I'd not seen the series at the time of its transmission and only caught it by accident 10 years later.Like many I greatly admire Alison Steadman, here though she doesn't an opportunity for the grand grotesques with which she has graced the large and small screens, and on radio (in the form of the very obliging Mrs Naughtie). Here she is well meaning, motherly and tolerant of her sour, sarcastic and humourless husband - played by an actor who has honed this type of role to withering perfection - Geoffrey Whitehead.Lovely comic actress Sarah Alexander once again plays to her strengths.The format and some of the laughs are quite familiar - faux pas and foul-ups committed by new husband and soon to be new father played by Ben Miller. One comic situation was unfamiliar - in warmly hugging his mother in law to comfort her, a baby's rattle comes between them. Of all the nightmare misunderstandings, this must rate as one of the worst. So unspeakable that quite believably the Alison Steadman character runs away and locks herself in her bedroom - preventing her from hearing the innocent explanation until some while later. Had this been a big screen version, the Geoffrey Whitehead character would have reacted. This TV production would have benefited from some honing.

Ben Miller has made a whole career out of playing this type of role. The bumbling, well intentioned bloke, who stuffs up quite a bit. He's even playing a similar role in Tesco adverts currently.Apparently this show was the one that catapulted him into the big time. Goodness knows why. It's basically 'Meet the Parents' but on telly. It was branded as being a 'return to traditional, old fashioned comedy', but I think that's an exaggeration.There's nothing really to fault about this show. It's funny enough, it passes the time. The writers have never really come up with anything to top it either.I like Ben Miller, I didn't like this show.

Not a one but certainly nowhere near an eight, I'll give it a four for at least some entertainment value.There must be at least some believability even in broad comedy. The situations presented here each week are simply too far fetched. Without giving away any spoilers, let's just say the laws of physics do not exist here. Nor does the protagonist have even the slightest shred of common sense. The endless mishaps that haunt him episode after episode are so unbelievable that they become wearing. British sitcoms are so unpredictable, some are brilliant while most are ridiculous, strange beyond belief or just plain boring or inane. This one fits into all the latter categories. Not much but repetitiveness beyond the first episode or two and highly derivative of any number of movies from the same genre. Seems from the reviews, a show only the Brits can appreciate.

Although I would slightly agree that this program is a slight rip-off of "meet the parents" etc., I would also say that it is much funny!Some of the jokes are obviously going to happen, and you find yourself squirming for Howard. The other jokes come from nowhere and are hillarious.It may well be unbelievable at times, but that is what true comedy is about! Not boring dull American comedy...My advise would be to watch the first episode for yourself and if you don't like it or have "seen it all before" then don't watch anymore!Personally, I can't wait until this comes out on DVD! :)