Carl Rice

One sitcom that really didn't surprise me at all was Sky One's Trollied, which delivered its second annual Christmas Special.

Whilst the Gavin and Julie story was definitely there to appeal to long time fans of the show, I've always felt Trollied is at its best when focusing on the funnier supporting characters. For example foul-mouthed Colin (Carl Rice) led a band of the male store-workers against a group of young cub scouts who had attacked them several times. Equally funny was when the hopeless Neville (Dominic Coleman) ended up doing the Christmas shopping for his ex-wife's new husband and later put a bet on it being a white Christmas.

The latter half of the episode, which saw the employees being snowed in, showcased the strength of the programme namely the focus on a group of disparate characters who formed a very strong family unit. After a dodgy third series, which saw the show lose some of its big name cast members, it was refreshing to see the show back to its best.

Though I wasn't a fan of the story that focused on security guard Ian (Victor McGuire) badgering the store's Santa, the majority of the plots were strong.

I have to say I laughed all the way through and found the material between Gavin and Julie to be rather touching. Whether the show can survive without Jane Horrocks remains to be seen, but I did feel she got a fitting and respectful send-off in this rather good Christmas Special.

Laughs were provided by Sky One's Trollied, which returns for its third series. The joy of Trollied is that it has so many characters that the majority of the scenes only last a couple of minutes.

The main plot of this series seems to be the introduction of Richard France (Chris Geere), a strategist who is aiming to modernise Valco using the Warrington branch as his tester store. Obviously Richard's bold ideas, including his clothing choices, will inevitably clash with the more traditional views of manager Gavin (Jason Watkins) and his assistant manager Julie (Jane Horrocks).

Elsewhere, we are treated more to the tedious love story between butcher Kieran (Nick Blood) and checkout girl Katie (Chanel Creswell). It seems that the now divorced Kieran is in a depressive state while Katie has finally realised that he's the perfect man for her. Luckily this romantic story isn't dwelt upon too long and we get plenty from our favourite comic characters including head butcher Andy (Mark Addy) and senior citizen deli assistant Margaret (Rita May).

It is these established characters that get the best gags including the now romantically linked Colin (Carl Rice) and Lisa (Beverly Rudd) whose sexual exploits provide some of the funniest moments in the episode.

I'm still not quite sure what to make of weird fishmonger Ray (Adeel Akhtar) and his new apprentice Dave (Danny Kirrane) as I didn't find their characters to be fully-formed.

Ultimately not much has changed in the world of Trollied and I think I like it that way. The jokes are still as funny as ever while the performances from Watkins and Horrocks are great especially when we saw how proud Gavin and Julie were of their summertime display.

Though I don't think this will quite reach the heights of Season 2, due to the fact that Stephanie Beacham has now left the show, Trollied continues to be a funny sketch-like sitcom with plenty of well-rounded characters.

We're back at Valco for a third series of shelf-stacking gags and it's still a hit-and-miss affair, with gross sex-pots Colin and Lisa (Beverly Rudd, with Carl Rice and Joel Fry) stealing every scene they're in (that's really no place for a packet of frozen peas). For the rest, it's business as usual with Julie still trying to seduce manager Gavin, Katie making hopeless eyes at Kieran and a feeling of random gags in search of a story. And let's hope we lose the management whizz-kid in flip-flops and designer shorts double quick.

It's fire drill day and Gavin's excited by his warden's kit bag: "Ah, the holy trinity," he sighs with awe, "the torch, the whistle and the hi-viz jacket." In the excitement of the store evacuation, he forgets Margaret.

The guilt he feels that she could have burned to death is enough to tarnish the fact that he's back in control after getting shot of Lorraine.

Speaking of whom, there is a definite Stephanie Beacham-shaped hole in this episode, but thankfully the plight of lovestruck Colin (fabulous Carl Rice) proves enough to take our minds off her absence.

Filing clerks Danny (Ralf Little) and Shay (Carl Rice) share a long cherished dream to run their own record company. Danny's gran dies, leaving him £10,000, and before she is cold in her grave they have set up Shady Music. Their first job is to recruit talent to the label and what better way than to hold a Battle of the Bands night?

All this occurs within the first ten minutes of Massive, cutting to the chase with commendable brevity. Nothing kills a new sitcom quicker than a wade through exposition in episode one.

And to its credit, Massive succeeds in keeping up a cracking pace for its full 30 minutes. We see the pair bicker over their musical tastes, strut around in their new capacity as entrepreneurs, rent rat-infested offices and stop at bus stops to ask Jim Morrison lookalikes if they can sing.

It's all very entertaining and good-natured, with several good moments. Little and Rice work well with each other, and Johnny Vegas is on hand to lend comic support as Shay's kleptomaniac dad. Actually, I think I may have seen a bit too much of Vegas lately, which is ironic since he's clearly lost a lot of weight.

According to The Radio Times, Massive is a 'hip' new sitcom about Mancunian mates setting up a record label. But I am well past 40 and a dedicated Radio 3 listener, and there wasn't a single pop reference here I didn't get - what sort of a definition ofhipnessisthat? The mates are Shay and Danny, played by Carl Rice and Ralf Little, who evidently hasn't been deported to the Moon in reprisal for Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps after all. We have a sorry excuse for a legal system in this country. Damian Lanigan's script has a sprinkling of good lines, mostly delivered by Johnny Vegas, as Shay's thieving dad. Prison's all right, he said. Couple of years, read a book, do some sit-ups and out the other end. But too many of the jokes are predicated on the assumptions that fat girls are unattractive but frequently gagging for it, and that alcoholics do the funniest thing.

That two of the stars of this new music business comedy had been in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and Ideal doesn't bode well. And yet on the strength of the double-episode opener it looks quite promising. Likeable chancers Danny (Ralf Little) and Shay (Carl Rice) bonded over indie rock band Oasis and now dream of opening this century's version of Factory Records. When Danny is left £10,000 in his nan's will, the pair set out to fulfil their dreams by setting up Shady Music. In a disused fish warehouse with furniture nicked from an orphanage by Shay's dad, Tony (Johnny Vegas), they begin by trying to sign their first band - and their options are very limited.

Does Massive hit the right note?

An interview with Ralf Little and Carl Rice.

Got the post-holiday September blues? Then can I recommend a new TV double act to put a smile on your face? Along with the rest of the cast who star in upcoming BBC3 Manchester comedy series Massive.

Ralf Little and Carl Rice play Danny and Seamus, best mates since they bonded over Oasis in 1994. The on screen chemistry between Ralf and Carl gives the six-part series a head start.

The first two episodes are not to be missed. Just some of the delights include Johnny Vegas as Shay's petty criminal dad Tony. Plus Beverly Rudd and Faye McKeever as Droylsden bun-shop divas HearKittyKitty.

Created and written by Damian Lanigan, Massive is yet another burst of fresh air from BBC Comedy North.