Not Going Out (2006– ) User Reviews

Series 1-7 were very good; series 8 is dreadful

[DavidYZ · 7/10 · 17 April 2017]

For the first seven series, this was a very funny sitcom about a landlady and her lodger - as well as several other characters. These strong characters and their interactions brought a lot of laughs.

For the most recent series, the makers inexplicably moved the characters several years on and have changed the theme of the show to being yet another lame sitcom about a dysfunctional family. They've given the two main characters three very annoying children. The show is also made worse by no longer including Tim and Daisy.

I'm giving this 8 out of 10 for s1-7 and 1 out of 10 for s8.

Very Very Funny!

[esmecrowfoot · 9/10 · 21 October 2006]

I didn't expect much from this programme when it first aired and it was only on as I hadn't turned over from the previous programme. Now I'm glad I didn't! Not often is there a programme on that makes me literally laugh out loud - normally I'm just a smile-on-my-face kind of girl, but this was so so funny I couldn't help it! The jokes come thick and fast as one liners, with very clever word play which I think is reminiscent of the Two Ronnies. It sometimes borders on the very rude, but doesn't go too far into this territory as to spoil it.

The sexual tension between the landlady and her best friend/flatmate adds an extra dimension to the show, which is keeping me guessing as to how it will turn out: will she go with Lee or return to her ex-boyfriend (and Lee's best friend) Tim?

Not sure how this would play overseas as a lot of the jokes are very British and some centred around Lee's northern roots. But my congratulations to the writers and cast for a programme thats very funny and very original.

Not Going Out - Friday night comedy is back!

[enigmawarrior · 9/10 · 31 October 2006]

On the first showing, I thought, 'well, that could have been better'. The second episode came on and I decided to give it another try. I laughed myself silly. This proves that comedy on Friday nights is finally making a comeback. Only into the fourth episode and I'm looking forward to the next episode. Lee Mack is brilliant and his timing is perfect. Tim Vine comes out with some great one liners. As for Megan Dodds, wow. Not only is she gorgeous, she can act. She may be just the reason I returned for a second helping and I'm glad I did. There maybe a few cheap laughs here and there, but they just warm you up for the smattering of funny gags, slapstick falls and superb lines. Worth staying in for. I just hope we see a second series and a DVD box-set.

Unashamedly stupid and fantastically funny!

[holly1979 · 10/10 · 6 November 2006]

When I saw the write-up for 'Not Going Out', I was dubious - Friday evening on BBC1 isn't usually fertile ground for good comedy. I actually watched it almost by accident, but it turned out to be a happy accident, because 'Not Going Out' is an underrated gem.

Lee Mack ("always cheeky, never blue") is perfect and strangely charming as unambitious slacker, Lee, and Tim 'The Joke Machine-Gun' Vine is also excellent as his accountant best friend. Their friendship is really well-observed, even if they do spend much of the time trading in jokes and insults. Up against a pair of stand-up comedians, Megan Dodds has a tough job, but more than holds her own playing Lee's landlady (and Tim's ex-girlfriend) Kate. Dodds and Mack have a natural chemistry, and make you believe quite easily that an ultra-healthy Californian publisher could fall for an unemployed northern dosser. (It's interesting that comedian Catherine Tate was in the original pilot as Kate - somehow, I can't imagine it working so well without Megan Dodds. She and Mack play off each other so well.)

At times 'Not Going Out' seems like it's a framework for a bunch of stand-up jokes (and Mack does recycle some one-liners from his BBC radio show), but as the series goes on the story lines are getting better and the characters more engaging. It has genuine laugh-out-loud moments that stay with you for the next few days, and it's just refreshing to watch a comedy that doesn't mind being daft and isn't attempting to be political or subversive.

'Not Going Out' deserves a second series, because I know that Lee Mack and Andrew Collins have a lot more gags left in the tank - and I think the fall-out arising from a Lee/Kate romance could be pretty explosive, not to mention amusing!

Finally, a BBC comedy with some laughs in it!

