Mr Lee Ingleby is excellent in this rose - tinted view of England oop north between the wars. "Our Zoo" is full of comforting familiar faces all doing their comforting familiar schtick from a comforting familiar script - and therein is both its strength and its weakness. It's like lying in a bath of warm treacle and about as demanding. All it needs is a bit of "From the New World" and we'll all dream of when we could have a night at the flicks,a fish and chip supper and a bus home and still have change from five bob. There is an extra bonus for camel - lovers and a cute monkey,but - Mr Ingleby apart - not a believable character. As institutions,zoos are becoming harder and harder to justify,but 70 years ago they were places to amaze rather than horrify. There is a sense of that wonder just about detectable in this series,but little else to set it apart from "The village" or "The mill" except it doesn't take itself so seriously - thank heavens. Competent family entertainment with added animals while we wait for "Wild at heart" to start its re - runs.
Review of Our Zoo
