Landmark comedy season: Porridge gets an update

The depth of the night-time conversations between Old Fletch and Godber, in particular, to a great extent laid in what was not said. When Richard Beckinsale's Godber asks: 'Fletch, are you awake?' Barker - after a beat - replies 'No'. A whole world of pain existed within that silence, and this was missing.

Radio Times review

Jo Brand applies her mordant wit to the fraught world of child protection as she typecasts herself as "the fat, bad-tempered one", Rose, in an office of social workers. She and her fellow socials, Al (Alan Davies) and Nitin (Romesh Ranganathan), are a fairly disarrayed bunch, as likely to be arguing over who should answer the phones as taking kids into care - Rose herself is a harassed single mum, trying desperately to arrange childcare before she leaves for work in the morning.

It all plays disturbingly naturally, with excellent support from Kevin Eldon, Pulling's Rebekah Staton and Brand's Getting On co-star Ricky Grover. The dark humour fizzes along - with a delicious kick at the end.

Getting On (Wednesday, BBC Four), an understated comedy set in a drab NHS ward is luckily still going. It is telling that there is a Thick of It connection, with Peter Capaldi directing early episodes. It stars, and is written by, Jo Brand, Vicki Pepperdine and Joanna Scanlan (another stalwart from The Thick of It).

I love the washed-out almost monochrome palette, the wobbly camera work, the avoidance of a laughter track, the naturalistic dialogue.

In the latest episode earnest, politically correct former Matron turned Business Consultant Hilary Loftus (Ricky Grover) was on fine form making sure all electrical appliances were turned off as part of a new green initiative. If you have had any experience of the NHS you will appreciate that this is depressingly well observed.

A blend of truth and razor-sharp wit is the defining feature of Getting On, the wonderful mockumentary set in a geriatric ward. Written by Jo Brand, Joanna Scanlan and Vicki Pepperdine, the extended series three continues as Nurse Kim Wilde (Brand) tries to find a mentor for a training module and Dr Pippa Moore (Pepperdine) deals with the financial shenanigans of her husband. Kim, Pippa and Den (Scanlan) also battle with the latest rules on cost effectiveness implemented by the jargon-spouting Hilary Loftus (Ricky Grover).

There's indecipherable streamlining going on at St Jude's, as the staff get "cascade training" - laden with meaningless buzzwords - from Damaris on saving energy and the new colour-coded (but not quite colour-coded enough) bags for the unspeakable waste that exudes from the wards. It's just what Den needs now that hypochondriac patient Mrs Dethick is back, and her pregnancy is beginning to weigh heavy. Meanwhile, Hilary is pinballing about the ward turning lights off. As ever, Jo Brand, Ricky Grover and Joanna Scanlan are pitch-perfect.

The grimly gripping hospital comedy continues with Nurse Den and pals grappling with more management madness. This time, it's a green initiative and Hilary (Ricky Grover) is on the case to ensure the carbon footprint line is being toed: if you see something on, switch it off. Is that a life support machine?

Probably the best comedy drama currently on television, the third series of Getting On is still getting the laughs, although there's been quite a few changes.

For starters, the staff have been transferred to a new, brighter hospital. But this hasn't stopped Nurse Kim Wilde (Jo Brand), Sister Den Flixter (Joanna Scanlan) and Dr. Pippa Moore (Vicki Pepperdine) each - in their own way - trying to cope with their workload and each other. Their former matron, Hilary Loftus (Ricky Grover), has also now taken a consultancy role in the hospital, meaning he's just background noise - though he could have a say in who the hospital keeps as staff...

Most of the laughs come from the relationships between the three lead characters, helped along by solid acting and some cracking writing. Pippa had the best scenes in this opening episode, especially when chatting to some student doctors in the hope that they'd be interested in her latest medical project: an examination of "post-65 vulvas". Wonderfully funny, if slightly icky.

The drama is also coming off well, especially between Den and Hilary. This episode sees the staff going for medical check-ups, which sees Den discovering something shocking. I'll say no more.

Getting On's one of the best shows around, but as it is hidden away on BBC Four it's not given as big a profile as other shows. Maybe it might be time for a move to BBC Two?

Ricky Grover: Was gonna quit till Bob Monkhouse called

As career paths go, Ricky Grover's has been nothing short of winding.

Tonight's episode features scatological humour that some may find offensive, but the most shocking moments involve poor Beedy Fyvie, who has been trekking down from Scotland to snatch a few moments with her dying mum. Once again she falls foul of the ward's strict policy over visiting hours and is confronted by authoritarian matron Hilary, and is then subjected to mixed messages about her mother's condition, as Dr Moore prevaricates over the best course of action. The feeling of unease is piled on as a clearly overwrought Beedy is treated in an ever more dismissive manner. Elsewhere, Den decides to have some fun at Dr Moore's expense after finding an incriminating letter, and Hilary's confusion deepens after he and Den go out to a gay club together - Ricky Grover's sensitive portrayal of Hilary's inner turmoil brings a touching vulnerability to the hard-nosed bureaucrat.