[bs3dc · 15 December 2006]

"Not Going Out" has a very simple set-up. Kate, a successful American lives with her friend Lee, a hopeless, almost unemployable layabout Northerner. Also on the scene is her ex-boyfriend Tim, a Southerner who cheated on her with a younger woman. Cynically the inclusion of an American sounds like a way of introducing it to the overseas market, but it works quite well as a large amount of the humour comes from the chalk and cheese relationship of the characters, especially between Lee and Kate. Most of the laughs come from fast-paced joke telling, no surprise to anyone who has seen Tim Vine on stage as he holds the Guiness World Record for the most jokes told in an hour. All the leads are very good at the delivery, with Megan Dodds managing to keep up well with the two stand-up comedians.

The first episode was pretty poor, but was just good enough for me to take a look at the second. I am extremely glad I did since the series improved continually from then on.

While being far from perfect, "Not Going Out" is rare these days for being an original comedy and one with some good laughs in it. With the schedules being clogged with sitcoms that stopped being funny a number of series ago (My Family, My Hero) and ones that were should never have got a second series (The Green Green Grass) and even those so-called comedies that were first aired on BBC3 because they are complete garbage (Tittybangbang) this stood out from the crowd.

I hope this gets another series as it is truly one of the very few new comedies in 2006 that I think deserves another chance. More work needs to be done on the story lines as there is often not enough narrative in each episode to carry it through without seeming forced, but there is the potential here for a really great comedy.

Series 1-5 10/10 after that not so much

[Benson0274 · 10/10 · 27 May 2019]

Series 1-5 is gold but after Tim vine left it just wasn't the same

Very Funny

[Voetsek · 10/10 · 7 October 2006]

Few and far between in the last decade; a British comedy that is funny. Lee Mack on top form, Tim Vine, less frenetic compared to his stand up but excellent nonetheless and Megan Dodds playing the role of the straight man(woman) perfectly. Anyone who has seen or heard Lee Mack will know that when he plays restrained in this he could be about to explode with even funnier lines. Ditto for Tim Vine but in terms of the speed of delivery of his jokes. Any complaints about the US style scene links - nice shots of London by day and night - are just carping. If you don't like this then go to the other end of the spectrum and watch My Family. Robert Lindsay and all those responsible for that turd of a "sitcom" should watch Not Going Out, realise that My Family is a crime against humanity and kill themselves. Lee Mack for PM!

Definitely "not going out" when this is on the box

[stephenclayton · 10/10 · 23 October 2006]

A refreshing comedy full of wit and one liners that could only be delivered by Lee Mack and Tim Vine (both ex-the sketch show).

A Californian (Kate) - landlady to Lee and ex-girlfriend of Tim who makes veggie food nobody likes, a Northerner (Lee) - part-time, odd jobbing, always joking, non rent paying lodger, and a Southerner (Tim)- good job, Kates ex-boyfriend, mate of Lee, combine their talents to make an excellent comedy with loads of potential.

3 episodes so far and it just keeps getting funnier, although there appears to be a love interest developing between Kate and Lee it can only add to the laughter (provided it remains unrequited).

Friday nights will not be the same without it.

An absolute gem amongst todays mediocre Sit-Com's.

Hope there will be more than 1 series (only 6 episodes! What a crime).

Unrecognizable from first series.

[cmtaylor-10993 · 6/10 · 4 June 2021]

I was introduced to Not Going Out several years ago during series 5 and absolutely loved the clever one liners between Lee Mack's character and Tim Vine. Some of the situations they found themselves in were hilarious.

These days the show is barely recognizable and it's interesting to reflect on the evolution of the show from the first series through to the recent 11th series.

Lee Mack is the only actor to have appeared in every episode. Back in series one he was living with his best mate Tim's ex girlfriend Kate, played by Megan Dodds. The concept of the show was basically the dynamic of Tim trying to get back with Kate, whilst Lee was also there trying to seek approval. The real strength of the show was Lee and Tim were effectively playing extensions of themselves and were able to deliver some great one liners similar to their respective stand up comedy careers.

At the beginning of series 2 we find out that Kate has left and that Tim's sister Lucy becomes Lee's new flatmate/land lady. This effectively sets the tone for the next 6 series where Lee tries to impress and get with Lucy. We are also introduced to Tim's ditsy girlfriend Daisy and the cleaner Barbara played by Miranda Richardson.

Lee and Tim would still provide the majority of laughs, finding themselves in some ridiculous situations much to the annoyance of Lucy.

