laughed this much at a modern comedy. I really do find it funny and I adore Lee Mack - I would love to see him live - and I can't wait for the next series. But if you haven't seen it, I would recommend renting or watching it on TV first, because I do think it is a series that will grow on you rather than be immediately funny. Certainly I hated it to start with. Four stars.

Play.com are currently selling series one for £7.99, including free delivery.

Classification: 12

Running time: 2 hours 50 minutes (six episodes) 

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