Bluestone 42 is back with a bang

It's an exciting start that combines the series greatest strengths- gallows humour and idiotic antics (a highlight in tonight's episode being an inappropriately-timed punching game) interspersed with genuinely impressive (for a sitcom budget) stunts and, of course, plenty of big booms.

Bluestone 42, series three, episode one, review

This sitcom has plenty of potential but is not given the comedy it deserves.

Laura Aikman joins cast of Bluestone 42

Laura Aikman (The Job Lot) is to star in Bluestone 42. Joining the team later in the run of Series 3, Laura plays new arrival Ellen Best, a high-threat-bomb disposal expert who couldn't be less like the rest of them if she tried.

Series 2 of Bluestone 42 was a triumph

Bluestone 42 continues its march towards being one of the funniest programmes on TV. Thank goodness that Series 2 is currently being trained to be deployed in the coming year. Don't miss it.

Radio Times review

Things get particularly hot and sweaty this week when long-suffering padre Mary attempts a spot of reverse psychology to ward off Nick's advances. Unfortunately, this only confuses matters when she struggles to contain her genuine feelings for the toffee-nosed berk.

Meanwhile, tension of a different kind erupts when short-fused Simon becomes obsessed with winning a competitive shoot 'em up computer game. "What a lovely way to unwind after some war," quips Nick.

It may not be the most original sitcom ever made, but Bluestone 42 is certainly educational: who knew that British troops stationed in Afghanistan all behave with the distinctive comic mannerisms of David Brent and Alan Partridge? You live and learn.

Radio Times review

When the patrol find themselves under attack while out in the field, they head forlornly back to camp minus one trusty bomb disposal robot. But this embarrassing incident only strengthens Nick's resolve to track down the Taliban bomber who's been targeting him.

Despite a comic sub-plot involving Mac and Rocket's frustrated efforts to win Simon's trust - plus a tired, dodgy gag about Afghan local delicacies - it's a darker episode than usual. As events take an unforeseen turn, Nick's quest is played relatively straight. An intriguing diversion.

Bluestone 42: New challenges in our second series

I'm the producer of Bluestone 42, a comedy set in Afghanistan, following a bomb disposal detachment. I was incredibly excited to get working on series two, having had such a brilliant time on the first series.

Forget Family Guy, save Bluestone 42 say BBC3 viewers

The homegrown bomb disposal comedy Bluestone 42 and zombie drama In The Flesh are the two shows viewers most want to avoid the axe in a poll of RadioTimes.com users.

The team have a rat problem that has to be sorted out with guns and ammo, but Towerblock - arguably unwisely - decides to keep one back as a pet. Medhurst thinks he's found a precious place of his own to get away from both the pressures of bomb disposal and his team's tedious arsing around, but finds Lieutenant Colonel Smith has beaten him to it. Meanwhile, Mac and Skip continue to bait each other mercilessly. Heavy use of swearing doesn't make a substantial substitute for decent gags, however.

Radio Times review

The team faces a formidable foe this week: they're locked and loaded to deal with the rats running around the base. Anyone with a fondness for the furry vermin will want to look away; it gets quite bloody. But it shows a previously unseen soft side to Rocket, who saves one of the rats as a pet.

Meanwhile, Nick is struggling to find somewhere quiet away from the squad to write up reports in peace. At times this feels like a meditation on the boredom of a war zone, until the enemy intrudes and there's some breathtakingly dark banter.