I would love to see more shows like this one! I don't want to say much about the characters and what this series is about. The story focuses on a little cafè at the sea somewhere near Bristol. Not much happens and that is what I like about it - it is simple. The characters are likable and you want to know what will happen to them. The little seaside town is idyllic, the plot can be summarized quickly, uneventful but not in a negative way, not boring. This is nice and easy entertainment. After having gotten used to / bored with US TV shows that use a lot of profanity, sex scenes and violence to attract viewers, I really enjoyed how ordinary and simple this show is and at the same time amusing. It proves that you don't need a lot of action to entertain an audience - a story about the customers and owners of a cafè and their little problems / love interests can be enough. I'm really looking forward to the next episodes and I hope that I will be able to hear them say "Laters!" (do people really say that?) for at least another season.
24 Reviews
Not Bad at all....
info-224-60991727 November 2011
Having read the present reviews beforehand I must admit that I had mixed feelings when I started to watch the show. I think the viewer will be pleasantly entertained instead. I've watched the characters unfold in the first two episodes and could appreciate the 'underbelly' humour that is continuously present in the lines and performances of the well-cast actresses and actors. This is not meant as hilarious entertainment; rather, it is the subtle dynamics of close acting that does the trick. The environment is set up very nicely. This is not a decor. Not at all, this is almost a reality show in its set up. So, let's see how this series develops in time.
Wonderful stuff!
aedarrowby3 August 2021
Love The Cafe
joanie-200722 December 2011
Appreciating The Cafe requires the watcher to slow to the pace of an English Seaside, what a delightful escape. The characters are gentle no hacked off limbs, no tawdry affairs. I love the subtle development of each character, no the jokes are not always belly laughs but then that's what makes it real - bad jokes bind the characters just as they do in real life. There is the same conspiratorial feel to that shared knowledge and that creates a bond. There is also an unspoken acceptance of each person's quirky behaviour that shows us, the viewer, that these people care about each other and that it's a privilege for us to be sharing it. I thought the series charming and absolutely addictive. I only hope more people 'get it' so that we can have series 2 - otherwise l will be left watching this series over and over - and l will !
sweet comedy
richard-steenhuis16 December 2011
I may disqualify myself by having been brought up in an English seaside town, but The Cafe is one of the two shows on TV at the moment I would be mortified if I had missed, (the other is the Norwegian crime series The Killing on BBC 4) If you do need special qualifications to appreciate The Cafe, then I am very glad I have them. The story is driven by the characters, the characters are true to nature, the dialogue is authentic, the comedy understated. The production has all the right values. At last we are having some authentic new comedy on TV. Thanks to Sky for standing up and putting their weight behind a project that must have been way out on a limb.
Excellent Programing
cmorgan-829-99399427 October 2013
Perhaps it is that US programming spends its dollars chasing the spending powers of 20 to 35 year-olds that we miss the excellence of actors over a certain age. These young writers understand that older actors have impact. The program explores the subtleties of everyday life, examining character rather than product placement. The young writers are wise beyond their age. Having been raised in a small town, where everyone knew everyone's business, i can relate to the "smallneaa" of the milieu. It may be my age, 58, which draws me into the program, but my own child finds the program compelling without being able to articulate the reason, other than it makes him smile. I cannot think of a better recommendation.
Gentle
rossfrc16 October 2021
This is a great show to watch after spending 18+ months dealing with COVID and the stress it has created. I love the gentleness of the story and the characters. I love the sweet nature of the people, how considerate they are to each other and what makes this show work so well is because all of these people are quirky. Normally there might be one or two characters who could be called quirky, but in this show all the characters are quirky, it's just some have a higher degree of it. The real beauty is that they know it and they all accept each other for who they are. They live their everyday lives being kind.
So even though it is a television show it helps me to believe that the world is just going through a tough time right now but one day soon I will be sitting in a seaside cafe, drinking a cup of tea and laughing with a group of gentle, quirky people who care, a lot, about each other.
So even though it is a television show it helps me to believe that the world is just going through a tough time right now but one day soon I will be sitting in a seaside cafe, drinking a cup of tea and laughing with a group of gentle, quirky people who care, a lot, about each other.
