User reviews

After the first four episodes and I am gob-smacked. It has been a long time since I have been so excited by a BBC drama & so refreshing to have it set in the present. No costumes, and no history lessons needed to be able to appreciate the emotions coursing through the characters as they cope with the manic plot twists. I say manic, but they remain believable nonetheless as plausible drama's we could all have happen in our lives. More surprising is that the rate of storytelling. Every second and every facial expression is made to count, but this never intrudes on the - real life time feel of the piece. If I have made Last Tango in Halifax sound mundane- it is not it is bonkers. For me the 'what on earth is going to happen next' factor is the biggest draw. But each scene on its own is already a mini stand alone story. If that is down to the quality of the acting the scene play or the production I cannot say. Last Tango is utterly absorbing and I cannot wait for more. (vote 9 in stead of 10 because of the spoiling spoilers at the end of the episode)

This is one of the series i liked the most. It is profound, comprehensive, extraordinary, unpredictable and the acting is super. The variation in the character cast is magnificent . The authentic roll play sublime. It is one of the examples why I highly admire the British series. It could be well a real life example of ordinary people with all their usual daily problems and emotions. Nicola is my best favorite actress, I have seen her in River too. But nothing less to all the other actors without exception they are all of a very high class.

I (me Dutch) have learned a lot from the slang that used in the series. Although English subtitles are highly appreciated for me. I can't wait for the next series to come out.

We know these people. They're intelligent, charming, fallible and not always predictable. Three-dimensional characters, with sometimes untidy lives. We see their bad behavior, unreasonable bias, decency and moments of brilliance as they navigate the ups and downs. There's a not unkind truthfulness to the way their stories are told.

The writing is extraordinary. The sets, the costumes, the editing - clearly a team of pros brought this together. And there's the dialect - articles are rarely used, and there's plenty of "owt", "nowt", "summat", "dozy", and "appen". It's all brought to life by top-notch actors, some familiar, others new, but all well cast.

On the whole, outstanding work, which is what makes this series so wonderful and believable.

Sally Wainwright does it again!! What a brilliant writer she is. Just look at the stuff she has written... all of it so clever, so entertaining, so observant. The characters, their awkward situations, their messed up lives are all so believable. I understand why some say the story-lines appear farcical but that is part of the fun, watching people of vastly different backgrounds interact and deal with their often self induced problems. Didn't have the time to watch the original transmission, so bought the DVD of series one and so glad I did. I watched all six episodes over two nights followed by series two over the next two nights.What a fabulous cast, fabulous direction and beautiful photography....what more can I say? What I will add, cautiously, is that series three may(?) be a series to many. I sincerely hope not! Thanks Sally, you are a genius.

The first episode itself captivates you as soon as the lead protagonists meet for the first time after over 60 years. Very rarely do you see such insightful and delightful stories involving septuagenarians. It has both its thrilling and heartwarming moments, right from the beginning. It has a lot of heart, and the first episode itself draws me into their lives; it was the same way I felt about Downton Abbey. And as Downton, it has a mesmerizing and entrancing opening score which sets the appropriate and stirring mood for the episodes.

The things people wonder about, remain angry or sad about, imagining the reason behind certain events... all those things are treated quite beautifully in the series. Over the episodes, the lead couple and close kin go through many ups and downs, much like normal life. The supporting characters, mainly the close kin of the lead couple, form quite intriguing and fascinating characters. The way our lives and actions affect the people close to us, and vice-versa, is shown masterfully in this season. I liked how they handled the realization of Caroline's new exploration of sexuality (in her middle ages, after her divorce), and how her family reacts to it.

The acting by the entire cast, especially the 70-something leads, Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid, and Sarah Lancashire, is top notch. The screenplay and editing is brilliant, the appropriate timings of events and reactions draws you into the lives of these intriguing characters.

Quite an unusual and delightful romantic drama.

"Last Tango in Halifax" (2012) is a BBC miniseries that will have run for four seasons. Each episode is about an hour long. I'm reviewing the first six episodes--the entire first season. The series is written by Sally Wainwright. Different episodes have different directors.

The key plot point is that Celia (Anne Reid) and Alan (Derek Jacobi) were in love with the other as teenagers. For complicated reasons they were parted, and lived separate lives for 60 years. They are reunited via Facebook, and they fall back in love. (All this is seen in the first 20 minutes of the first episode, so I'm not giving anything away.)

