Art Malik

Review: Cold Feet caps an excellent series

Ben Dowell has just about caught his breath as Mike Bullen sets things up very nicely for next year in episode 8 of the reboot.

Writer Mike Bullen could do with going back to his classic early series of Cold Feet (ITV) and binge-watching them, to discover what is missing in the revival.

It isn't difficult. The show has become so grimly miserable. Divorce, bankruptcy, depression . . . that's just the lighter moments. The funniest joke last night was a mobile phone going off at a funeral.

Pete visited a care home to see his old friend Harry and discovered he was dead -- an abusive woman with senile dementia had commandeered the room instead. This is bleak stuff.

The slapstick moments fail completely, because the tragedy overwhelms them. Sometimes, it's impossible to work out whether a scene is meant to be heartrending or farcical -- like Jenny's breakdown in a cafe.

'Pete's depressed and my babies are teenagers,' she wailed over her gluten-free chocolate cake.

The only reason to keep watching is Art Malik's unconvincing tycoon, Eddie.

Here's a bloke with a fleet of superyachts and A-list chums, who is happy to eat supermarket chicken every night. He must be a conman . . . but I can't switch off till I know for sure.