Gentle, smirksome & engaging
muchechops23 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Derivative & predictable would be cruel words to apply this recognisable, yet involving & engaging comedy/drama. It may not be ground-breaking, but it has the potential to be heart-breaking, with its intertwined threads of unrequited-love & unspoken desires...
It features one of my favourite seaside towns, some of my favourite actors, one of my favourite places to have worked, and some of my favourite observations of life & family.
& the new-series double-bill is a good way to introduce such a gentle yet involved array of characters and sub-plots.
give it a go & give it time to infect your mirthsome-glands, and hopefully it'll repay diligence and dedication.
It features one of my favourite seaside towns, some of my favourite actors, one of my favourite places to have worked, and some of my favourite observations of life & family.
& the new-series double-bill is a good way to introduce such a gentle yet involved array of characters and sub-plots.
give it a go & give it time to infect your mirthsome-glands, and hopefully it'll repay diligence and dedication.
Love It
docliv28 June 2014
When 2 of my old favorites were removed from OETA's Sunday night lineup, I was so discouraged...they were like old friends. But, wow, I am crazy about the quiet, sweet, everyday and everyman comedy of The Cafe and One Foot in the Grave. I was hooked the first time I saw these shows and have them recorded every week so there is no way I can miss seeing them. The characters quickly become people you know and care about and feel at home with. I have always been a BBC fan but had gotten stuck in a routine of the same shows over and over without branching out! Now I can watch new shows on the TV as well as search for others on Crackle or Netflix. Thanks BBC for providing intelligent and warm comedy.
Above Average
coles_notes6 February 2023
Written and starring Ralf Little and Michelle Terry as Richard and Sarah respectively, The Cafe follows a quaint sea-side cafe in Weston-super-Mare ran for generations by a small family. Reminding me much of Corner Gas, the show follows the mundanity of nothing, mostly a means of multiple meet cutes and jokes so bad they're good. There is a lot of jokes, although most are surprisingly subtle, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge even shows up as local hair stylist and good friend, which was a treat and originally a reason to try the show. Only two short seasons before its cancellation, if you're looking for something very lighthearted and easy to watch to flip on, I would recommend, it was a pretty good time.
No CGI effects, just acting
patricia-haertlein11 February 2022
The more episodes I watched, the more I enjoyed this series in a quaint seaside resort. There were an unbelievable number of quirky characters wandering around, but the real local characters shone through. It's not for everyone, but if you're the type that likes to sit back and people watch, this is for you. Simply lovely.
Far from good...
nikkijb-hants25 November 2011
The trailers for this new show looked very promising. But in retrospect it was a brief pastiche of scenery/quip/scenery without offering any substance. Unfortunately that's what the full half hour of this "comedy" is anyway. I am none the wiser as to who any of the characters are and more ominously, I don't really care. There was a series of repetitive private jokes between various characters that remained private because the audience was either not let in on them or the jokes were too poor anyway. During the entire duration of this so called comedy, I didn't laugh once. I tried, seduced by the beauty of the pretty little rotund seaside café. But an aesthetically pleasing setting doesn't make a programme watchable, as is the case here. Quite a sad waste of talent, really. I gave the show 2 out of 10 because it wasn't the absolute pits. But it was far from good. Sorry.
Stop Press: For the sake of balance, I have to say that I now know that quite a few people I know who enjoy the show. They must be mad.
Stop Press: For the sake of balance, I have to say that I now know that quite a few people I know who enjoy the show. They must be mad.
A real delight
Ttiehen29 May 2021
A gentle, understated, very human comedy
Walter_Probinsky28 January 2022
The series reminds me of the humor in the 1983 Bill Forsyth movie "Local Hero", which was also about charming, quirky locals in a small coastal town, (though "The Cafe" takes place in Weston-super-Mare and not Scotland.)
The best way to describe the humor is that it's very kind and human. The dialogue is filled with the comic mundanities and repetitions of everyday human communication, emphasizing them to the point of being funny. When genuinely quirky people or odd things happen, the characters don't react as though they're strange, because quirkiness and oddness are also part of the mundanity and repetition of their lives. Conflicts do happen in the stories, but they are small ones. And the smallness is the point.