Each has raised a daughter. Alan's daughter Gillian (Nicola Walker) and Celia's daughter Caroline (Sarah Lancashire) have gone down very different paths. Gillian is a widow. Caroline is in an estranged relationship with her husband John (Tony Gardner).

I've already named five characters, but there are more. What's amazing is that the actors portraying each character are all truly excellent. There's not a weak link among them. The BBC has the unique ability to find great actors, and to enable them to work together seamlessly.

Derek Jacobi is a famous Shakespearean actor, so we expect great things from him. However, the other actors keep pace with him. If I had to single one of them out, it would be Tony Gardner, as Caroline's husband, John. John is a cheat and an opportunist, but, when he's on screen, he dominates the scene with his very believable and often successful opportunism.

This miniseries was produced for TV, so, of course, it works well on the small screen. If you missed it in 2012, you owe it to yourself to see it now. It's melodramatic, but that's what makes it interesting. Some reviewers have called it a BBC soap opera, but I don't agree. It has the look and feel of a first-rate movie, the production values are high, and the acting is superb. If you don't like it, you can always stop watching after the first episode. Trust me--you'll choose to see all six episodes, and then you'll order Season Two and Season Three.

Thank you Netflix, for introducing us to the work of Sally Wainwright (and to actors like Sarah Lancashire!). This has to be one of the sweetest, nicest, most absorbing series I have seen in years - so much better than the usual run of the mill North American stuff. It takes its time to introduce you to the lives and thoughts of its cast, and in doing so, it captures you completely. You fall in love with haughty Caroline and mixed up, do anything for love Gillian. Even the less sympathetic characters - John and Judith - are fun to be with as you wait to see them plunge into their next disaster. As for the two lovebirds, Alan and Celia, they are just so believable and such a delight to spend time with. After watching this, I've discovered Scott & Bailey, also by Sally Wainwright and can't believe the same person wrote such two very different series. I've also watched Happy Valley with Sarah Lancashire and she is incredible. The contrast with her character in Last Tango is stunning. So once again, thank you Netflix. Thank you Sally Wainwright!

I love this show, but honestly I don't know why Alan is so smitten with Celia. She is such a b***h! Totally self-centered!!!

Though I can't decide if Celia's character (not Anne Reid who plays her) adds or detracts from the series. The acting is first rate.

I got increasingly angry and annoyed with her small minded, almost narcissistic behavior at times.

The creator/writer, Sally Wainwright, always did her best to redeem her. If anything, Celia is the villain.

Having said that, anything Wainwright develops turns to TV gold. She is a master at nuance, and small talk. Her characters so true to real life.

Ten stars from me. (Because every dynamic show needs a Gillian)

The one reviewer was absolutely right when they said that the second season devolved into farce. We loved, loved the first season and were watching two or three episodes of an evening. Now it is really hard to get through just one, like an unpalatable chore. We are going to hang in there and hope things right themselves. Either that or fast forward to the end. In the first season I enjoyed Celia and Alan sitting, chatting and chewing on a 'sweet' but now I find it quite annoying. I also found Alan's reactions to Gillian's 'hurt' rather harsh and over the top. I really feel for her and know she is the author of her own fate but still... My husband and I just felt the creators/directors were overloading the show to no useful purpose. Does not one think that the fears and foibles of 'disappointing human beings' are enough to carry us along? I would have thought so. I had given the first season a 10 but so far, into the second, a 6 and not being harsh. Most series do not start devolving until the 4th or 5th (even Downton is getting redundant and a bit trashy) but this - and we don't know why - went from fantastic to farce in the space of no time at all!

First. I love BBC dramas because, as opposed to US shows, they use actual actors who can actually act. We turned this on just to watch Derek Jacobi. He, and the others do not disappoint. That said, this is an infuriating soap opera. Every character seems to have a congenital inability to think before they speak. And they are all on a hair trigger to believe the worst about every other character in this loving family dramedy. We created a drinking game that whenever a character says something like, "I've never told anybody this before," or "sit down I need to share something," we bet on how long its will be before they share that confidential tidbit with the one person who will take it in the worst possible way. You want to like the characters, but they are all dozy pillocks.

