du04 When this series first aired in 1998, me being only 10 years old it didn't grab me as an audience member, but by the time the second series was airing on BBC (I forget which year) I had grown up sufficiently and maybe I was only about 13 or 14 but I've always been old-headed as my parents say so this sitcom really appealed to me.I've always been a fan of Victoria Wood ever since I saw a repeat of her 'An Audience With...' show on ITV many moons ago.'dinnerladies' is a subtly written superbly acted and constantly funny sitcom which would probably appeal to the older generation if only through references of old singers/actors, etc.. (Telly Sevalas springs to mind.) I, however, thoroughly enjoyed this series and now own series 1 & 2 on DVD and play them constantly, they never get boring even though I basically know the whole script for every episode! In response to earlier comments about the Achyllie's Heel being Julie Walters as Patula Gordino, I strongly disagree, I think Julie is an amazing actress and played her role to a T, a show such as this which mostly relies on observational comedy needs some oddball comedy of Julie's sort to stop it going stale and boring! I agree, however that Victoria Wood was brave and ultimately right to end it after 2 series as this has made it all the more special.10/10, long live Wood & Walters!

kenpitcher I have watched on DVD hundreds of times All the episodes of Dinner Ladies. Those who did not like or maybe not quite understood some of the humour, check it out again, there are a great many hidden gems as to the brilliant mind of Victoria woods writing. "He played my body like a pinball machine. I lit up, paid out, and no tilting" was the brilliant line of Bren (victoria wood) mother (Julie Walters) describing her relationship with her young man. It was everyday folk, talking about everyday issues. Hidden behind the charm and the humour the show showed its emotional side, with Bren giving up her holiday to help her mother financially, single mothers, and redundancy. The show lasted two series. I look with great hesitation Victoria Woods next project.

IridescentTranquility Dinnerladies is a really excellent comedy. I have watched it over and over again and never seem to be able to get tired of it. The important thing here is that everyone has a life of their own. Taking as a starting point a scene many people might see every day - a canteen in a factory and the people who serve in it - might sound like a very boring idea, but the fact that Bren, Dolly, Anita, Twinkle and Jean are dinnerladies is really only secondary to the plot. Their characters are what really hold the piece together, and that's important. Along with Tony the canteen manager, Stan the handyman, Philippa the human resources manager and Bren's unbelievable yet totally believable (in a sense) mother Petula Gordeno the dinnerladies try to get through their lives. These are average, everyday people and yet they are so well written they can't help but be fascinating. What makes the set all the better is the script itself, and the fact that the characters are not afraid to confront each other, even the most trivial issues. From "I didn't go mad this morning and order one old lady instead of a load of broccoli?" to "I wouldn't need high heels if my feet were attached to a pair of scales" to "We won't see another minnellium" to "You don't treat a female woman like that" there are more classic lines in this sitcom than you can remember all at once. Another touch I especially liked is the subtlety of the script itself. Everything happens for a reason, so that by the time you've finished watching a whole series everything you've seen slots into place and makes total sense. I like this very much.

Richpq-2 It might not sound like an amusing premise, but believe me, it's funny. This is a great show from Victoria Wood, with a wonderful ensemble cast, including Celia Imrie and Julie Walters, which has got to lead to some laughs. As well as humour it's got its more serious moments, making it all-round great entertainment. Definitely one to watch.