After series 3 Barbara is never mentioned again and over the course of the next few series Tim and Lucy's parents become reoccurring characters as does Bobby Ball as Lee's dad. The introduction of these characters added a new interesting dynamic to the show which can still be seen through to at least series 11, after which Bobby Ball sadly passed away.

At the end of Series 5 Tim Vine left the show with his character working abroad. Daisy was weirdly left behind. Series 6 had it's moments but the void left by Tim Vine was massive.

Series 7 introduced Toby played by the fantastic Hugh Dennis and his wife Anna, who lived in the same apartment building as Lee and Lucy. This series had some really strong episodes including the great one where Lee and Daisy appear on Pointless. The series ended on high note with Lee and Lucy finally getting together. This was a great episode which celebrated many of the best moments from the series. Tim Vine also briefly returned for this.

This would have been a great way for the series to end but surprisingly it came back for a new Christmas Special filmed for the first time without a studio audience, where the main cast were trapped in a department store. This episode effectively bridged the gap between the old format of the show and the newer format where Lee and Lucy have a family of their own. This was also the last time Daisy appeared and was mentioned.

From series 8 onwards, the show timeline had fast forwarded by a few years and Lee and Lucy have 3 children. Their parents are still part of the show as are Toby and Anna. The style of humor completely changed at this point, with the dialogue no longer as sharp and witty as in the past. Tim and Daisy are never mentioned, which is bizarre considering that Lucy is Tim's sister and Lee's best friend. Tim's parents also regularly appear.

There are a few highlights in the new look Not Going Out, such as the 'escape room episode and the Live Christmas Special.

When the show is good it is unbeatable but more there's more dud episodes than good. It will be interesting to see what is in store for the next 2 series that have already been commissioned.

Gem of a comedy (more than a sitcom) but time to end off.

[joereporterrsa · 8/10 · 17 November 2018]

Yes, it's 2018 and I've just discovered this show. Thanks to technology and binge watching it didn't take years to realize that the show is getting lost without the excellent supporting actors/actresses. I still think that Lee Mack does/did a sterling job. Not sure if there'll be a season 10 in 2019 but wouldn't be sad if there wasn't. The show seemed to fall flat with the departure of Tim and Barbara. The show still has it laughs but I feel the early episodes were laugh a minute and Lee & Tim were really good foils for each other. Tim was always so serious but always looked like he was ready to burst into laughter. I don't want to drop stars because it seemed to weaken, most shows do. I'm not from Great Britain but my mom and her family are so I've been exposed to British humour from birth and absolutely love it.

Why would Lee want Lucy?

[foffster · 6/10 · 30 June 2012]

As a Norwegian, I can really appreciate much of the humor coming form the UK. The best of it is unmatchable, with smarts, characters you believe in and very very funny, I would say. Not Going Out is not that kind of series, with its dumb approach and rather flat two leading roles.

I started out watching this be accident earlier this year and kind of enjoyed myself watching the first season, as Lee Mack and the American had some connection there, even though it's always weird hearing one American accent among just English. Lee Mack is not a great actor, but it did his thing all right, and you kind of felt there was something going on between them.

Then the American quit and they brought in the cleaning lady (why would she be there all the time cleaning, are all English that rich? Don't think so). And Lucy. Lucy is younger, and some would say prettier, but she is one boring person, I have to say. Or rather, she may have some naughty comments, but she is always in a bad mood, always with a frown upon her face. That's OK, maybe, but why would Lee be nuts about someone like this - even with his "northern" ways of thinking of himself? I find the character just unbearable and I think I watched through the 4th season just for the hell of it. It would be nice to see a broader register there.

By the way: Lee's best friend Tim and the stupid girlfriend is the best characters and the best actors, no doubt about it.

All in all, Not Going Out is pretty flat and dumb and with stereotypes I find quite surprising (even from my nationality), but it does have its moments and I guess that's why it's watchable, and not horrible.

I give my own review 4 out of 10. I will try harder next time.

Comedy drought over!

[amjpedersen · 10/10 · 17 October 2006]

Having seen Lee Mack live earlier this year, i had been looking forward to seeing Not Going Out for quite some time. I've found Friday nights to be a little dry on decent comedy for quite a while now and hoped Lee would bring a little ray of sunshine to my favourite night of the week. I'm thrilled to say I wasn't disappointed and Not Going Out delivered the goods like a 10 ton truck! The leads were all great in their roles delivering funny performances with plenty of laughs. Lee, you've done a grand job and I hope that the BBC have the good sense to recommission you for a second series! Folks, don't fear the TV come Friday night, decent comedy has returned! I look forward to buying your live DVD next month.

