Mount Pleasant

Alongside dialogue about being "twatted with an iron bar", there's Pauline Collins being mumsy and Bobby Ball talking about his toilet issues. Sarah Hooper's suburban comedy drama is painted with such broad brushstrokes the result is a weird hybrid of Shameless and Terry and June. The cast is culled from every soapy drama you've ever seen and joined in the second series by Casualty's Claire Goose who Lisa (Sally Lindsay) befriends at the gym, and George Sampson as Jim's teenage son Gary. Shame it doesn't produce the laughs it should.

'She only went out for a glass of wine - and now it's teatime!' So much for the dramatic elements of Sky's returning suburban comedy-drama series, now on a new channel. It follows ex-Coronation Street star Sally Lindsay and her extended family and friends as they negotiate every tiny, bromidic aspect of their featureless provincial days. From the school run to the Diet Coke break and on to the travel agent, gym and a cheeky merlot in 'that new place in town' while 'the lads' sip tinnies on the sofa watching the 'big match' and mam does one of 'er spreads. Aiming to be an upwardly mobile Royle Family, right down to the Oasis track that plays over the closing credits, what it more closely resembles is an all-adult production of Byker Grove.

Sky got it right with the gently witty Starlings and the returning Mount Pleasant is woeful by comparison. Where the former had charm, this Mancunian comedy is neither dramatic nor funny. At least it brings its female cast to the fore but they deserve a better script. In the opener to season two, Sue (Pauline Collins) gets cooking while everyone heads over to the Johnsons to watch the big game on TV.

The residents of Mount Pleasant open the doors of their pristine northern houses for a second series of suburban shenanigans. Shelley's getting a divorce, Denise has got a baby and the cul-de-sac is about to get a hot new neighbour in the shape of Robson Green. And Britain's Got Talent's tiny dancer George Sampson graduates to his first role in the opening episode. It's gentle-enough stuff, populated by the best actors the genre has to offer - Sally Lindsay, Angela Griffin and Bobby Ball are among the likable faces.

We're heading back up to Manchester this week for the second series of foul-mouthed but fun comedy drama Mount Pleasant, which has found a new home on Sky Living. Northern treasures Sally Lindsay, Daniel Ryan, Bobby Ball and Angela Griffin are all back on board, while the episode also welcomes Casualty's Claire Goose (remember her?) as a troublesome new friend of Lisa's (Lindsay) and Britain's Got Talent imp George Sampson as Bianca's (Sian Reeves) stepson Gary. If you've got nowt to do on Wednesday, stick on a brew, get in some scran and have a buzz to Mount Pleasant (did we get that right, Manchester?).

Mount Pleasant Series 2 moving to Sky Living

BSkyB have announced today that Mount Pleasant will return for a second series on Wednesday 15th August. The nine-episode extended run will broadcast on it's new home of Sky Living, instead of Sky1.

Robson Green joins Mount Pleasant

Robson Green has joined the cast of Mount Pleasant for the second season of the Sky 1 sitcom.

Sky One orders second series of Mount Pleasant

Sky One has ordered a second series and a Christmas Special of its comedy/drama series Mount Pleasant starring Sally Lindsay, Pauline Collins and Daniel Ryan.

2011 may be regarded as the year in which "dramedy" bottomed out, with some truly risible attempts at marrying kitchen-sink melodrama and edgy humour. Mount Pleasant is probably a touch better than the BBC's lamentable Sugartown - surely this year's worst new show - but that hardly stands as a recommendation. This final episode revolves around Barry and Sue's 40th anniversary celebration. Lisa and Dan, not wanting to ruin the big day, are forced to keep up the pretence of being a couple. Essentially it's Crossroads, but with haphazard eruptions of bad language.