Lucy Beaumont's sitcom returns for a second season that, I think, finds it's footing more than the first and is consistently funny.
Toni (Leah Brotherhead) is distracting herself from her pregnancy in any way she can. This is made easier by the landlord's decision to sell the house she's living in, and a regular theatrical performance to scare off potential purchasers. An ill-advised proposal from Craig (Perry Fitzpatrick) also works. Paula (Sinead Matthews) struggles to cope with an unfortunate situation at home, so focusses madly on home improvement and her new job. Rana (Taj Atwal) has some issues in her work too, not in the least her boring new partner Pickles (Sam Swainsbury).
Re-reading my review of the first run, it's a bit harsher than I came to feel about the series with a bit of perspective. I said then that I doubt I was going to remember the series in six months, but actually I did and approached this second season with more anticipation than I thought I might. It delivered too. Keeping the strong elements from the first, the characterisation of the women and the performances, and building better, funnier jokes on top of it. Amy Gledhill has a couple of appearances as another woman living on the same street. There's more for Felicity Montagu to do as she's paired with Tom Bennett, who comes on board as her shady new boyfriend.
If you wanted to be critical, you could say that Rana's storyline is more like something for her character to do, rather than an actual plot arc. But really, it's a proper sitcom rather than some sort of comedy drama, so that the sisters have realisations about their lives and choices is a bonus. You might also say that the plot of the final episode is one that you can see coming a mile off.
So, an improvement on what was a pretty solid start. More please.
Toni (Leah Brotherhead) is distracting herself from her pregnancy in any way she can. This is made easier by the landlord's decision to sell the house she's living in, and a regular theatrical performance to scare off potential purchasers. An ill-advised proposal from Craig (Perry Fitzpatrick) also works. Paula (Sinead Matthews) struggles to cope with an unfortunate situation at home, so focusses madly on home improvement and her new job. Rana (Taj Atwal) has some issues in her work too, not in the least her boring new partner Pickles (Sam Swainsbury).
Re-reading my review of the first run, it's a bit harsher than I came to feel about the series with a bit of perspective. I said then that I doubt I was going to remember the series in six months, but actually I did and approached this second season with more anticipation than I thought I might. It delivered too. Keeping the strong elements from the first, the characterisation of the women and the performances, and building better, funnier jokes on top of it. Amy Gledhill has a couple of appearances as another woman living on the same street. There's more for Felicity Montagu to do as she's paired with Tom Bennett, who comes on board as her shady new boyfriend.
If you wanted to be critical, you could say that Rana's storyline is more like something for her character to do, rather than an actual plot arc. But really, it's a proper sitcom rather than some sort of comedy drama, so that the sisters have realisations about their lives and choices is a bonus. You might also say that the plot of the final episode is one that you can see coming a mile off.
So, an improvement on what was a pretty solid start. More please.