Last Tango in Halifax is back!

Hasn't Anne Reid come a long way from electrocuting herself in Corrie?

So glad she won the award although I think I voted for Mrs. Brown!!

I must be in the minority as I do not think this series of Last Tango is as good as the first although the acting is still superb. I find the story lines rather too far fetched, the 8 month pregnant girlfriend came out of nowhere and the hospital scenes were unrealistic, and farcical. Both families seem to have major relationship problems entwining with each other, I find it all too much to take on board and unbelievable. Finally, I find Derek Jacobi slightly repugnant. Sorry, I am just a boring old f..t.

Sadly, I agree with you, caz. Last night's episode was ridiculous in parts - especially the sudden teenage pregnancy and birth. The gum chewing policeman (are they allowed to take bribes on duty?) turned the wedding scene into a farce before Gillian had a chance to throw her oar in. I'm actually starting to dislike Celia and Alan.

I know it's supposed to be a light hearted drama but it's in danger of going down the same route as Doc Martin.

I was really looking forward to this series but also found last night unrealistic to say the least. Have to agree with both if the above and really want to give Gillian a slap! Also found Celia quite unlike able last night. Fingers cross it improves. The acting is still brilliant but the writing is not. Have they changed the writers?

Merlot , Caz- agree - what a disappointment

I read in next week's Radio Times that it's introducing very dark elements. Not what I want from such a programme, we get enough of that elsewhere.I agree about the acting and story lines, a bit disappointing to say the least.
Did anyone see Anne Reid in "The Mother?"She's certainly versatile!

The acting is good - there is no doubt about that. But the dialogue, which is very clever and well-written, does not seem to me to be sufficiently character-specific. Yesterday we had a teenage girl in about spouting witty lines full of social comment - they were well-written lines, but appropriate to neither the character nor the situation.

And the idea that the bloke's DD would hi-jack their wedding in such a hysterical way just after he had had a heart attack was not credible.

It's also creeping towards being too "issue-based": homosexuality, lesbian parenthood, class, alcoholism, ageism etc.

I still like it though!

Prompted by the very favourable comments on GN, I watched this for the first time last night. Gripping and believable it was not. I would have said rather farcical and stereotypical. I presume the first series was better. Back to Breaking Bad I think

Yes, I have to agree with what most of you say about the last episode,
mainly well written and always well acted;however there were too many silly storylines going on at once, too many co-incidences, too much general hysteria.Not many convincing West Yorkshire accents either.I come from that area and can tell, although most people won't know the difference.Until this weeks episode I really liked it. More character and less caricature please.

It's always a problem when what was supposed to be a one-off series proves to be a bigger hit than the powers-that-be anticipated, because they commission a second one and the writer/s have to think of a plausible sequel.

Caroline is a manipulative b so and so, isn't she?

Wow, I'm surprised but pleased that people seem to agree, I thought perhaps it was just me and I was missing something somewhere.

Yes,Ana Caroline is all you say, but is SO brilliant at it! They are all good actors but she is my favourite. I wish it had been left at just one series which we would all have had fond memories of.

I watched last week's Tuesday episode last night (Saturday evening). I still love it, and my experience of families in crisis suggests there aren't too many 'issues' creeping in.
Concealed teen pregnancies are sadly more frequent than any of us would wish. I agree, Gillian's behaviour towards her father and his squeeze was stunningly bad. I didn't find it unbelievable, given that her character has been impulsive, bad tempered, self indulgent and vulnerable since episode one. Celia's character has also always been alternately likeable and fairly dreadful (as confirmed by her choice of newspaper, the daily fib). Caroline is a wonderfully manipulative individual, as we'd expect given her conflicted relationship with her mother, failing marriage and highly successful career. I'm just waiting for the governors to chuck her out for lusting after her girl friend on the sports field!
I also love the scenery - it's not dissimilar to where I live. I think both Celia and Caroline have perfect "posh" northern voices. It's great to have something to enjoy on tv, there seems to be so little that is worth putting my book down for

Are all people who read the Daily Mail 'fairly dreadful', then, Iam64*?
Let's hope no Gransnetters read it...

Ana - yes if they actually take it seriously

Anyway..............

Wonder why G/ners have such a down on the daily mail ??

We all know a lot of gransnetters read the Daily Mail even if they don't admit to buying it otherwise how would they know so much about it?

Actually, bluebell The DM's campaign to bring the killers of Stephen Lawrence to justice was taken extremely seriously by a lot of fairly dreadful people as well as their exposure of cruelty and neglect in care homes.

If only the Daily Fail would do more of that brave campaigning, and less of the sleb gossip and leary photos. That headline 'MURDERERS' was it's finest hour. Do more of that, DM, and you wouldn't have so many harsh critics.

You don't have to buy it!
I have a subscription to the Guardian / Observer in order to download it. Online, I skim the Mail, Telegraph, Inde and Ouest France most days and New Statesman, Huff Post and Private Eye some days.

Typical BBC stereotyping, though.

I like being able to surf all the papers online, especially from around the world, but back to the OP - love Last Tango, and Anne Reid is so skilful in playing an understated role. When drama is good, makes you wonder why they don't make more of it, instead of reality shows.

Good job the DM never indulges in stereotyping! And admirable as their Stephen Lawrence campaign was, it can't be used for ever to excuse their other reprehensible behaviour

Well, my parents and parents in law took the daily wail. When mums eye sight failed, I would read it to her. We both enjoyed a cup of tea, whilst I read the Mail out loud. I'd often comment 'this is classic daily mail mum', and we'd laugh. I confess that since retiring, I smurf the net in the morning, and read a number of papers on line, including the fail.
Absolutely, their Stephen Lawrence campaign was great journalism, and as others have said, pity they don't do more of that, and less of the nasty stuff.
There is something vicious about the way in which some of the Mail writers report issues. Peter Hitchen for example, what a very unpleasant view of the world he has.
As for stereotyping and the BBC, Bluebell you're so right, we wouldn't want the Wail to stereotype anyone would we, that's just a leftie type of thing to do obviously.

Ah, we are into the murky world of journalism now!

Well--back to the thread in progress (!)
Eventually caught up with Episode One of the second LTiH series, then whizzed through the second episode on iPlayer, before catching Episode three tonight.

Felt slightly zapped by the intensity of the story lines. Found them all interesting but was beginning to get 'issue overload' by the end, especially when Greg seemed to be getting in on Caroline and Kate's birthday weekend. I assume Greg is Kate's ex husband and the likely candidate to father the baby she wants to have with Caroline. As I haven't watched the last episode properly I await correction.
I do wonder if the writer has tongue in cheek as she works through all the post-it note issues that came up in a brainstorming meeting?
But I wish she hadn't decided to mish-mash them all into this series. The last five minutes of tonight's episode (the revelation of murder) pushed me just too far, I fear.
The quality of the acting is excellent, though.