Ah, the joy; the return of Robert Popper's always very funny sitcom about a Jewish family's ever-thwarted efforts to settle down for a customary Friday-night meal. Tonight, Mark Heap excels himself as oddball neighbour Jim, who has somehow managed to secure himself a date. He saddles the Goodmans with his enigmatic dog Wilson, about whose dietary habits we learn a little. All this eats into the quality time the parents, if not their sons, had hoped to spend in their new hot tub.

A very welcome new series for this reliably funny sitcom. As we return to the Goodman residence, the family have a new hot tub and Mark Heap's oddball neighbour Jim has a date - which really does prove that there's someone for everyone.

In praise of​ Big Train

A tribute to the underrated 90s sketch-comedy gem.

In praise of Benidorm, the UK's most under-rated sitcom

It's a funny old game, comedy. Steve Pemberton's critical accolades for The League of Gentleman, and BBC2's late night cult hit, Inside No 9, are legion. But you'll be hard pressed to read glowing reviews of his eight years starring in the ITV comedy Benidorm. In fact you'll be hard pressed to read anything glowing from sniffy critics about the hit sitcom, despite its millions of viewers, longevity and viewer-voted National Television Awards. In fact, one critic went so far as to describe the viewing public a "disgrace" for voting for it.

Penned by Hebburn writer Jason Cook, Griff Rhys Jones plays mercenary murder mystery writer David Van Der Clane, who's helming a budget coach tour of super-fans to the locations from his novels, ending up at Blackpool Tower. Except soon they're getting bumped off. There's a fine cast including Johnny Vegas, Sian Gibson and Una Stubbs, but even Kevin Eldon and Mark Heap find it hard to wring out any laughs. Whodunnit? Who cares?

I don't think I've ever seen a more impressive cast lined up for a TV comedy than the one Gold has assembled for its special one-off original commission Murder on the Blackpool Express. So I ought to namecheck them, oughtn't I?

There's Johnny Vegas, Sian Gibson (best known for Peter Kay's Car Share), Nigel Havers, Una Stubbs, Griff Rhys Jones, Nina Wadia, Sheila Reid, Kevin Eldon, Mark Heap, Kimberley Nixon, Katy Cavanagh, Matthew Cottle, Susie Blake and Javone Prince. There you have them: some of the best comedic talent from the past half a century or so - and a lot for the scriptwriters and directors to live up to.

Where do you go with that lot? Well, Blackpool, obviously, on a "literary coach tour" with Vegas driving and Gibson as the guide, but also a journey of detective investigation to discover exactly which of the assembled odd bods did for pensioner Marjorie, murdered by means of a dodgy cob with coronation chicken filling. There's one clue for you. Remember: Means, Motive, Opportunity. Enjoy.

Review: Murder on the Blackpool Express, Gold

The Christmas spirit has already started this year. Not just with the John Lewis adverts but with this comedy.

Weirdest musical moments in British comedy

A selection of some of the strangest songs and musical moments in British comedy.