The Mike Reid Show (1976–1978) User Reviews

Not bad. Not bad at all

[kodabar · 5/10 · 8 May 2021]

For the kind of show that it is, it's not a bad example. The comedy sketches can be a little clumsy in execution, but they're sometimes written very well. The music is good for what it is and Mike Reid is clearly more talented than people give him credit for. Not a bad show at all, even if it is a little forgettable. The trouble is that there were so many of these types of show at the time, so it doesn't particularly stand out.

Terrific? Definitely Not!

[Rabical-91 · 1/10 · 14 November 2022]

Mike Reid struck a chord as a comedian in the '70's after making regular appearances on 'The Comedians' for Granada Television. In 1976, the BBC poached him and gave him his own show entitled 'The Mike Reid Show', a mixture of stand-up, sketch comedy and musical acts. Frankly, it stank. The format didn't do him justice at all.

Whilst Reid was a very funny stand up comedian, he was not cut out to do sketch comedy as he lacked the right acting range for it, something that he seemed to acknowledge himself.

Although in his defence, the material he was hampered with did not help matters. Even the most talented comedian would have had a hard time making it work.

Thankfully, only one season was made. The same year this went out, Reid starred as Benny Briggs in LWT's 'Yus, My Dear', which was miles funnier by comparision. After which he stuck to stand-up shows and also later landed the long running role of Frank Butcher in 'Eastenders'.