Kate & Koji

A ' Count Arthur Strong' setting redone with some underused Actors/Actresses that deserve to be on TV more often then the terrible ones we constantly see, a good first episode with my fingers crossed it continues to get better.

We have really enjoyed the first two seasons of K&K although it took awhile to warm up to the "new" Koji. The actor is much better in the last couple of episodes but lacks the dry wit and sarcasm of Jimmy. Granted this is just silly slapstick and you might even say, predictable most of the time however the writers are definitely playing to the strengths of the actors and it is pretty much confined to one small cafe. Not the best comedy on tv but certainly entertaining.

Kate is an older hot headed uncompromising cafe owner who dislikes change, doesn't really understand the modern world and doesn't really want to, and Koji is a dignified African gentleman who is seeking asylum, and also a Doctor. At first they don't get along but as he is desperate for food, drink and a warm place to be, and Kate needs to attract customers, they reluctantly find compromises, and character driven amusement ensues.

There are many other background characters, most follow fairly simple archetypes making it easy to get into, and it's definitely aimed at an older audience as it's basically old fashioned 70s style humour, just set in the modern world.

Oh and the lefty papers hate it with a passion as much as they hate Mrs Brown's Boys and for all the same reasons, so if you like that, check it out.

I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was a refreshing change in humour. We've had years of dumbed down humour, this was a lot more like it, cutting, sarcastic, and humour that was very much on point.

Blethyn was cracking as Kate, such a change in character from Vera, shows what a damn good actress she is.

A few jokes about The BBC.

Will it last more than just a single series? I do hop so. 8/10.

Yes, I'm old ... 71, and I love detective series. I long for more "Vera", "Midsomer Murders," etc. I've watched all of Wallander (3 versions), Foyle's War, Endeavour, Morse, Lewis, Vera, etc. All good ... but I find the newer series are becoming very dark with way toooooo much exploitive & gruesome reality. I am an intelligent woman and I don't need every gruesome detail discussed and shown on the screen. I'm finding the current world reality quite gruesome enough and need some levity ... but GOOD acting and writing for comedy is hard to come by. I found "Kate & Koji" really fun to watch. I was sad when each episode ended. Refreshing characters and, of course, Brenda Blethyn! Just hope there are more seasons and more series like it.