Mum's Monday: Dinnerladies

Series one, Episode one, When you think about a sitcom set in a canteen, some may wander where the humour is? But the script is/says it all. With the mix of characters of all different ages and intellect, including ‘Flipper’ sorry Philippa (Celia Imrie), I love this in the script.In this episode Jean (Anne Reid) has her daughters wedding to plan, well she did have.

Episode two, There is a royal visiting the canteen. With the staff trying to work out who it is, after we see an insight into their lives outside of the canteen. Of some of the characters. Anita (Shobna Gulati) has an issue with her underwear. I like the amusing way Tony (Andrew Dunn) sums up his staff serving the Royals their dinner/lunch. Now it turns out Stan (Duncan Preston) has met Prince James, The Duke of Danby (Simon Williams). Also of course they all have to practice the curtsey. Anita still has an underwear dilemma. They do like their toast in the canteen. It is amusing and I like hearing of Bren’s (Victoria Wood) solution to Anita’s ‘Nipple’ problem. It is interesting to see everyone making an effort for the visit. I love how they portray the Royals yes, as Royals but very much human like the rest of us. Well Twinkle (Maxine Peake) don’t know much and Anita shouldn’t have said that. Now Bren is left holding the fort and she could get more than she bargained for. What she does, the deal she makes for Stan is heart-warming to see, if only ‘Fifty percent of the perfect evening’.

Episode three, Ok se we have Dolly (Thelma Barlow) needing an unusual ‘Knob’ on her blanket box and a mother asking Bren where her ‘Clint’ is? And with the TV crew wanting to look around the factory, with the possibility of making a documentary on working people. What could possibly go wrong? Well loads and no one wants to go on ‘Kilroy’. But there is an amusing, if a little of the wall, interview thrown in, well it seems good old ‘Harry from packing’.

Episode four, Well everyone is in a mood the canteen is in chaos but the question Jane (Sue Devaney) asks Bren is an amusing end to all the mayhem. It is a nice idea ‘Bring your mother to a tea party’ just don’t ask Stan, oh dear too late. I like the explanation about ‘Tuna ‘n’ sweetcorn. Well the mums and dad have arrived. It is lovely to hear how Twinkle is a ‘Good girl’. Also well yes, no head equals dead. Bren’s grandma not! And also well saved on Twinkle’s behalf, you could say one less mother.

Episode five, It’s the office christmas party time with ‘Say what’, ‘Pardon’ colour blindness and ‘I’m from’ well somewhere beginning with the letter H, this is not clear, the party is well shall we say ‘Interesting’ Bren looks great though. Now this is interesting, I don’t know if it was deliberate or not but normally we see the canteen women having their somewhat sometimes unusual conversations at a table and now we see at the party where the men characters are doing the same, having their own version of conversation. Which just goes to show/high-lights that men are really no different to women. Well maybe the topics of conversation, but mostly the same. Good old ‘Chips’ it is a bit of a cringe that alcohol at a workplace party is not a good recipe for Jean and for Tony. I also really don’t think Dolly would have to worry about not fitting into a shed. It also looks lucky that there are in fact 3 ways to Babs (Kate Robbins) wherever she is from. And that is not Stan, that is Tony.

Episode six, it is sad to hear that Tony is in hospital. Now we have/meet Tony’s replacement. Just what they need a long winded job's worth, she is irritating. Jean should really wear her ‘Specs’. The sheds are quiet now the canteen is quiet but they won’t be quiet for long. Good old Stan, but sadly, you could say the position of ‘Lighthouse keeper’ has been filled. And then there was Bren, difficult yes, it is an ‘UNDERSTATEMENT’. It is nice to see them all lined up behind the counter, but it is now nice to see the others are back. Dolly is her normal self I see. It is also lovely to see Tony and heart-warming to hear Bren tell him ‘No probs’. 

