Miranda Raison

This excruciating six-part "romantic comedy drama" lurches from the self-consciously contrived to the hideously mawkish. It revolves around three couples of the sort who only ever appear in bad television dramas. One couple (Amanda Abbington and Dean Lennox Kelly) is unhappily married because the husband is loveable but feckless. Another pair (Lucy Davis and Shaun Dooley) have been in love for ever, but she won't marry him because of what she sees every day at her work in a women's refuge. And the third couple is a smooth advertising type and his model girlfriend (Ralf Little and Miranda Raison). The actors have all been chosen because of their abundance of charm, but nothing they can do will redeem this facile rubbish.

The fey music and cutesy title sequence are irresistible reminders of Cold Feet, the fondly remembered and influential series centred on the turbulent lives of a group of 30-something friends. Married Single Other is similar, but with softer edges that belie its gritty, northern housing estate setting. So it's a lightish drama with dark corners; the friends are fast-talking and there are shafts of humour; the designated funny guy is Ralf Little as Clint, a boozing, birding lad-about-town who falls for a comely, leather-clad motorbike-demo model (Spooks's Miranda Raison). Just when you think Married Single Other is a bit of froth, it goes all serious when Lillie (Lucy Davis) gets on the wrong side of an angry husband at the women's refuge where she works. And just to wrong-foot you once more, it then reveals a sentimental streak about 15 miles wide. So it's an odd mix, but likeable, even though Peter Souter's script doesn't offer many surprises and you may think you've seen it all before.

The next Cold Feet they're calling this. No new show wants to wither in the shadow of a giant but there are plenty of worse series to be filed alongside.

As another couple-based ensemble, comparisons are unavoidable. But although this is touted as a comedy-drama there's surprisingly little to laugh at in an otherwise promising opener.

Of the three couples we meet tonight, one pair are on the brink of splitting up, another have just met and the third, Lillie (The Office's Lucy Davis) and Eddie (Shaun Dooley), have been together for 16 years without marrying. He keeps proposing, she keeps saying no. Lillie works in a women's shelter and thinks marriage can tear people apart. But if she thinks domestic violence only happens once you've got a ring on your finger, I'm surprised nobody has put her straight by now.

Dean Lennox Kelly plays Dickie, whose laziness and gambling have finally got too much for his partner Babs (Amanda Abbington). And Spooks fans might struggle to recognise Miranda Raison, who played Jo, with new long hair and brown contact lenses. She's a model called Abbey whose job involves wearing jumpsuits and draping herself over motorbikes at car shows.

Clint (Ralf Little) is smitten and decides to prove he's worthy of her. Perhaps he should try Jimmy Nesbitt's stunt of shoving a rose up his backside and walking the streets naked. It certainly did the trick for Cold Feet.

If the provenance of its talent is anything to go by, 'Married Single Other' could be on to a winner. Lucy Davis, Miranda Raison and Ralf Little, from The Office, Spooks and The Royle Family respectively (just forget Two and a Half Pints, OK?), star in ITV's new drama, which follows the ups and downs of three couples at different points in their relationships. With an executive producer (Andy Harries) who was the brains behind Cold Feet, and two hot directors in tow (one of whom, Charles Martin, helmed three Being Human episodes), the signs are promising. The truth - witty ensemble or another soapy dud - will be revealed at 9pm on ITV1 tomorrow.

There are strong echoes of Cold Feet in this sharply observed six-part romantic comedy - not least because you'd have to look back at least that far to think of an ITV1 comedy that had a more assured, satisfying and generally winning opening episode. The story follows the Cold Feet formula of tracking three couples in and out of their relationships. Tonight's main focus is on childhood sweethearts Lillie and Eddie (Lucy Davis and Shaun Dooley), who despite having two kids and a 16-year relationship, haven't yet done marriage. Not for want of trying by sensitive paramedic Eddie, who proposes every year on Lillie's birthday, only to get just as regularly knocked back. It's a cycle that their doe-eyed 11-year-old Joe (Jack Scanlon) is determined to do something about. If that sounds sweeter than a sugar sandwich, it certainly is in parts, but like much of Married Single Other, it's saved by a good cast. Amanda Abbington is particularly good as Babs, whose frustration with her feckless husband Dickie (Dean Lennox Kelly) threatens to kill a loving marriage, while Ralf Little makes a convincing serial love-rat turned monogamous puppy-dog when he falls for model Abbey (Miranda Raison). It's no mean achievement to flesh out so many characters in a single episode, while also provoking occasional belly laughs and plenty of smiles. Let's hope the quality is sustainable; as it is, this could run and run.

Married Single Other: Miranda Raison

Former Spooks star Miranda Raison looked stunning at the launch of her new TV series in London today.

A strangely rare television gem - a genuinely good romcom with no bonnets in it. Issy (Lucy Davis) and Eddie (Shaun Dooley) have been together for 16 years, but she still won't marry him. Babs and Dickie are married, but he spends all her money on failed dotcom ideas. Abbey (Miranda Raison) and Clint (Ralf Little) have just met. So the script has every life stage covered.

It is always a relief to come across a comedy that is fun to watch. And bearing in mind how much gloom is spread by unfunny comedies, it is doubly sad that this is the last in the series. Rob (Daniel Mays) has decided to release the poison in his soul by ditching his plan to upstage his former girlfriend (Miranda Raison) on her wedding day. Until, that is, he meets a girl who is capable of doing the upstaging with a vengeance. She's a multi-millionairess and a former model with a PhD in biochemistry, whose father invented Toilet Duck. When she says she'd like to sleep with him, he can't believe his luck. His eyes widen. He gulps. "That would be really... kind," he says. But if something seems too good to be true, it often is.

Dark and edgy is so last year, darling. New comedies must be warm, good-natured, a wee bit cuddly. They can still be silly, and surreal is good, but keep it basically nice, OK? Maybe the Government has been slipping something into the water supply or it's some strange collective reaction to the credit crunch, but Plus One is yet another sitcom featuring young people who are amiably daft. This week poor Rob Black (Daniel Mays) is still trying to find an impressive lady to be his 'plus one' at the wedding of his glamorous ex-girlfriend, Linsey (Miranda Raison) to the boy-band hunk Duncan from Blue.

Don't worry if you missed the 2007 pilot for this series. There's a brief explanation at the start of the first episode. Basically, Rob (Daniel Mays) was dumped by Laura (Spooks' Miranda Raison), and later gleaned from a celeb mag that she was dating Duncan From Blue (played by the man himself). Not only that, they were going to marry. And Rob's been invited to the wedding.

Hacked off that he's been replaced by 'that skating b*****d', Rob is convinced Duncan From Blue (that's his full name in this, not Duncan James) is out to get him. So he decides to prove he's better than DFB and have revenge on his ex by turning up at her wedding with the sexiest woman he can con into being his girlfriend.

It's a simple yet effective idea - for now anyway - and Rob is an entertaining central character - a younger, less grouchy version of Jack Dee's Rick Spleen.

The comedy isn't perfect, and with coarse language it won't be everybody's cup of tea. But if you still miss Teachers, the young, ballsy characters in this should raise a smile.

And there's always the eye candy to enjoy - as well as Duncan James, the show stars former EastEnders heartthrob Nigel Harman. And for the fellas, for this week only, is guest star Susie Amy, who will fulfil many a redblooded man's fantasy by donning a school uniform.