Maddyclassicfilms Roger & Val Have Just Got In was created by Beth and Emma Kilcoyne and stars Alfred Molina and Dawn French.This series is about the lives of botanist Roger Stephenson(Alfred Molina)and his cookery teacher wife Val(Dawn French). Molina and French are the only actors in the series and this allows the series to focus completely on their relationship and characters. The episodes usually begin at the end of the day with the couple returning home from work, having dinner and talking about their day and doing things around the house.The amazing thing about these characters is that they seem real, the pair do and say things that we can all relate to, including complaining about work colleagues, sharing jokes, bickering and helping each other through the tough times. We also learn that they suffered a great tragedy when they were younger and from time to time this is something which casts a shadow over a happy occasion, causing them heartache all these years later.French has always been a gifted comic but this series allows her to prove herself a good dramatic actress too. Molina is excellent as usual and shows that he can move easily between comedy and sadness. Molina and French have amazing chemistry and make their characters believable and they are the main reason that you find yourself keep wanting to watch this couples everyday routine.This series isn't just a comedy but a good emotional drama too. If you're looking for laughs you'll find them but you'll also find a good drama with some moments that will have you reaching for the tissues. It's a shame that there doesn't appear to be another season being made because this is a series that could have gone on for much longer than it did.

HillstreetBunz For me, this is the best Zbritish sitcom in years, unusually it's not aimed at 23 year old refusing to grow up (like almost everything on bbbc3) but at people with lives, loves, responsibilities, flaws, histories , dreams etc. What really stands out is the love between the principle characters. Despite or because of life's challenges, their warmth towards each other is uplifting...and no mean acting feat either! Alfred Molina is used to delivering in Hollywood these days, but this is the best character he's had for years, the most rounded and grounded. Dawn is as ever, real and sharp, funny and silly by turn. Lets hope there's a Season3.

David Ruddock Contrary to the review made by rduddridge I can honestly say that is one of the finest comedies ever to grace British television, and by 'finest' I also mean with regards to the delicately subtle attention to detail throughout. Human behaviour is difficult enough to nail down in one person, let alone in the dynamic and complex boundaries of a loving marriage, yet Roger & Val convinces us straight away that these two people have known each other for a very long time. Having watched both series (so far just the two) I would say that the first slightly betters the second mainly because of the slow reveal and revelation that became more apparent as the series went on, though, again, this was handled so cleverly and subtly that it genuinely creeped up on me. Aside from that both series maintained a consistently intriguing insight into this couple's lives. Dawn French has finally found the space to flex her real acting muscles, having been hidden beneath her masterful comedy work for so long, and Alfred Molina has been given this opportunity to explode, albeit quietly, into the world of TV comedy with his spot-on timing. A gem, and one of my new favourite comedies.

Simon D. This is a difficult review to write as I want to give this series glowing praise, and in some ways I can, but something is holding me back. I have a feeling that one day I may see repeats and my appreciation will grow, but for this review I can only say what I feel now. The acting is superb, the dialogue is top notch, and the atmosphere is somehow homely and moody all at the same time. Even the plot content is above average. So what's wrong? It's not the lack of the belly laugh factor, because it's not intended to be that kind of comedy...it's far more of a dry comedy drama. It doesn't even work as cringe TV, because it never reaches the depths of cringe that shows like 'The Office' or 'Extras' reaches, which conversely makes them immensely funny. It's a really weird angle, that somehow works without you realising why. There is most definitely a subtlety that means there is a good chance that a lot of people, especially those with more mainstream tastes in entertainment, will not get. If this were a movie, then I'd expect this to play in the 'Art House' venues more than the local multiplex, but, with the possibility of it gaining word of mouth and becoming a sleeper hit, because audiences just started getting it!When looking at the characters, I saw much that went on between them, going on in my own relationships. This was both cringing and heart warming. I saw the characters self indulge themselves with a self importance contained within the cocoon of their seemingly solitary existence outside of work, preventing them from getting a balanced prospective on their viewpoints and activities...but then, isn't that the same for all of us, if we're honest? This is what I meant by the cringe factor, as subtle as it is, because I saw things in their relationship, that I've seen in my own...and that makes that cringing feeling, even more uncomfortable. Maybe that's what holds me back from making this extremely well produced work, from being a classic...it's just too real to stomach? One thing for sure...at a time when good, well written sitcom's are almost a thing of the past, it is good to see that the flag of intelligent writing is still being flown, but I hope that while this was an extremely interesting watch, that the effort put into the writing in this series, could be transferred into something more mainstream, entertaining, and, dare I say it, more palatable. I would dearly like to see the Beeb return to the days of 'One Foot In The Grave', 'Men Behaving Badly', 'Waiting For God', 'Vicar Of Dibley' 'Keeping Up Appearances', and even some of the older classics like 'The Good Life' and 'Butterflies'. This series proves that the quality of the writing is out there, but that is needs to be more universally accessible. When will the current powers that be at BBC1 remember that it is the 'situation' in sitcom, and not ironically unfunny one liners that so many of todays's new comedies resort to. When will they realise that a situation is funny because of a combination of good dialogue, good plot, and good acting. There is usually one or more of those things missing in nearly every new comedy that comes along.As a conclusion I would like to say that I enjoyed 'Roger And Val...' and looked out for it in the following weeks schedules, but probably will not miss it if a follow up series doesn't happen. I do however, have great respect for what they achieved. As a footnote, I am extremely glad to see Dawn French in something that is a huge improvement on the awful 'Psychoville', which to date, is the only box set I have given up on after just 2 or 3 episodes.