“On any journey jokes will only take you so far.” Read on for the verdict on last night’s TV

THE TRIP, BBC1

“Coogan and Brydon are better at playing themselves [than Simon Amstell in Grandma’s House] but whether it’s any more amusing is a moot point. It’s well-observed, if doing an impression of yourself counts as observation but..you’d soon get sick of all the jockeying and the banter. On any journey jokes will only take you so far.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“A shameless example of television feeding off itself, and sporadically very funny indeed.”
Brian Viner, The Independent

“[It’s] exactly what Seinfeld pretended to be (but wasn’t), a comedy about nothing. The problem, I was going to write, is that they give nothing really valuable of themselves…but the real problem is that…The Trip is as lazy as that joke Observer commission. It’s fit for the net, not prime time.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“I’m not entirely sure whether they’re being themselves or engaging in some kind of self-parody. It’s a bit wanky and self-indulgent to be honest.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

THE LITTLE HOUSE, ITV1

“One of the oddities of television drama these days is how affluent its inhabitants are… A top-notch cast, decent script and clever, moody direction make The Little House highly watchable.”
Brian Viner, The Independent

“I knew pretty much exactly where [it] was heading…Yet it still managed to be creepy.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“It’s so silly it should have been show on Hallowe’en.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

EXTREME FISHING WITH ROBSON GREENE, C5

“This reviewer is absolutely hooked, pardon the pun, on this series and that’s all down to the main man…[he’s] delightfully, disarmingly uncool about the whole enterprise.”
Matt Baylis, Daily Express

“[Green] lacks no passion when it comes to his passion…he looks so blissful.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

TWITCHERS: A VERY BRITISH OBSESSION, BBC4

“A jaw-dropping documentary that revealed that the image of the genteel old duffer with binoculars couldn’t be further from the truth; they’re terrifying.”
Brian Viner, The Independent

MOVING ON, BBC1

“Jimmy McGovern is behind this series, and it shows. After a disappointing run last year [its] return demands a five star welcome for having the guts to disturb our afternoons.” 
Andrew Billen, The Times

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