If you're looking for slapstick or histrionics or hamfisted American humor based on ejaculate and flatus, this is not your cup of tea. But for those who like subtlety, dryness and humanity in humor, this is a great show.
The best way to describe the humor is that it's very kind and human. The dialogue is filled with the comic mundanities and repetitions of everyday human communication, emphasizing them to the point of being funny. When genuinely quirky people or odd things happen, the characters don't react as though they're strange, because quirkiness and oddness are also part of the mundanity and repetition of their lives. Conflicts do happen in the stories, but they are small ones. And the smallness is the point.
If you're looking for slapstick or histrionics or hamfisted American humor based on ejaculate and flatus, this is not your cup of tea. But for those who like subtlety, dryness and humanity in humor, this is a great show.
Rather brilliant
ffbroadwell20 July 2021
We love The Cafe! Each season is essentially a well crafted movie sliced into little short episodes. The setting, characters and dialogue are completely charming and the camera work and editing are precise and smart. Our family loved the overall effect. The run up to the finale in season two was really fun and very sweet. Bravo to the writers, director and cast. As far as comedies go, we also recommend The Detectorists (OMG), Toon, W1A and Ted Lasso, all of which are also brilliant in their own odd ways.
Enjoyable program
biffgrimes-1902324 June 2021
For you American readers of a certain age this show kinda reminded me of the old Andy Griffith Show. Like Andy Griffith it begins with a catchy tune , a soft rendition of Somewhere Beyond The Sea sung beautifully by a female British singer in a folksy ballad style. It's a perfect theme song for this program. The Cafe is billed as a comedy. If you are expecting typical off the wall raucous British humor you have come to the wrong place. Instead the jokes are a bit corny. The kind that would appeal mainly to older folk but that's OK. The show is set in a seaside British town called Weston Super Mare. The jokes ,the dialogue, and laid back characters all fit in this environment. The title Cafe is struggling to attract customers. The cafe is run by a middle aged woman named Carol. Her daughter and Mum frequent the cafe most of the day shooting the breeze with one another. Where this comedy differs from most modern day comedies is the comedy here is gentle, not the mean spirited smart ass urban dwellers that most comedies are based on today. There are oddball characters that visit The Cafe, a loopy hairdresser that loves to say "OMG", a gay guy that wears weird costumes on the beach for tips and a homeless bloke that sits outside the cafe selling newspapers homeless folks sells. He begs for food from the proprietor of the restaurant and she reminds him that he gets it at the end of the day. None of these characters are over the top and you grow to like them. I know others may find it annoying but I love how everyone says laters constantly to each other when they depart. I have adopted it myself. One thing about the show that I love is how kind and nice everyone is to one another. You watch it hoping the cafe is a success and that the daughter finally gets her book published. The seaside location looks lovely too.
Paint by numbers 'comedy'
sublimineyes2 November 2019
I only made it part way though one episode of this. Hadn't laughed or smile donce so tried another episode. Same. Why a 2, rather than a 1? Well, if you want to switch off and zone out you can with this.
The main problem is it is just so formulaic. 1) Choose sweeping intro shot where visual elements move and interact. 2) Cut to main stage where characters are glaringly cued in, lines/ideas boringly simple and can be seen coming from miles away. Yet the characters simply don't really interact, emotionally. The camerwork doesn't help and the actors are decent enough that a lot of the blame must lie with the direction. Maybe even ore than the script. 3) For me, give up.
Feels like a visual Paint By Numbers.
The main problem is it is just so formulaic. 1) Choose sweeping intro shot where visual elements move and interact. 2) Cut to main stage where characters are glaringly cued in, lines/ideas boringly simple and can be seen coming from miles away. Yet the characters simply don't really interact, emotionally. The camerwork doesn't help and the actors are decent enough that a lot of the blame must lie with the direction. Maybe even ore than the script. 3) For me, give up.
Feels like a visual Paint By Numbers.
Low key dialogue driven sunny feel
alcw6225 January 2024
Found this gem from 2011...featuring the 2nd Doctor and bunch of actors before they were or well past when they were...still damn they can act!