Not going out - I'm staying in to watch Lee Mack instead

[hooleydavid · 7/10 · 12 October 2018]

I have to admit that I think it's time they call it a day making this title, the first 8 or 9 series were absolutely top class and I could watch them on repeat without ever getting bored. However, since moving out of their flat, the Lee and Lucy storyline seems to have reached a natural end. The episodes are still funny, but not at the standard that they used to be. To protect its legacy, perhaps it's time they stopped making Not Going Out.

As I said, for 8 or 9 series this was amazing, not an episode went by when I wasn't in bits at the jokes - very clever comedy, done in a clean fashion and generally very family friendly too, which is a rarity these days!

One of my top 5 British comedies ever.

Long Time since this was funny

[prylands-389-567480 · 4/10 · 23 April 2022]

Ah - this used to be genuinely funny and very clever - but alas, no longer.

The best of this series was when it featured Tim Vine (S1-5). Since then it has become tired, hackneyed, predictable and rather tedious.

There was a time when the episode scenario was at least faintly believable but then this moved into a new era where it did not matter what was happening so long as there was time for the usual jokes with their canned laughter accompaniment.

We could just about live with the dim character played by Katy Wix but after she left it became increasingly unfunny. The main characters were given children who seem to appear once in a blue moon and the series is frequently populated by morons who do not question the imbecility of what is happening.

Loved this once - now it has become embarrassing. Such a shame.

A witty sitcom! Most refreshing!

[martin-1345 · 8/10 · 14 October 2006]

The following remarks applied to the episode that went out on 13th October. I'm sorry to say the next week's episode was less funny, and just to confirm the trend, last night's episode hardly coaxed a smile out of me! Either I'm rapidly losing my sense of humour or the format and jokes have slipped into a rut in record-breaking time. A shame - we need something out-of-the-ordinary on a Friday - or any night, for that matter!

For the record, here's what I said after the first episode: Witty, quick-fire, funny! I liked it - good twists in the plot, nicely set up contrasts and conflicts between the main characters: Brits v Yanks, northern v southern, sloppy slacker v diligent plodder, male v female. The characters are likable and intelligent, but troubled, (like most of us), and they're a great relief from the witless slobs mostly featured in new sitcoms 'next door' at BBC 3. The scene with the shrink was superb. With a bit of luck this show will make it up there with 'The Office' and 'Men Behaving Badly'! I'd include 'The Mighty Boosh', except that that fine show will probably never appeal to prime time audiences. i understand the next episode features an Australian - yippee, more opportunities for 'incorrect' racism! North/South, Male v Female, Yank and Aussie seem to be the only areas where 'we' can get back at 'them' (and vice versa of course), without the stifling hand of correctness coming down! Let's hope it stays that way.

Can still be funny

[hicster-29076 · 8/10 · 30 January 2021]

I realize they had to update the show with kids, but the show is at its best with the adults. or maybe its the writers. bring back Daisy :)

Where have the kids gone?

[jjparish · 10/10 · 23 January 2021]

LOL dont get me wrong. I dont miss them in the slightest. The not going out kids were truly, truly awful actors and i hope whoever casted them is currently out of work and on the dole. But they have disppeared from the current series and there is no explanation why. Are they that toxic now that they cant even be mentioned?

excellent show!!!

[pinkISH · 10/10 · 10 October 2006]

In the last few years, very few comedy shows have caught my attention. If I have to name any, I would say Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. This is up there with those classics! It has an American air to it, combined with British cinematography. The jokes are great and they combine noir-ish British humor with the American style. The show has a lot of potential and I think it'll catch on overseas, as well. Other British shows that I enjoy (Ideal, Respectable) might disappoint American viewers because of the raw British humor, but Not Going Out really hits that laughing spot!

It's a great show, just started and I hope to see it go on for years.

