Tamsin Greig

Surprisingly traditional family sitcom from Look Around You's estimable Robert Popper. Green Wing's Tamsin Greig, Paul Ritter, Simon Bird from The Inbetweeners and Brass Eye's Mark Heap star as the Goodman family and their odd neighbour respectively. It will draw comparisons with Grandma's House in that it's about a Jewish family, but the trad exterior slowly begins to yield Popper's distinctive comic voice as this first episode warms up. Superb stuff.

What a rarity: a sitcom that isn't black-hearted, cruel, vituperative, mean-spirited or blushingly filthy. Friday Night Comedy is rather sweet, which might sound like the kiss of death for a comedy, but luckily it's funny, too. Not gut-bustingly funny, but enough to make you want to return. Writer Robert Popper (he also acts, produces and is a prank phone-caller of considerable renown) has adapted his own early family life to bring us the Goodmans; mum, dad and two grown-up kids, who all gather round the dinner table every Friday night. Mum (splendid Tamsin Greig) is sweetly daffy and obsessed by MasterChef, while dad (Paul Ritter) is a bit bonkers, and has a bizarre obsession with his yellowing collection of ancient New Scientist magazines. It's all a bit Mike Leigh, only funnier.

Episodes staring Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig (both from Green Wing) tells the story of two of successful British comedy writers trying to translate their award winning show to an American audience. Various US TV executives plug in to the process with their ideas of what the public want and how to Americanis(z)e the show, which includes the casting of Friends favourite Matt LeBlanc in the original role. The idea, on paper, is sensational but it's a shame this doesn't quite transfer into practice.

While it was engaging enough to stay tuned until the end, the laughs were few and far between. The concept was in the Gervais-Merchant-esque mould: a form of 'reality comedy' which does cause derision amongst the UK comedy hierarchy - Lee Mack for one isn't a fan - but this one was just a bit wanting in all areas.

The show has been left dangling, hinting at another series, on an interesting cliff hanger, however at this stage it's hard to tell where exactly a second series could go. For my money, the major funny areas of conversion have been covered. While it was an interesting experiment, in the end the true test of comedy is always laughter, and I'm sad to say Episodes lacked a good shot of that.

Tamsin Greig hopeful for more 'Episodes'

Tamsin Greig has revealed that talks are under way for a second series of Episodes.

As it is Friday, we're going to go easy on Robert Popper's new sitcom. It's charming, promising and features some good performances from the least funny Inbetweener and the most annoying thing about Episodes (not that Tamsin Greig was bad, it's just that her character made no sense - surely she'd work out what LA was going to do to her comedy? Anyhow, different preview).

Here Tamsin plays a Masterchef-obsessed (old format, obviously) mum to two kids who return home for Friday night dinner to be fed. They're embarrassed by their ketchup-supping dad and risqué nan. Does that sound dated and, well, sitcommy? That's because it is a bit. Like Grandma's House without any introspection.

Interview - Tom Rosenthal ('Friday Night Dinner')

New sitcom Friday Night Dinner kicks off this Friday on Channel 4, and judging by the comedy pedigree attached, we're in for a bit of a treat. Springing from the fertile mind of Look Around You creator Robert Popper, the series stars ex-Inbetweener Simon and comedy stalwart Tamsin Greig as members of a rather eccentric family unit. We caught up with stand-up comedian Tom Rosenthal, who plays mischievous son Johnny Goodman, to chat about his television acting debut, working with comic legends and odd family wrestling rituals!

Last year the BBC aired Grandma's House, Simon Amstell's acerbic sitcom about a dysfunctional Jewish family. The very mixed notices it received have clearly not deterred Channel 4, who keep the middle-class Jewish mayhem coming with this new series from writer Robert Popper. Each episode centres on Friday night dinner with the Goodman family. Bickering brothers Adam (Simon Bird, star of The Inbetweeners) and Jonny (newcomer Tom Rosenthal, son of sports broadcaster Jim) are reluctant attendees, while their mother Jackie (Tamsin Greig, fresh from appearing alongside Matt LeBlanc and Stephen Mangan in Episodes) and father Martin (Pulling's Paul Ritter) try to uphold some family values. In tonight's opening episode, Jackie is intent on getting the boys to watch the MasterChef final, while Martin is preoccupied with rescuing old copies of New Scientist from the dump. Things are further complicated by the continual interruptions from weird neighbour Jim (Mark Heap), who claims to have broken his loo. As a comedy, it's not mean-spirited and cynical, but actually rather sweet. Of course, It's too early to say if it'll be a hit - in particular it is unclear whether Bird has acting gears other than his sarcastic, awkward Inbetweeners persona - but there's certainly enough here to keep you watching.

7 things you never knew about Tamsin Greig

Tamsin Greig is one of our funniest TV actors - so much so that she's in two major series.

Greig unimpressed with wardrobe

Tamsin Greig did not rush to keep her costumes from new sitcom Friday Night Dinner.

Tamsin Greig interview

Episodes star Tamsin Greig is serving up more laughs as mum to two twentysomething sons in new C4 comedy Friday Night Dinner...