Storyline is simple. Just the life of a 3 generational family seaside cafe and the locals that stop in for tea, coffee , latte (with straw please). Lost 30 somethings trying to figure out life and love . Lost 60s something trying to figure out life and love. It's life time friends and relationships.
It's a listening show With great dialogue. You'll walk away with a smile after Watching this show.
Short episodes and only 13 episodes over two seasons
Classic tea and a biscuit fare.
Storyline is simple. Just the life of a 3 generational family seaside cafe and the locals that stop in for tea, coffee , latte (with straw please). Lost 30 somethings trying to figure out life and love . Lost 60s something trying to figure out life and love. It's life time friends and relationships.
It's a listening show With great dialogue. You'll walk away with a smile after Watching this show.
Short episodes and only 13 episodes over two seasons
Classic tea and a biscuit fare.
Not much going on in Weston
jchap10224 December 2014
I really tried to enjoy this series on several occasions on my local PBS station, but nothing happens in it. I kept waiting for something to happen but it never did. I guess we're supposed to be waiting for Sarah to get married or have a real job but neither seems to be on the horizon. Some of the characters are funny in a quirky sort of way but the show seems to be comprised of inane dialog punctuated by some of the cast saying "laters." Sarah and her mother are interesting in the way they play off each other but Sarah seems to be closer to her "gran," who is too young to play Sarah's mother. The setting is rather claustrophobic in that small building but I suppose that's to give it more intimacy. The song "Beyond the Sea," which appears to be the show's theme, is terribly rendered, but there may be a reason for that, at least I hope so.
Consistently Strange and Not So Wonderful
reggie-at-random9 January 2016
This series is just weird. Its pace is glacial, the odd but still bland characters wander in and out, and disconnected scenes do not a plot make. I tried to watch this several times but with what seemed just to be silly unfunny people with little depth to their characters and an incomprehensible story line, I invariably lost interest only to wander off myself and do dishes or finish some project while waiting for the news at ten. The Cafe is more eccentric than funny. If the nothing-happens-in-seaside-towns principle is the premise then I guess it's more a documentary. Thankfully, after two series, Sky has closed it down and now Cyril's has been flat-packed to a nearby park to provide a hospitality re-training centre for local youth: a MUCH better use of The Cafe.
We liked the first three episodes
davefoc-118 January 2022
We liked the first three episodes and we were surprised that it was cancelled after only two seasons. Then it became a slog. We had read that the second season was better so we kept going. Then the second season was worse in our opinion but we kept going with a lot of skipping past repetitive and slow parts to get to the end. Then we get to the end but there is no end. I got here because it was so strange to have a two part episode where part one and part two are the same. Not sure if this is a Britbox screwup or it just happened like that when the series was cancelled suddenly. For me sublimineyes got it exactly right.
Was charming at first.
pweller-8325027 June 2021
This was a beautiful idea but as always BBC shows are ruined by needlessly adding offensive humor. For instance, who'd want a grandma who talked trashy. I sure wouldn't! Not endearing at all. And the show just got worse and worse, showcasing their loose morals. Good grief. Another disappointment. Sigh. I give it 2 stars for the look of it, a small cafe by the ocean. But I had to quit early on.
It Had Potential
koehlerk-9754030 January 2024
There's a lot of good wordplay in the beginning that we enjoyed. The localized look at the everyday lives surrounding this little cafe was a nice break from the pace and sensationalized drama of most shows.
Then we got to the back half of season two. The tolerable morals became intolerable, and the plot became painful to endure.
This one had a lot of potential but lost its charm the longer it went. It has hints of some of the charm from the beginning, but in the end, just feels lost. Or perhaps it was hiding at the beginning and as we got to know who everyone really was, we realized we never would have spent the time with them in the first place.
Then we got to the back half of season two. The tolerable morals became intolerable, and the plot became painful to endure.
This one had a lot of potential but lost its charm the longer it went. It has hints of some of the charm from the beginning, but in the end, just feels lost. Or perhaps it was hiding at the beginning and as we got to know who everyone really was, we realized we never would have spent the time with them in the first place.
See also
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