British Comedy Guide

The Tuckers

Not bad, not bad. Though I feel that the pilot was stronger than any of the first series episodes.

The addition of Kimberly Nixon as a dim Welsh trollop is a devilish bit of casting magic.

Written by and starring Steve Spiers (Upstart Crow, Big School), it's well worth a watch.

Series 2, a bit of a fall off but still entertaining. The great Robert Pugh is is much more realised as well as John Weldon as the social club bartender. Steve Speirs brand of physical comedy is always a winner with me. Bring on Series 3!

Surprised I've not commented previously! Great sitcom. I often find it feels like a traditional sitcom - gags, physical comedy, accessible plots and settings - shot in the modern location style.

Lush is wonderful, and yes, amazingly well-cast. The rest of the family are a fabulously believable mess. Very happy it's back for these new series.

I didn't even know about this show until around Christmas time when I saw the boxset on iPlayer.

Based on thoughts here, may give the first episode a go tonight!

I missed that this had returned. Can't wait to catch up!

I thoroughly enjoyed Series 2. Lots of laughs. Great to see some more of their world, and some wonderful farcical build-up. Looking forward to the next run.

I enjoyed this - very recently watched both series and glad there is a third on the way.

Glyn and his mother are the stand-out characters for good humour. I love a cantankerous old woman in a comedy. Liz Smith was the Queen of this kind of character. Also, see Jean in Early Doors.

Despite this - most of the supporting cast, to me, did not play their roles convincingly.

The Uncle was hard to like - even though the actor was playing the role with how he was supposed to, I didn't see what purpose he served in the respect of being nasty all the time. Was it supposed to be funny or was it supposed to be nasty, so we'd back Glyn all the way? Or both? There was obviously a bit of redemption for both in the team building exercise scenes and the Uncle came good when Glyn's debts were called in.

The two sons - Bobby - half decent character but Billy - did not find this dude funny at all. The actor played that clown like, nervous wreck of a character very forcibly. The comedy did not work for me. Farcical.

Natalie Tucker - again, playing the role of pissy and naggy too forcibly. Not likeable but seemed to develop a bit more in the second half of the second series.

The dodgy geezer with the lock-up facility. I just do not know what kind of role in comedy he is supposed to have? Doesn't work for me.

I personally think this show would work just as well with only:

Glyn
Peggy
Bobby
Melvyn
Dai (No spoilers)

Have a big thing for Kimberley Nixon, but again, rubbish character. Annoying and just too much!

Despite the above, I did enjoy this because of those main, central characters that held the show together very well.

As an aside, the IMDB page for The Tuckers is messy. Some characters aren't included such as Lush or the dodgy salesman guy. Plus, inaccurate total number of episodes mentioned for some of the cast.

Quote: Tommy Griff @ 1st August 2022, 8:59 AM

As an aside, the IMDB page for The Tuckers is messy. Some characters aren't included such as Lush or the dodgy salesman guy. Plus, inaccurate total number of episodes mentioned for some of the cast.

And this is why British Comedy Guide exists.

(Or partly, anyway.)

I love Lush. Hope she returns.

I think you're trying to read too much into what is really just a sitcom in some of those other criticisms, Tommy. (Uncle) Murphy, for example, is just a belligerent old man who's another obstacle in Glyn's path - like Blakey in On The Buses, he has his moments where you see a bit of why he's so difficult and you perhaps sympathise a little, but you're not really meant to like him, no.

And Clock, I think it is, with the lock up, he's just a bit part really. Just someone else they come into contact with and sets up obstacles. He doesn't really have a part otherwise; his own world is clearly so shady, if he were much more prominent the show would need to revolve around him and his dealings.

Share this page