rmills411 My favourite comedy show on radio and until now, TV, was back for a third series on TV last night. After the first two series were probably even better than the radio version (I know many will disagree with that), I was greatly looking forward to it, but it somehow managed to miss the mark, - hard to say why, perhaps the gratingly unfunny Irish (I think) woman photographer contributed, or the need to go PC with a married lesbian couple helped, but it was the dialogue that just didn't seem as slick as in the earlier episodes, - I assumed while watching that perhaps Graham Linehan was not part of this series' writing team, but I was wrong (maybe it's the other way around, and Linehan has contributed too much in this episode, at the expense Steve Delaney's usual input?) . Anyway, far too early really to write it off, - let's hope it will improve. My 9 out of 10 rating is taking the first 2 series into account (may have been a 10 without the latest one).

trimmerb1234 I'm an admirer of music hall and the stars - sadly now nearly all dead - who carried on the tradition in Variety. What a joy then to hear the not very old Steve Delaney as a kind of living throwback to an era that ended perhaps 80 years ago. It's all in the delivery - all those - pauses, that - pause - make the difference. Hia Count Arthur,is a wonderful mixture of performance and - pause- creativite writing. What he has done is to create the once popular entertainer in his twilight years when memories and bookings have dried up and he no longer a public figure. Not that the Count will acknowledge this change, he has retained all his overbearing self-confidence, much of his old vigour but much less of his brains and almost none of his memory. Old performers never die - they merely lose their marbles.The radio shows were uncluttered. Regulars who feature in the Counts life included: Geoffrey, dimwitted friend, the local butcher (the Count loved offal), and the proprietor of the local greasy spoon, were all minor characters. Steve Delaney's magic was convincly demonstrate what utter mahen could result when gross-error and enormous undaunted overbearing self-confidence coincided.That was the Count at his very best. I cannot imagine how Delaney worked out the convoluted plots in which comprehensive havoc was wreaked without apparent design. The Count's credo was: Never apologise, never explain - he didn't give a damn about anybody else, and in any case had such a faltering grasp of reality that explanation that anyone else would understand, was totally beyond him.Graham Lineham to my mind was at his best with the IT Crowd. Here though he clutters and pads out the cast and plot with regulars who just have too much to say and no compelling logic that they should be there (why does the Greg Kinnear character's life revolve round Count Arthur?). A real life Count Arthur = mega-egotist - would be complaining to his agent and his writer, that the others are stealing his scenes and his thunder. After all these years, Count Arthur is still the star - and we should never (be allowed) forget it!

stevequaltrough I arrived late to this show, never having heard of Count Arthur Strong before the current TV series. Neither was I enticed by the trailers. But having seen episodes of the re-run on BBC 2, I am convinced that Arthur is the funniest TV comedy creation since Basil Fawlty. Having enjoyed the first 2 episodes I went out and bought the DVD only to discover that the remaining 4 episodes were even funnier than the ones I had previously viewed. Rory Kinnear gives excellent support as the bemused writer Michael. I hear this is booked for series 2. I can't wait! The delusional Arthur reminds me of some characters I used to know at a poetry writer's club, one of whom described herself as "a household name" despite the fact that no-one had ever heard of her. Maybe Arthur should start something similar as one of his rackets. It would give him excellent scope for his ham acting talents.Having read the reviews mentioning the Radio Show, I bought season 2 on audio CD and found it to be equally hilarious. Standouts were Arthur posing as a self motivation guru and his lecture on Creationism vs Darwinism with reference to the films of Charlton Heston. Totally hilarious. Whether on TV or radio comic genius is still comic genius

Prismark10 Steve Delaney has played Arthur Strong since the 1980s and like Steve Coogan is rapidly approaching the actual age of the character he is well known for.Arthur Strong is a retired comedian and actor who has grand delusions, clumsiness and easily confused.He comes into contact with Michael who is researching a book about his late father who was an entertainer and comic partner to Arthur Strong. Whilst encountering Arthur, he also comes into contact with his circle of misfit friends and the café he frequents.This TV adaptation is based on the radio series and after a dicey first episode it seemed to have settled down. The character of Arthur Strong has been softened for the television although he can still grate and irritate. Some of the plots are inspired by the radio series and some of the slapstick seems to be tailor made for the TV version.The Michael character as played by Rory Kinnear is our entry to this strange world of Arthur Strong, although by the final episode of the first series we realise we know little about Michael, he seems he actually lives in York and we do not know whether he is even married or not.What works is the buffoonery between Michael and Arthur and this was demonstrated in the second episode with the Jack the Ripper tourIts not perfect and it has been labelled as Marmite as some viewers have just found it unfunny, however there is enough there to entertain and make you laugh.