Series two, Episode one, I love the connection between Bren’s love life with a driving instructor and a ‘Sudden stop’. Jean’s reference to what Dolly has as her own on her cruise is really funny. The connections keep coming. The date in the title of this one is significant as it is the night that you can conceive a millennium or as Bren amusingly miss pronounce it as ‘Milnellium’  baby. Now the work experience girl has arrived, Sigourney (Joanne Froggatt) she is sadly, not the most brainiest of people so far. Stan’s ‘Bollards’ have been busy. I like Bren’s informative description of the reproductive procedure. Now Glenda (Sue Cleaver) has delivered the bread and Sigourney has noticed something though that ‘Why are the painters bringing the stuff in already if they are not painting the canteen until the weekend?’ We now meet Bert (Colin Edwynn) . He is not good with faces or names but with food yes, and now a long ladder is jammed. Anita asks an insightful yet amusing question and it turns out so does Betty (Katharine Page) the belly dancer. It is becoming quite a morning and for Philippa, she is starting with too many ladders, tongue in cheek. Bren is really angry and cross, it is nice that Bren doesn’t ‘Bear grudges’. It is all a tangled mess with wives, waterworks and a ‘Dip me nets’  exciting day off. And no there/they are doing ‘Toast’. Now it is good to see all the solutions found.

Episode two, It is nice to see the thank you Stan gives Bren also the question was referring to ‘Tea and coffee’. Oh no ‘Mad Jean’. I like the idea of Bren going on holiday. I don’t like that Jean is so understandably distraught. It is nice to listen to Anita. I know a fortnight is a fortnight but young love is young romance. Peggy (Linda Bassett) to the rescue. ‘Worse’ Bren’s mum Petula (Julie Walters), her news is debatable. Bren can go on holiday. I like this but poor Steve (Steve Huison). 

Episode three, There is, and it is nice to hear about all the holiday talk. The pieman (Graham Turner) is a bit strange. It is really sad to hear about Stan’s dad. I know planning a funeral is sad, however, it is amusing to hear the Dinnerladies planning one. I have mixed feelings as to whether I would actually want them to plan an actual funeral. It is good that Bren is the voice of reason, well almost. It is somewhat depressing to hear of Philippa’s loosely called holiday plans, ‘Barmy’ even. More holiday talk and yes, an adapter plug for abroad will come in very useful. It is heart-warming to hear one, that Stan has planned his dad’s funeral and two, that Jean has sent a letter. It is devastating regarding Bren’s holiday money, despite Bren saying ‘No’. It was all down to Stan’s timing.

Episode four, Glenda  really shouldn’t be out. It is clever that as this program is set in a factory in Manchester that they incorporate an aspect of the local area, in this case ‘Strangeways’ prison. Jean has had a good time. I like Malcolm (Himself). Now we hear a blood donor van is coming to the factory. Philippa is fed up, we will see what happens later. I don’t like the effect the ‘Holiday photos’ had on Bren. It is sad to hear that Bobbie (Tina Malone) is quite shy, it seems Stan has found a friend. Philipa has a way with words, great script, also it turns out Mr Michael (Christopher Greet) has a way with words also. The script about phobias and change is brilliant as to who Bren is talking to. Richard is human, the nurse is not a nurse and Bren is definitely not pregnant. It is funny to hear about a sash window.

Episode five, The Dinnerladies are christmas shopping and the christmas tree should arrive. Tony and Bren haven’t arrived so far. No not any of them well one of them, well two. Philipa has had a good time. This is amusing. Not so much as to where the christmas tree decorations/lights are. I love the two scripts going on from a ‘Cup of tea’ to a ‘Tea bag’. Dolly is digging a big hole for herself, this is so amusing, poor Dolly. Anita shouldn’t be given the wrong information and it is debatable as to what is christmassy and what is not. And Anita ‘Didn’t get Mistletoe’ Oh dear, ‘Wrong word, wrong plant’. This is so funny to watch. Bren has a way with words but it does the job, they get their christmas decorations back. It does sound a bit sexest about how to turn on Christmas tree lights. That’s Brens Christmas all sorted this is heart-warming to hear and watch until Martin (Brian Stephens) arrives.   

Episode six, We find out who Martin is and it turns out it is all good and amicable, too friendly according to the other Dinnerladies. I love Tony’s script when he arrives for work. Sometimes, ‘Bacon’ can be more important/informative than anything else. What with Anita’s choice of christmas music, a suspect reason for getting married and Jean’s dodgy underwear, the christmas period at the canteen is looking interesting. It’s Christmas eve, ‘Sooty’ (A children’s character/program created by Matthew Corbett) 007 James Bond (Created by Ian Fleming)? This is so funny with a great script. HMV (A retailer owned by Doug Putman) has a lot to answer for and you can request anything you like as long as it is ‘Jingle Bells’ (By James Lord Pierpoint). Bren ‘That’s today’ yes, he must ‘Peel his sprouts the night before’. The script is brilliant, all the arrangements, it is sad that Bren gets the wrong end of the stick. It is annoying to see Bren’s mum, Petula, turn up and no they are one, not welcome and two, will not be ruining Bren’s christmas. I didn’t know HRT (Hormone replacement therapy) helped with the memory. ‘Bren from Tony’ in the secret santa, oh dear. It is good to see Stan save the day in the end. I like that it has all been explained and the ‘Etch a Sketch’ (Invented by Andre Cassagnes) is a lovely fun idea, and that is one cold santa.

