Clocking On

We've been watching Clocking Off, series one on DVD. I watched it first time around and it's as good today as it's always been, as they say. What's really apparent though, is how much it's been copied. Just about every BBC drama since has been in this format. You know, the big cast are all here, but let's focus on someone different each week.

The actors are really top notch: Christopher Eccleston, Sarah Lancashire (whatever happened to her?), Lesley Sharp (possibly my favourite TV actress), Philip Glenister, John Simm, Jason Merrells, Wil Johnson and Jack Deam are all fantastic.

Most of these are still at the top of the TV tree. Others might be Sue Johnston, Ricky Tomlinson, Amanda Redman, James Bolam, Alun Armstrong, Jim Broadbent, Robson Green, Mark Benton, Robson Green, Mark Strong, Lorraine Ashbourne, Trevor Eve, Emilia Fox and Alison Steadman (though The Dinner Party was awful, really awful), the people producers might go to first. I'm a fan of most of them to differing degrees. I think Lorraine Ashbourne is a marvel. Yes, yes, you've got your Riggs and your Nighys and your Denches, but they don't do much TV so are on another plane entirely.

Sadly, after this series the thing got a bit diluted and the stories more ridiculous. Also they moved in second and third tier people, like Lindsey Coulson (never as good as she promised to be), Nicola Stephenson, Diane Parish. Though Siobhan Finneran is great and probably TV's most underused actress. Joan Kempson also shines. Where is she now?

We're also watching Playing The Field, done when Kay Mellor was good. A host of stars of today - Debra Stephenson, James Nesbitt, Lesley Sharp, Ricky Tomlinson, Brigit Forsyth, James Ellis, Elizabeth Spriggs, Marsha Thomason, Melanie Hill, Chris Walker, Ralph Ineson, Nicholas Gleaves - you name it, basically. I missed this first time around. Not Clocking Offish particularly, but it does give one couple more screen time than others each week.

It all went downhill when they brought in someone I consider to be one of TV's worst and most over-used actresses: Gaynor Faye. Does she actually get any work that's not in a Kay Mellor drama? The Chase was ruined by her. She just can't act, pure and simple. And Nicola Stephenson was rubbish in it too.

Of course, a lot of these are soapy people. I have a lot of time for soap actors, as it's hard work, and if you're good, it shows. Sadly, once they move on they often disappoint, which fuels the 'all soaps and soap actors are shit - end of story' brigade.

Recent examples are Suranne Jones, Joe Absalom, Martin Kemp and Jessie Wallace. All good in their soap roles, and have shown the odd spark of talent in other stuff since, but they're never really going to be as big or as popular as they were.

They should remember. We love Grant Mitchell. We don't love Ross Kemp.