dinnerladies

TV Series
1998–2000
TV-14
34m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Shobna Gulati, Duncan Preston, Julie Walters, and Victoria Wood in dinnerladies (1998)

Comedy about the workers in a factory canteen.Comedy about the workers in a factory canteen.Comedy about the workers in a factory canteen.

Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.8/10

2.9K

YOUR RATING

Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 4 BAFTA Awards
- 3 wins & 7 nominations total

Episodes16

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TopTop-rated2 seasons3 years

Trivia
Despite achieving huge popularity in the U.K., the show only ran for two seasons, from 1998 to 2000, as Victoria Wood did not want a third series. A second series was unexpected from the writer who said she doesn't like to do anything twice, but Wood felt like she should write a second series as the first had "felt like an experiment".

Quotes
Tony: Are you all right Bren? Did you get any?
Bren: What?
Tony: At the weekend! Did you get any?
Bren: Any sex? No I had to go to the laundrette. Did you, Tony?
Tony: Hollow flipping laughter.

Connections
Featured in Best of British: Victoria Wood (1998)

Soundtracks
Day by Day
Written by Victoria Wood
Arranged by David Firman
[series theme tune]

Dinnerladies is uniquely british and unsurprisingly does not travel well beyond these shores. There is little physical humour and the references are primarily based on UK culture and the north of England in particular. However, it is also the best example of its type I've ever seen. Victoria Wood's dialogue is fantastic, (Alan Bennett is the only other writer in her league in this regard). The staging is restricted (effectively one set, two rooms) the plots are secondary and contrived because they are of no real significance. It is all merely backdrop for the characters Ms Wood creates and the way they speak to, across and around each other.

A superb example of intelligent writing managing to survive in a world of slapstick