The early years

I missed this series when it was televised but as a fan of Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights I thought I'd give it a go. Each episode is filmed in the same style as Phoenix Nights (spoof documentary) and follows the lives of ordinary people. The main difference is that nearly all of them deal with a completely different scenario. Another difference is the voiceover by Andrew Sachs which adds a dimension of realism. Kay plays many parts and some of the characters can be seen fully fledged in Phoenix Nights. I think this series will inevitably be compared to The Office but personally I thought That Peter Kay Thing was more intelligent relying on wit, humour and keen observation rather than cringe factor. Easily as funny as any of his other work, That Peter Kay Thing has a slightly different feel. Its grittier than Phoenix Nights, for instance the character Leonard could even bring a lump to the throat at times. The subtleties of Kay's observations and sensitivity with which he writes and plays the characters are delicious to watch. Very funny and very clever.