Sharon Horgan

BBC3's amazing comedy Pulling tied up all its loose ends with an hour-long special. With a schedule littered with Two Pints of Lager and Freaky Eaters, the Sharon Horgan sitcom was one of the best things to come from BBC3 since its launch.

The great thing about Pulling is that its never afraid to push boundaries. It reminds me of the great early days of Shameless where you were never sure where it was going but the ride was always fun. Among the twists, this final episode featured a man jumping out of hot air balloon and ending up in a coma, a man tied to a chair with tampons stuffed in each ear, and Donna posing as an escort to get into a swanky London club.

I've loved Pulling since the start and had high hopes for this bittersweet finale. It lived up to them and I'll even admit screaming with laughter in places. I guess if It has to end there was no better way. I loved it but I can't help think what a shame it is that something so genuinely funny and relevant should be axed when we find it so difficult to produce decent comedies.

BBC3 execs are so desperate to stick to their demographic of young adults and I guess Pulling didn't fit perfectly into that brief but this was one of the best hours of television I've watched in a while. Even though the conclusion was left open, I'm grateful Sharon and Co were given the chance to give the series the end it deserved.

Video: Sharon Horgan talks to Tim Lovejoy

Sharon Horgan talks to Tim Lovejoy about the cancelling of Pulling. She explains that the BBC said to her that they weren't cancelling the show, but "continuing it in another form... by cancelling it."

Last night's Pulling was a special, hour-long episode to bring to an end a sitcom that, for two series, has been the anti-Friends: single men and women in their thirties who are not cuddly and chummy and cute, but washed-up and bitchy and sour as vinegar.

The episode was a rush of couplings and un-couplings. Donna (Sharon Horgan), the harpy at Pulling's shrivelled heart, rowed with her boyfriend, made a play for her ex, proposed to her boyfriend, went back to her ex... By the credits their fate still wasn't resolved. Well, Pulling was never likely to give us a happy ending.

The most crass lines were sometimes the weakest: "I'm a lot deeper than I thought," bragged Donna. Comedy pause. "Does this dress make my nipples stick out enough?" The best lines tended to be the lighter, sillier ones, such as when the drippy Greg (Tom Brooke) simpered, "What's your favourite kind of puppy? I like brown. They're more loyal."

It's a pity Pulling's gone. Supposedly the commissioners scrapped it because it looked out of place on BBC Three. Pulling was funny, smart and generally well-written. So yes, the commissioners were right.

Not a few people were puzzled that Pulling should have been shown the door while lesser comedies thrived, but BBC3 obviously felt bad enough about it to give Sharon Horgan's comedy a farewell special. It was funny and - for fans wishing to clutch at straws - ended with a scene that screamed To Be Continued.

TV Review: Pulling Special

The simple fact is that we've all lost one of the best comedy shows ever aired and that's a depressing thought. This final episode didn't exactly go out with a bang, but it did show BBC Three some much needed class. A great show that faded to black...

Pulling Special: Review

It's rather tragic that BBC3 get themselves an award-winning sitcom that feels ready to explode into the public consciousness, only to axe it amidst claims it doesn't fit their target demographic. Straight to the point: this was the funniest thing I've seen all year. Beautifully observed, brilliantly acted and deliciously coarse.

When some well-paid person at the BBC came up with the idea of pulling the BAFTA-nominated comedy Pulling, it was the worst decision since Leslie Ash signed up for a lip job. This priceless one-off, then, will be a (small) consolation prize for fans of the show, as we catch up with miserable Donna, dippy Louise and man-eating drunk Karen.

We don't like to knock the Beeb as an organisation. But seriously, you axe Pulling and keep up with Horne and Corden? There's got to be some serious IDIOTS there. This one-off final episode is BRILLIANT. It exudes quality from start to finish. It's well-written, well acted and sharp. WATCH IT. And write to Points of View.

A paean to Pulling

The BBC didn't appreciate that Pulling was the best comedy on TV - but the final episode on Sunday confirms its utter brilliance.

Shame on BBC3 for axing its best sitcom by far. The only consolation for Pulling's few but devoted fans is a one-hour special to wind up the chaotic stories of our three flatmates and their shoddy boyfriends. As we rejoin them, Donna (co-writer Sharon Horgan) is in an uneven relationship with a yuppie who pretends she's an escort, while Karen (Tanya Franks) is in an even worse set-up, baking pies for a selfish, classically male monster. It's so bad she's stopped wearing make-up. From there, a disastrous plot unfolds. Billy (Paul Kaye) reappears in all his raddled glory and sweet-talks Karen ("You, me, alcohol, narcotics - the old team?") while Karl's return from Italy rocks Donna. The mutual bafflement of the sexes is as richly hilarious as ever. Say goodbye to the blackest, filthiest unromantic comedy you could hope for.