It's hard for me to review People Just Do Nothing, as in many ways it is two shows. Episodes 1.1 to 4.1 are a solid run of quality, as the show grows in confidence, and the writing and performances become more and more sophisticated - the tapestry gradually expands and each episode builds on the last, making the series feel like an incredibly real world. Characters grow in meaningful ways, the show subverts expectations in intelligent ways, jokes are never overlaboured, scripts are densely written, the cast's chemistry is natural, the improvisation is fantastic, and there's a subtle but powerful political undercurrent. Series 2 and 3 are just superb - series 2 is probably the funniest and is when the show really comes into its own, but series 3 is a tour de force with fantastic arcs and character work. By the end of series 3 the show is firing on every cylinder - it's great to see a sitcom that's so ambitious and such a labour of love, and that takes its characters and their lives so seriously. My average ranking for episodes 1.1 to 4.1 is a stellar 8.8/10.
There's a sharp change in the tone of the show and the quality of the scripts just over halfway through the run, for reasons I'm unsure of. This final 11-episode run (from episode 4.2 to 5.6) isn't entirely bad - episodes 5.1-5.3 are a brief and welcome return to form - but by this point it was clear the show had lost steam and direction and the actors had begun to tire of the characters. Worse, the characters stopped growing and in some cases their development actually went backwards, reducing them to unlikable caricatures (where in earlier series, despite if not because of their flaws, they were all relatable and sympathetic). So it was sad to see a show I was incredibly passionate about jump the shark and peter out, especially when it could have chosen a brave and powerful ending given the way the cards were being stacked in series 3. Series 5 was also a missed opportunity for social commentary on gentrification and social engineering, a main driver of the plot but one that is barely explored.
Despite these misgivings, I believe the show deserves a 9/10 overall as it is and will remain a classic based on the strength of those first 3 series - there's nothing else like them. These characters will find a way into your heart.
There's a sharp change in the tone of the show and the quality of the scripts just over halfway through the run, for reasons I'm unsure of. This final 11-episode run (from episode 4.2 to 5.6) isn't entirely bad - episodes 5.1-5.3 are a brief and welcome return to form - but by this point it was clear the show had lost steam and direction and the actors had begun to tire of the characters. Worse, the characters stopped growing and in some cases their development actually went backwards, reducing them to unlikable caricatures (where in earlier series, despite if not because of their flaws, they were all relatable and sympathetic). So it was sad to see a show I was incredibly passionate about jump the shark and peter out, especially when it could have chosen a brave and powerful ending given the way the cards were being stacked in series 3. Series 5 was also a missed opportunity for social commentary on gentrification and social engineering, a main driver of the plot but one that is barely explored.
Despite these misgivings, I believe the show deserves a 9/10 overall as it is and will remain a classic based on the strength of those first 3 series - there's nothing else like them. These characters will find a way into your heart.