Well, we say final episode but as anyone who has been following this brilliant series by Stefan Golaszewski will probably know by now there is going to be a second series. A good decision from the BBC, flying the flag for a quality comedy that may not be laugh a minute but has bags of nuance and excellent performances from its ensemble cast.

It’s New Year’s Eve and if you were expecting Cathy (Lesley Manville) and Michael (Peter Mullan) to close the year and the series by getting romantically involved think again. This is another half an hour where they tiptoe around their feelings for each other like a couple of nervous teenagers. In fact Michael has to spend a chunk of this episode avoiding Kelly’s raucous mum Carol who fancies getting her talons into him.

Meanwhile Kelly (Lisa McGrillis) is pondering her future with boyfriend Jason. If he goes to Australia can she bear to up sticks and go with him? I do wonder if she actually knows where Australia is given that she seems to think that Cathy was born some time in the 1800s. Kelly might be a dipstick but she ends the first series on a sympathetic note. Let’s hope she doesn’t go to Oz and sticks around for series two.

Elsewhere the rest of the family and friends see in the new year by being variously as awkward, obnoxious and embarrassing as ever. Insufferable snob Pauline, for instance, is hovering over her mobile fruitlessly waiting for news of people at another party asking after her, while grandmother Maureen reveals her desire to have sex with a black man or failing that a Jew… 

Roll on series two and awards all round for series one. And for God’s sake can Cathy and Michael please get a room.

Review of Episode 1 here.

Review of Episode 2 here.

Review of Episode 3 here.

Review of Episode 4 here.

Review of Episode 5 here.

Catch up here.