Andy Partridge Ever since this first aired in the late 90s I was a fan. I've been a fan of Victoria Wood, Julie Walters and the rest for many years, but apart from Acorn Antiques (beautifully observed), no sitcom from Victoria Wood. Then dinnerladies... The cast are perfect: her familiar co-performers Duncan Preston, Celia Imrie and Julie Walters are flawless. Julie Walters steals every scene she's in. And Anne Reid and Thelma Barlow bounce off each other wonderfully. Shobna Gulati and (the as yet unknown) Maxine Peake, and Andrew Dunn completing the core cast and delivering their lines with impeccable timing. The beauty of dinnerladies is the interplay between the cast, and the language. Not a word is wasted. Such lines as "And where has it got you, having a pelvic floor like a bulldog clip?" or "Sex, it's like icing a cake - you've got to bloody concentrate!". It must have been a dream to act in. To write and script edit the show, with no additional input must have been incredible hard work, but the end result is a (probably slightly under-appreciated) gem. And it's only really coming to light now that Victoria Wood is no more. If this were her only legacy it would be enough, but her work spanned 40 years, and was so brilliant and diverse. And dinnerladies, for me, was right at the top of the list.

sheerbliss This is truly Victoria Wood at her finest! The ensemble cast at once amuse you with gentle comedy, belly laughs & an enduring quality that has you involved with the characters lives so you end up crying with them as well as laughing - so true to life! If you live in the UK then you will have come across an example of each of the characters in your own lives which I feel is the real secret behind the attraction of this series. We can relate to it and recognise someone that has crossed our paths at sometime or, if we are brutally honest with our selves, something of our own personality in any one of the solidly acted characters. This show has all the ingredients of a good British comedy....as well as the touch of drama needed to make us care about the characters....more than that though it is also a love story, a gentle struggle to seek that 'one person' who you know is right for you but it takes a lot of courage & day to day living to make it come true unlike the 'fairy tale' romances we are usually presented with. Who amongst you out there has not had feelings for someone & struggled with yourself & convention to do something about it, just like Tony & Bren? Who hasn't worked with someone with the naivety of Anita who can drive you up the wall with her stupidity but at the same time engenders a feeling of being a real friend? And as for Dolly and Jean? They epitomise many, many ladies we ALL know! Victoria Wood has yet again managed to highlight the complexities of human characters & frailties but with an observational humour that makes her such a master at her craft. We can laugh with them, we can cry with them, we want them to have a happy ending but at the same time we are sad for ourselves because we know that their success means no more of the series for us!!

Kaserynofthegyre Dinnerladies is uniquely british and unsurprisingly does not travel well beyond these shores. There is little physical humour and the references are primarily based on UK culture and the north of England in particular. However, it is also the best example of its type I've ever seen. Victoria Wood's dialogue is fantastic, (Alan Bennett is the only other writer in her league in this regard). The staging is restricted (effectively one set, two rooms) the plots are secondary and contrived because they are of no real significance. It is all merely backdrop for the characters Ms Wood creates and the way they speak to, across and around each other.A superb example of intelligent writing managing to survive in a world of slapstick

jenny_r81 The way in which "dinnerladies" is presented is enough to endear you to the show on its own. Each of the characters are simply that - their own little character more often than not in their own little world. The humour comes from their interaction and their experiences, and Victoria Wood's unique writing style.The single setting means that every now and then, there are references to events we haven't seen, or in some cases, not even been mentioned before, which gives the canteen a realistic feel (and and occasional frustrating quality!) as you realise that they do have lives outside those four walls, what kind of a life is anyone's guess."dinnerladies" is one of those comedies that loses none of its charm or wit on repeated viewings, and despite the fact that there won't be a third series, it is sure to be remembered.