I didn't watch the first series on TV, but happened across it on DVD rentals, and became enthralled and enslaved. I really enjoy the leading couple, and their 'daughters' , my how Raquel has grown up! Some of the story lines are a bit far-fetched, and I can't help thinking that perhaps Gillian would have benefited from a stronger chastisement occasionally when she was younger and hormonal, but they are what they are. I love that she is always up to her armpits in dung when she gets company or a phone call - I hope they pay her enough. I hope it doesn't get too silly, but some families do lurch from crisis to disaster, so if they can balance the humour, then it will be realistic. The production team have done a grand job, the acting is splendid. Love it.

This series is one of the best television shows I have ever seen. It hits a lot of hot buttons with its fantasy romance between the two stars, and a variety of sub-plots involving failed marriages, same sex love, alcohol, rivalry, lust, anger, etc. We see bonding that bridges the generations, and distrusts that become solid friendships. Ordinary people from across the social spectrum interact in the two families of Celia (Anne Reid) and Alan (Derek Jacobi). The characters (other than Alan and Celia) can find themselves alternately partying or warring with each other, sometimes in humorous ways. It is the perfect soap opera but beyond that, the first two seasons of this outstanding series show the viewer the range of human behaviour, even within the same characters. The two leads, played by Anne Reid and Derek Jacobi, find one another sixty years after adolescence. Their embryonic relationship never reached fruition in their youth. Six decades later, it suddenly blossomed, much to their total surprise and delight. What followed is a complicated story that draws us into the lives of their family and extended relationships. I found the series very rewarding and addictive as I looked forward to each episode.

I accidentally started recording Season 3 on PBS and immediately fell in love with this series. I'm not surprised it won so many BAFTAs and was enjoyed by people of all ages. It's so well acted and the srtoylines are so believable. The characters are flawed yet we sympathize with all of them. I immediately purchased Season 1 & 2

This is an outstanding and beautifully acted contemporary, middle class family drama. The character development is supurb. I felt I could relate to many of the characters and the delimas facing them in their everyday lives. The backdrop is Yorkshire with it's wild, fantastic scenery.

This show is so entertaining. The dialogue, the relationships, the love the older couple (who I adored) share after being apart for so many years were all so satisfying that I felt good after watching each episode. There is some drama to keep you on your toes, but everyone always comes together in the end to find a solution. The acting was superb.

Wonderful cast of characters funny together with oh so much drama. Never a dull moment with something new always popping up. Character development among the main players is steady and sure with plenty of twists and turns along the way.

It was super adorable for the first season, and you'll be charmed beyond your wildest dreams. Adore the first part because it truly is delightful, and I mean in a big way, and then get the heck out. Because after that, the writers apparently forget to take their Zoloft. After Grandma and Grandpa get married, ditch this train wreck unless you love bathing in British passive-aggressive exercises in self-pity and co-dependence, that is. It becomes a horn-rimmed, bejeweled crap stew in which everyone is now irritating. You find that having to stop yourself from shouting to your TV, "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE!?!" is a common occurrence. You'll want to punch everyone, particularly Grandma. Sweet mother of crap, that sounds awful I know, but if that woman had to live in my house, I'd be looking for a high place from which to jump.

Stellar cast including the almost incomparable Sarah Lancashire. Beautiful rugged setting that makes you yearn for the English countryside. Storylines become a little far fetched as the series goes on and it should have maybe been wrapped up in two seasons.

This show left me wanting more. As with several British series I have watched over the years, they always leave their viewers caring about their characters and wanting more.

Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid were splendid in their characters of Alan and Celia. The entire cast ensemble was fantastic.

There is a great talent with British screenwriters when it comes to character development. They present actors who look like real people, not the Hollywood stereotype of perfection. British actors have flawed complexions, bad haircuts, and imperfect teeth. In other words, they look like real people.

Their scripts tell a story without what Hollywood thinks is a need for car chases, explosions, gratuitous nudity. They tell a story that makes the viewer care about the characters and wonder what happens to them when the scene ends.

Americans are left at the mercy of the BBC, Acorn and other production entities that give us snippets of shows and then leave us dangling. Then there are actors who develop a cult following but then simply become tired of playing a certain character and move on to other roles. All I can do as an American viewer of British television shows is appreciate the talent of all those involved in the creative process.