Episode seven, New Years Eve 1999/2000. ‘Mayhem’ in Manchester, and a lot of innuendo. Philipa is so ‘Middle aged’ demanding. Anita has arrived but not ‘That way’. So ‘When is the next millennium?’ I suppose they can be a bit too expensive. It is lovely to see Bren happy despite the ‘Strangeways’ tour. Philippa is stressed. Also there are all sorts of things people don’t like, but Dolly does like ‘Carpet’ it seems. Also each to their own in the ‘Worship’ stakes. Well Bobbie is not the one for Stan, although this is for comedic effect, it is sad to hear of a split. The traffic, a riot and the city centre is closed. I cannot see the comedy in this episode as I could in others. This could have been done better with not so much disaster. It is strange what you can find on a ‘Fire escape’. Jean has her own miss identification story. I am glad the comedy is back amongst the millenium/new year nostalgia stories. The mix is a good balance. Now Jean’s ex Keith (Peter Lorenzelli) has turned up, yes, they do go ‘back a long way’ but Keith still has only a small car ‘Wallpaper table!’ Tony you had to join in didn’t you?. This is so funny. Pals? Jean and Stan. This episode is all full of predictability: a baby versus pies versus a hospital drip. No explanation needed. ‘Happy new year’.

Episode eight, Tony ‘Can’t do it anymore’. There is a new girl starting and the ‘Breadman’ Norman (Adrian Hood) has developed a new inconvenient ‘Phobia’. This is amusing but silly to hear. With Glenda yes, Dolly and Jean have missed something. Stan and Jean? Now Christine (Kay Adshead), I don’t like her, neither does anyone else. It is lovely to see Anita and the baby, but she is revealing just a bit too much. Christine keeps digging a hole for herself. Bren cannot live with her mother. I like the idea of Anita coming back to work. This is becoming a busy episode with ‘Viagra’ and an early ‘Social worker’. Oh no Dolly and Viagra, this is so funny to hear Dolly’s reaction, a clever script as well. Dolly has seen the light with Christine. This is nice and amusing to hear. Well played Bren the placebo, psychological approach. It is lovely to hear Philippa’s and Tony’s conversation and Viagra has a lot to answer for. 

Episode nine, I like Bren’s summing up of ‘Scotland’. It is sad that Bren is uncertain though. It is a big step. It is nice to hear about the future plans of the ladies. Now seeing Stan and Jean interact is lovely to watch. ‘Self clear’ could cause problems. There is going to be a ‘New uniform’ Tony is so funny he really doesn’t care about the questions he asks. The ‘Toaster is on the blink’. I like how Jean describes her and Stan’s relationship. Who ordered an old lady? Well not Dolly I see. This is so funny to hear about her uses. Bren’s mum Petula now arrives and explains everything. No, I can’t see the channel four program ‘Countdown’ making anyone cry. ‘A creature of habit’ and ‘Self clear’. Although I don’t like what or how it is said to Stan by Philipa although the use for an ‘Anti tank gun’ is amusing to hear. I do like that Philippa has found her back bone/honesty. I do think Tony loves Bren. Yes, I like, he can have a hot pudding. Jean likes watching ‘Totally Trivia’ (Henry Kelly, himself) and Bren is on. I now love the breadman Norman and oh yes, ‘Film’.

Episode ten, and final episode, It is nice to see Bren and the rest of the ladies not being honest with each other. Also if Anita did want to get ‘Yogurts’ out it might have been more interesting than the sad/bad news Jane delivered. Poor Twinkle, smiling, was just a little bit too much of an overload. Also with all the questions, drugs and Tony’s speech, Bren is also feeling overloaded I believe. It is good news for Glenda. It is all happening, but where is Bren? Norman! Out Bren in. Bren’s mum Petula told the truth. Yes, I agree ‘Peculiar’ It is lovely to see ‘The living Will’ was profitable, they had to be quick and it is amusing, it is also lovely and fun to hear of all plans the characters have after the canteen closes.