Hugh Dennis

Not Going Out: the family sitcom?

Whilst I didn't find much to enjoy/laugh about in these opening episodes you can never count out Not Going Out. It had faced adversity many a time and coming bouncing back and at time when BBC comedy mainly consists of Still Open All Hours, Citizen Khan and Mrs. Brown's Boys perhaps I should just shut up and enjoy it.

TV preview: Not Going Out, BBC1

Has Lee Mack become a time traveller? In the new series of Not Going Out he suddenly has three children, all around primary/infant school age, whereas a year ago he had only just become a father for the first time. Apparently the new series of Not Going Out is set seven years on. But don't expect any hoverboards or meals served in pill form. This is about as traditional and old-fashioned as sitcoms get.

My seasonal favourite, by far, was Outnumbered, a one-off reunion episode that played up to many modern cliches of yuletide. Who didn't enjoy Hugh Dennis's struggle with the ubiquitous Fitbit-style monitor which he had been given for Christmas? As barman Mark Benton put it: "Your heart rate has probably increased because you look at it so much..."

In typical pin-point, well-observed writing, the episode concluded with the family trying to scatter grandad's ashes while competing with a 19th-century German army re-enactment in a Surrey wood, with comic actor Miles Jupp hollering away like a barmy Bismarck. Is there another series in this comedy? Sure. "Outnumbered: The Fitbit Years."

As accomplished as leads Claire Skinner and Hugh Dennis may be, Outnumbered's best bits have historically come from the kids, their ad hoc delivery giving freshness to an otherwise standard situation comedy. So how will the show fare now they are a full three years older? Change is in the air all round in this special: the bulk of it takes place outside the house, as the Brockmans hit the road to honour one of recently deceased Grandad's final wishes.

Outnumbered Christmas special review

Christmas is the season for catching up with old friends and so Boxing Day night seems an ideal time to entertain the Brockman family.

Taskmaster: series 3, episode 5 review

It is hard to judge how good this series compared to its two predecessors. Series 2 and 3 are both better than the first in my few, but I think I preferred the second series primarily because although he was not great at scoring points, Joe Wilkinson has so far been the funniest contestant across the three series.

Fleabag, series 1 review

At first glance BBC Three's new sitcom Fleabag may give the illusion of being like any other modern day sitcom. A young, attractive but troubled lead with a turbulent love life, an uptight sister and a struggling small business; what more could writer and Fleabag Phoebe Waller-Bridge bring to the table? But within the first episode the narrative is already swept in an interesting direction, with the suggestion of darker aspects to this person's life than one might previously have assumed.