Funny and fast moving

[jacko07 · 7/10 · 10 February 2011]

I have always liked Tim Vine doing stand up, he doesn't give you the chance not to laugh with the jokes coming so fast. Reminiscent of Tommy Cooper, Tim is a very funny guy and a good comic actor. Same with Lee Mack, he is one of our best stand up comics with a face made for comedy. These two are the show's main characters, a crude working class northerner and a posh middle class southerner, it is an unlikely but great combination. Wait a minute, the show could be called 'The Unlikely Lads' in tribute to another great sitcom...sorry..only joking.

Lee and Tim are great at smoothly bouncing off each other in Not Going Out, it is really funny. The show is easy to watch and although there are a loads of gags and one liners but they are well timed, well written and performed. In my view it is what keeps the show moving along smoothly without the boring bits common to so many sitcoms.

The show is made better by both Sally Bretton and Katy Wix. I also think the whole cast of this show past and present have been excellent. This comedy gets better with each series and in my view should win a few awards along the way.

A comedy corker, Mack and co truly keep coming up with the goods.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 14 January 2016]

Not going out is proof that British sitcoms can still be funny. There was a definite (and still is) baron period in Britcoms, Not going out proved a welcome show to our screens. Series one feels a little at odds to the rest of the show, Series one focused mainly on the cultural differences between Lee and Kate. Enter Lucy in Series two and the whole dynamic of the show changed. I love the entire cast, I am missing Tim Vine very much, but I just love Katy Wix, her scatty character is just too funny. I'm a huge fan of Lee Mack, I genuinely get and love his brand of humour.

For me the highlights have been episodes 'Camping' and 'The House,' a Christmas special from a few years back. Both are genuinely among the funniest things I have ever seen.

Brilliantly written, beautifully performed 'Not going out' is a definite winner. Let's hope another series returns soon.

Brilliant Comedy

[Gong5 · 31 December 2011]

I m so glad this series continues on the bbc! It's so often that you discover a series and then you find out it's been canceled. TV is a strange medium that not always rewards the better efforts.

This series is great, it's such a refreshing mix of absurdist, anarchic, warm hearted and fun comedy. Nowadays script writers who lack in talent aim in mean-ness or crass humour, and this is amply evident. Not here!

Also the writing keeps getting more refined and the actors work very well against each other as the show progresses.

There's tons of talent in the writers and actors of course. Great work everyone. Not to be missed this show.

Not what it used to be.

[logantrowley · 7/10 · 13 January 2021]

Fell off a bit with the departure of Tim Vine. Fell off more with the introduction of Lee and Lucy's children. While I enjoy Hugh Dennis as Toby, there isn't much going on with the recent seasons. For anyone who enjoys Lee Mack on WILTY, I would highly recommend the first 5 or 6 seasons, as they have a pretty similar sense of humor. Every episode of the show is available on the BBC iPlayer, so it's certainly worth checking out.

Utter brilliance, as unique and entertaining as sitcoms get!!!

[tjleaton · 8/10 · 2 September 2008]

I have to agree profusely with some comments that have been made on this title. Watching the two series I have been compelled by the nature of the comedy-which I have accertained as a compromise between stand-up comedy and a sitcom. Rather than to shroud the characters true feelings, as has been done before, all characters speak their mind. This brings the result of a comedic 'battle' between them in which their unresolved disputes and generic arguments are turned to light-hearted funny quirks in the viewers perspective, as the drama unfolds for all those involved-namely for the unfortunate Lee, who seems to be at the tail-end of most decisions and seems to have most bad-luck.

Conclusively, I believe that the more unnatural stance on this genre is very effective for a wide audience, and makes a welcome change from your standard sitcom. Moreover, I believe that an entertaining show such as this does not need to develop further. As has happened in many American comedy shows, characters and plots have been killed off by over-running; but a good show should end whilst it is still laughed at and enjoyed by its viewers, as to bring it into a reputable class of British comedy.

Canned Laughter

[timcremorne · 6/10 · 2 April 2022]

Can the Producers of Not Going Out please turn down or off the canned laughter, it is way too loud and ruins every joke. I have stopped watching the show purely due to the canned laughter. It has gotten worse in later series and ruins what is a very funny and excellant show.

Was fun - now past its use-by date

[bosporan · 5/10 · 26 March 2022]

Initially this was enjoyable - now it grates with American style canned laughter, wooden delivery and risible puerile humour. Should be put out of its misery.