User reviews

Along the same kinda lines as The Detectorists, another great comedy drama, whereby it's funny and i care and believe the interactions of the characters.

The other reviews seem very extreme. This was genuinely funny, well observed and family friendly. I hope there are more to come.

With UKTV venturing into making actual television programming, I somewhat doubted it would be any good. But this was a great short series; just wish there were more episodes. Coming from a family torn apart from divorce and separation I could really identify with some of the characters. I just hope more episodes are planned.

I wasn't sure what 'genre' we were watching for the first ten minutes and then just started laughing. By the end of the third episode, we were truly crying with laughter. That hasn't happened in a long time. Sue Johnston and Bobby Ball are wonderful but June Watson, in the third episode is hilarious and the stand out performance. Fantastic ensemble piece. Watch it for Nigel Havers' hair alone!

I've just started watching this and I love it. It's a gentle, very well observed comedy. Bobby Ball is a revelation and I think the strongest member of the cast. His face when confronted with the tarty middle aged entertainer he fancies, whilst on a care home visit, is comedy gold. What a great actor he's turned out to be.

Bobby Ball stole the show in season 1. It was light-hearted and reminded me of the equally excellent Detectorists. Typical British humour, well acted and beautiful locations.

Unfortunately, season two fell flat. Bobby Ball was poorly recast after he sadly passed away of Covid. Their neighbour that likes a drink was also recast with one of the worst actresses I've ever witnessed. The humour felt childish (passing wind jokes that only someone under the age of eight would find funny). I went from belly laughing in season one to cringing in season two and could only stomach two episodes. Such a shame.

I have lived every minute especially Bobby Ball. Classic British humour. I hope we see more of this it could become our new Royle Family. I have read the other review I'm not sure what they were watching must have had a sense of humour bypass!!! LOVE IT!!!

I have a fondness for the actors and creators of this show, but it's a bit off the mark. There's basically one joke; it's 'look at how these cosmopolitan visitors observe obtuse rural folk.'

There's an underlying smirk to the humour.

It's trying to be The Detectorists, except that show took the passions of the oddballs seriously and portrayed them with humanity and sincerity. Here they're just target practice for quips.

There are some funny moments... more from the extras than anything. Got through about 8 episodes but most of it is samey.

Apart from the girlfriend (which changes between Series 1 and 2) I could spend time with any of them and that includes Joe who it seems we're supposed to side with against his stepfather (admittedly played well by Bobby Ball and then Gregor Fisher), his socially awkward stepbrother and then the downtrodden mother who is forever guilt tripping him (whether she knows or not). Problem is he just doesn't do anything funny for a comedy, and most of the jokes are in the "...okay, that's different" mould.

The stepbrother though is most annoying, really feel like pushing him off the cliffs either when he says something, especially when being talked down to by his father and coming out with more drivel.

Most 'comedy' produced on UK Gold seems to be the same now. Make the characters quirky but with no real redeeming features. Bring back Fletcher, Arkwright and co.

I live on the Isle of Wight and it's nice to see it being portrayed geographically correct for once!

Everything from the washing machine on at 0630 to the white bread and plastic cheese is my 70 odd year old in-laws when we would visit their holiday home abroad.

I was absolutely howling at the awkward moments because they are so true!

This will be marmite, unless you recognise the same dynamics in your own family, you may not find it funny.

This is the first time I've written an IMDb review. Just had to!

Let's face it we live in a time where humour is dead and everything upsets someone. Well not in this case, this series is the warmest, funniest least upsetting of any comedy series of the last 10 years or so. The acting and the writing is impeccable. The first series was magical and the second series is on a par and I just want more. What a coup for UK Gold. I don't want to single anybody out because they are all great, but, I have to make a special mention for Joe Wilkinson, what a talented guy. If you want to feel good about life then watch this fantastic series.

