The Great Outdoors: Series 1 (2010)

Tucked away on BBC4 for a short spell of 3 episodes, The Great Outdoors was a fun comedy series starring the marvellous Mark Heap and Ruth Jones, with it’s USP being that each episode was set on a ramble across the English countryside – all of the characters being part of the rambling group run by Heap. Jones played a newcomer, bringing her own ways of doing things from her previous group in Barnstaple.

The Great Outdoors naturally looked wonderful, being set entirely in the titular outdoors, and it provided some amusing interactions. Group leader Bob was a variant on Heap’s great frustrated perfectionist that plays so well (see Spaced), and his embarrassed daughter Hazel tried to fend off the attractions of classmate Victor, who meanwhile was pursued by candle-shop owner Sophie (played by Katherine Parkinson, who was Tom’s daughter in The Old Guys). Sophie’s jobless leech of a husband, Joe, was passive aggressive and didn’t care for the walks, he just went along as the only selfless act he knows to help Sophie’s stress levels. The final cast member, other than Ruth Jones’ nerdy Christine, is Tom, a simpleton who lives in Bob’s car. He’s the only character who I didn’t really like, as he was portrayed in broader strokes than the others.

Like Getting On, The Great Outdoors was over too quickly, and I think that there is great potential for future episodes. As it is, the 3 episodes make a nice self-contained package, with relationships that develop as they go on, and with a colourful cast of characters I wouldn’t want to go on a walk with, but with whom I wouldn’t mind spending some more time.