I don't know what John Sullivan was thinking.
Series 8's "Time on our hands" wrapped up the Trotter story beautifully, and the show went out on such a high note.
This series, while not awful, just misses many of the features which made the show a classic. Buster Merryfield had passed away a few years earlier so Uncle Albert does not appear, and the same goes for the late Kenneth MacDonald who played series regular and favourite Mike the barman. Furthermore, the idea that the Trotters are now skint again is so depressing, because you really felt that they deserved their luck in the previous series. Damien has been (noticeably) recast, and is now an annoying little hip-hop brat rather than the sweet little boy he was before - a joke with Rodney that worked due to the juxtaposition of how he viewed his nephew rather than how he actually was.
There are some good moments though. The "Gary" gag was very funny, and there are nuggets of gold throughout, but all in all it feels forced, desperate, and It really marred the wonderful ending we got in Series 8.
Series 8's "Time on our hands" wrapped up the Trotter story beautifully, and the show went out on such a high note.
This series, while not awful, just misses many of the features which made the show a classic. Buster Merryfield had passed away a few years earlier so Uncle Albert does not appear, and the same goes for the late Kenneth MacDonald who played series regular and favourite Mike the barman. Furthermore, the idea that the Trotters are now skint again is so depressing, because you really felt that they deserved their luck in the previous series. Damien has been (noticeably) recast, and is now an annoying little hip-hop brat rather than the sweet little boy he was before - a joke with Rodney that worked due to the juxtaposition of how he viewed his nephew rather than how he actually was.
There are some good moments though. The "Gary" gag was very funny, and there are nuggets of gold throughout, but all in all it feels forced, desperate, and It really marred the wonderful ending we got in Series 8.