What a shame about this potentially great programme. The writing was good and really funny but it was let down by some miscasting. It was written by Joe Wilkinson but I feel he would have been better off not playing the role of Simon as it just wasn't the greatest acting. He kept laughing at simple statements that just weren't funny and weren't supposed to be. Susannah Fielding was so irritating and insipid that I struggled to get through the second series because of her nauseating and patronising demeanour and it was only the humour and the talent of a couple of other actors that made me determined to push through it.

As for the soundtrack - it made me realise how important it is to get it right. They did not get it right here. Apart from a couple of excellent old tunes that I like anyway, it was so excruciatingly bland and sugary that I wanted to bang my head against a wall and had to keep skipping forward.

What a shame, it could have been so much more entertaining.

A real slow burning bit of comedy genius! Felt warm and fuzzy watching it, but left wanting a lot more! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Articulates the nuances of family life in a subtle and good-natured way.

Excellent.Thoroughly enjoyed the 3 episodes.A very subtle study of people.Reminded me of the Royle family in parts. Excellent acting from all especially Bobby Ball.His facial expressions are brilliant.

Fantastic stuff. Funny & heart warming. Had me in stitches.

If you want to forget about the strains and stresses of day to day life and drift off with good clean relative humour then this is a must watch. It is so well written,acted,directed and produced it has to be commissioned for more episodes! I loved every minute of this show,every character is relative and hilarious, thank you Mr Joe Wilkinson

I have watched the first two episodes and they were dreadful. When I saw the cast I was looking forward to the show but I will never get back the hour that I spent watching it. After the first episode I had hoped that the second would be better but it is appalling rubbish.

Absolutely loved this. Just watched episode one and already looking forward to tomorrow's instalment.

Well written and great to see Sue Johnson again. She steals every scene, a genius.

Joe Wilkinson is as always terribly funny and brilliant in everything he is in, and he co-wrote it too

I absolutely love The Cockfields. I came across it by chance last year and was excited to see a new series had come out recently with 6 episodes Thai time! My 14 year old enjoys watching it with us. It's a well observed comedy with every day situations & a few poignant moments thrown in that may bring a tear of joy to the eye. The scenery of the Isle of Wight is lovely and relaxing and makes me want to visit. I was apprehensive with the replacement of the late Bobby Ball as Ray, but Gregor Fisher of Rab C Nesbitt fame does the character justice. Also like the new girlfriend Esther-previously seen in Alan Partridge. Can't wait for the Xmas special!!

Having recently discovered the Chattabix podcast with the writers David Earl and Joe Wilkinson, I found out about The Cockfields. It's a gentle meander about a family and their interactions with each other, and other people. Funny, annoying, tender and odd moments occur, just like with my family (and probably yours). Hope there's a 3rd series.

Loving this series. Some stellar names making this great. Simon returns home to the Isle of Wight with his new girlfriend, and she is introduced to his family. Along with their eccentricities, traditions and other quirks. Very relatable to real life

I must be getting old. This is gentle, observational British humour at its best. I started watching at series 2 and glad I missed series 1 as some cast changes had to be made.

Time and again I found myself reliving an old experience I had with my parents through some great writing. All of the cast are terrific. The scenery is fabulous.

This isn't LOL hilarious, it's not meant to be. It is relatable, gentle humour that will have you chuckling throughout. Best enjoyed by a more mature audience.

And to its credit, there is zero box ticking or wokery.

What is going off on Gold? To have such utter rubbish like this and the equally garbage Sandylands and they both have second series. To put this unfunny tripe alongside greats like Open All Hours just further highlights what absolute crud this show truly is.

Nothing is funny about it at all and most of the reviews saying it's great are very suspect. This should be a 4 star rated show at best and that's pushing it. It should never have been commissioned.

Thankfully it appears Diane Morgan has left this pile of dung I would like to believe it's because she doesn't want to be associated with such tripe.

There are no belly laughs or side splitting moments it's not gentle comedy it's not comedy at all. Please do not give it another series and stop re-running it as it's painful to my eyes, ears and health.

Gentle and subtle comedy with all that's good from the Royle Family with beautiful scenery. Absolutely brilliant.