Eric & Ernie

Morecambe and Wise remain to this day one of the best double acts of all time and this great drama from the BBC shows us their early years. We all know what happened when they achieved fame so it is nice that this drama focuses on the other side of the coin.

The casting in this is great. All the actors playing Morecambe and Wise not only look the part but capture the voice and characteristics of the two men and in some places you start to think you're watching the real men.

Victoria Wood is also great as Sadie, Eric's mother and her story arc is at the centre of this piece that is beautifully captured by director Johnny Campbell.

My only grumble is that much like every other media piece surrounding the comedians this drama is centred more on Eric than Ernie but otherwise this is a great drama.

I'm of that generation that religiously waited for and watched Morecambe and Wise's usually superb BBC TV specials in the mid 70's when they were at their peak (although nowhere near enough credit is given to their writer Eddie Braben) and so was very interested to watch this dramatisation of their formative years.

It has to be said that their old employer does them proud with a well written, produced and acted TV movie. In truth I could find little to fault in it, my only complaints being perhaps the limited dynamic arc in the story itself and a little too much screen-time for the inspiration behind the project, Victoria Walters. That's not to say she's not good in the part of Eric's pushy, typical show-biz mother, but she takes too much focus away from our heroes, to the, as I say, slight detriment of the piece.

The other main casting credits work very well, with Jim (Vic Reeves) Moir a revelation as Eric's docile dad and the young actors playing Eric and Ern as spot on as they could be with look, voice and mannerisms. They have that essential ingredient for any double-act, chemistry. The script includes some decent gags, but enough of what really matters here, drama, to make it entertaining.

The duo's well-known personae are developed naturally and enough signposts are inserted to their future routines and catch-phrases to please admirers of their later work. As I indicated, this wasn't the most essential show-biz bio-pic I've ever watched but it was amongst the more entertaining of them.

What did I think of it (so far)? Definitely not "Rubbish!"

Seldom has a comedy act been so revered, fondly remembered, or generated so much warmth and affection as Morecambe and Wise. The cherished memories kept alive by repeats, documentaries and tributes, which have served only to enhance their reputation. By the early '70's celebrities were queuing to be on their show, aspiring to star in one of the plays what Ernie wrote, or in the case of Andre Previn, reveal a previously unseen comedic talent in one of their many memorable sketches. Furthermore, The Morecambe and Wise Christmas Show became an integral part of the festive season.

It's a daunting challenge, capturing the essence and flavour of such iconic artists, especially when shedding light on a period prior to their peak. In this delightful, heartwarming production, the transition from childhood to young adult is seamless, rather than episodic.

Little Ern appears to have been born on a stage, while the more reticent Eric was more preoccupied with his airgun and being the class clown, as Mother, Sadie drove him relentlessly towards a life in entertainment. The key moments in their journey are all portrayed superbly, but Daniel Rigby and Bryan Dick are across the board magnificent, in voice, appearance and mannerism, as the duo in young adulthood.

Victoria Wood and Jim Moir impress as Eric's unflagging Mother and his equally easy going father, plus, there are some wonderful vignettes of immediate post war life; faltering Christmas tree lights, Sadie, opening the doors of a large, imposing cabinet to reveal.....a tiny television screen (shortly before the BBC start showing an interest in the pair). Oh, the picture wouldn't be complete without the sight of a Stanier Black 5 arriving at the platform!

Billed as a drama, there are a number of touching moments, but as one can imagine from the very nature of the subject matter, outbursts of laughter are never far away.

I absolutely loved Eric and Ernie, for me it was one of the best programmes over the festive season. Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise are an unforgettable comedy duo and never fail to make me laugh or cheer me up. Eric and Ernie is a funny and affectionate tribute, and is close to perfection. The only reason why it isn't quite is that I agree it was a little too short. That said, visually Eric and Ernie is lovingly crafted and accurate, while the music is beautiful. The script is in my view superb, Peter Bowker(who also penned the script for the unforgettable Occupation) has a real talent for writing dialogue, the story is beautifully structured and never less than immensely engaging and the chemistry between Eric and Ernie was a joy as well as their antics and routines. The drama is also wonderfully directed, and there is never a dull moment. The acting hits the nail right on the head, Daniel Rigby and Bryan Dick are both brilliant and the supporting cast with Vic Reeves, Victoria Wood and Reece Sheersmith are stellar. Overall, Eric and Ernie was brilliant, you can tell a lot of work and care went into this, and I am just amazed it turned out so well. 9.5/10 Bethany Cox

Daniel Rigby and Bryan Dick portrayed Eric and Ernie to perfection. It must have been an incredibly daunting task to do Morecambe and Wise's material and make it work. And make it work they did. Daniel Rigby had Eric down to a tee and Bryan Dick was equally as good as Ernie. Jim Moir played Eric's dad in an understated way and Victoria Wood was her usual reliable self as Eric's mum. The writer of the this piece did a fantastic job, capturing the times and the rhythms - he made it all hang together perfectly. If this does not win some kind of award this year there will be no justice. I had waited to see this eagerly but with trepidation as I would have thought it impossible to pull off, but pull it off is what they did, with aplomb.