shindo66 This show is just what witty dialog should be. If you don't have a attention span then you probably wouldn't like it, but if you can really listen, it will have you in stitches. It's just so funny because it's what someone would really say without trying to be funny. There's no real plot, its just hilarious people who are very relate-able in a setting that's very relate-able. You can really get to like the characters after a while with a lot of running gags. The punchline at the end of the first episode is pure gold. Why can't there be more shows like this, i mean Clint is one of the funniest characters ever. Just good actors and great lines in very down to earth situations.

stefan dobnnelly I missed this program when it first appeared on BBC 3 around two years ago. The BBC, and the UK in general have produced some dreadful "sit-coms" of late, so when I seen advertised what looked like a hybrid of The Office and The Royle Family I gave it a miss. That's not particularly true though. It's like The Office only in the fact it's set in an office and like the Royle family only because it's set entirely in real time. Few will agree but I think it's much better than both.If I were to compare it to other sit-coms I'd say Friends crossed with Daria( MTV cartoon, very cynical.) I think you have to watch quite a few episodes to get the feel of it. Initially they all seem quite ordinary and not especially likable characters. Over the course of the series though you realise the cause of all their irritating habits. Annie is irritating and irritable because she is massively self-deluded about her life being a success. Lilan initially seems desperate but you later realise it's because she's starved of attention. Janet appears prissy and stern but she's seems to be trying to shed that image by socializing with the smokers( even though she doesn't smoke) in nearly every episode. I could go on with the other characters but they'd definitely be spoilers.It's now half way through the second series and we now have a very well developed set of characters, excellent writing( just look at some of the quotes on this site) and brilliant actors and actresses. The sort-of-main character( he's on screen from beginning to end of every episode unlike any other character) is played excellently by Robert Webb. He seems to get bleaker every episode. Robin is clearly more intelligent than everyone else around him, but prefers to make snide( and hilarious) comments about others stupidity than do anything with his own life. It's an excellent character as it's one which is common in real life. This is true of the rest of the cast and show in general. It's strange but not a contrived way. It's the genuine oddness and humour you can find in the real world, though obviously compacted into a shorter space of time. It doesn't get bogged down in the dull realness of The Royle Family either though. Nor is it as ridiculous and pained as The Office or Friends often were.It's probably fair to say that The Smoking Room has stolen ideas and inspiration from other sit-coms. But unlike many others it stole the best parts. A good example is the sit-com device. How many sit-coms have never seen characters, love triangles or a will they, won't they relationship? A lot, and they all have the same outcome. The Smoking Room uses a much better, though already used one,; The never directly mentioned, long running storyline. It actually makes people think a bit more about what their watching and makes people notice jokes they may otherwise have missed. The only other example I can think of was in Daria. It's a difficult thing to do correctly, it can just look blatant and stupid. The strength of the writing and acting though hold it together excellently, like the show itself. Forget Little Britain or anything Peter Kay's in: This is the best British comedy around by some distance.

matt-1059 This is an excellent Show but what the hell is it with this 'The Office' fixation that so many reviewers have? it is nothing like 'The Office' except for the fact that there is probably one around. Is 'Dad's Army' like 'Mash' like 'Green Wing' 'cos they share a military kind a thing and a medical kinda thing? This like that cos it's about life. If one must compare shows do it for more than something superficial. Otherwise judge on the shows merits, of which getting to the point SR has may. brilliant well observed writing, brilliant well observed acting, brilliant well observed direction, to say nothing of props, lights, SFX, casting and subliminal mind control.

garokev *contains a tiny spoiler on my favourite gag so far*another BBC comedy set in a workplace, but unlike 'the office' this is an actual sitcom rather than a mockumentary.all the action takes place in the smoking room, where the employees in an office block come to smoke cigarettes.only watched the first couple episodes so far, but is already hilarious and will catch on when it eventually airs on BBC2 later this year.best gag so far would be when the black female character talks about her trip to canada and describes it as a winter wonderland. she then asks robin, 'whats that book where they're all behind a wardrobe?' to which robin replies 'Anne Frank?' (this had me in absolute stitches, and will be a lot funier when you see it!!)well done bbc! cant wait for the rest of the series.10 out of 10