By Robert Haile

The Disney+ series brings the grim realities of life for the working classes into focus as we rejoin the cast of The Full Monty.

After 25 years life in Sheffield has not got much better for Gaz (Robert Carlyle), Dave (Mark Addy), Lomper (Steve Huison), Horse (Paul Barber), Gerald (Tom Wilkinson), Guy (Hugo Speer) and Nathan (Wim Snape).

The Working Men’s Club is shut and modern life is constantly throwing problems in the way.

If you are looking for light relief this is not the series for you.

Written by Simon Beaufoy and Alice Nutter the series has the components of a great hard hitting series but seems under developed with plots unexplored and no central event like The Full Monty to pull it all together.

Each of the 8 episodes throws some new issue at the gang as it deals with, or not, the problems in modern Britain with the NHS, benefits, mental health, refugees and political correctness all being tackled some more than others.

The core of the characters from the film are still there and recognisable with new faces joining the cast.

Gaz as always is just trying his best now living in a caravan and working as a hospital porter after a second marriage and child, Destiny (Talitha Wing) a young Gaz but massively talented in music.

Dave is still the loveable softie working as a school caretaker and friend to all in need such as school child Twiglett (Aiden Cook).

Dave’s wife Jean (Lesley Sharp) has gone from ‘Co-Op floor to head teacher’ but there is something off about her relationship with Dave.

Lomper is just a bit safe, now married to Dennis (Paul Clayton) and together run the Big Baps cafe.

The pair are involved in the most absurd plot in the series involving pigeons and a Korean billionaire.

Gerald is still the boss or likes to think he is, even though he is rarely seen throughout the series.

Horse is as quick witted as ever but has slowed down and is one of the main storylines later in the series.

Guy had made the best of his life becoming a business owner who seems to be a bit shady but the character disappears in the series.

This is due to Hugo Speer being axed from the show.

There is not a lot of cheer in this series and one of the best laughs comes in the most heartbreaking episode as politics seems to take over with little balance being made.

One of the new characters middle class Conservative Darren (Miles Jupp) has to navigate unemployment in later life and in one episode in the series the undercurrent of racism in Britain.

It feels set for a second season but hopefully it is given the time it needs to breath if it does come back.

My Rating: 7/10