The Royle Family: The Queen Of Sheba

Well if Anthony is attending conferences in Milton Keynes the he isn't likely to be hanging around with the likes of Darren any more.

Brilliant episode all round. Maybe we'll be back for Twiggy and Cheryl's wedding? If the scene about Nana's Christmas wish isn't the most moving scene on television for a very long time then I'll be amazed.

10/10.

Stunning episode, very funny and so very sad at the same time.

I was blubbing away at the end! *parp*

Fantastic!

I really admire this show and it has to have been the best true to life sitcom this country has ever produced. It really tugs at the heart strings. Caroline and Craig are just brilliant.

The scene where Barb was doing Norma's hair made me well up - especially the funeral wish.

I loved the way Jim got money out of Anthony -

"well see, we've just gotta pay the leccy bill, heating ya know"
"Oh Dad, how much this time?"
"Oh only £20 will do son....no make that 25..oh give us the 50!"

The way Norma suddenly appears behind Jim's shoulder! Liz Smith deserves an award!

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Not only a great show but visually stunning for this special episode! The only thing that annoyed me was the cuts between each scene, it became a bit repetitive having the same music between each scene.

For me that was masterpiece television. It completely summed up everything the Royle Family was about over the last however many years. Fabulously written and superb acting. As funny and heartwarming as it ever was.

True, it was clear Norma was going to pass away at the end. But it can be like that in real life. The scene near the end where Norma looks down her hospital bed and smiles when she sees everyone she loves is with her brings a tear to my eye even now. It's heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.

The fact that the characterisations are so realistic, and so true to people I've known makes it all the more sad and yet as happy as it can be.

Wonderful. But it did put the mockers on Torchwood a bit, straight after it.

It got 7.8m viewers.

I was fully expecting it not to be as good as the original series, but I couldn't have been more wrong. It was funny, sad, and just incredibly touching. The best bit of telly I've seen in ages. Brilliant.

Incidentally, I noticed the actor who played Little David had the surname Cash. Can anyone confirm if this was Craig Cash's son? They certainly looked alike.

I wondered that to, does Cheryl have any children. He's too old to be Anthony's son. He was play Craig Cash's eldest son Billy.

didn't know Twiggy had a son

I wouldn't say it was a masterpiece. I wouldn't even say it was the best ever episode of 'The Royale Family', but there is no denying it was a beautiful piece of television and was by far the TV highlight of the year. As many others have said Liz Smith's performance was award worthy. Now for the gripes. Ricky Thomlinson's performance at times was way OTT, infact I was even beginning to find him annoying. The pace of the show felt a bit rushed and disjointed. The new Anthony for instance needed a bit more explanation - how did he manage to make a success of himself? what happened with Emma? (they were engaged last time we saw them). The here & now pop culture references felt a bit forced and sloppy IMO. "Noel Edmonds...I'd like to put him in a box" within the first minute wasn't the best of starts, but luckily they got them all out rather quickly. And finally- the laminated flooring scene was so obviously a hark back to the wallpaper striping scene. "that was funny let's do it again", but it wasn't funny this time.

They're only minor gripes though, it was a fabulous hour of TV and I'd love to see another special.

After watching the Deleted Scenes on the DVD it turns out Callum is in fact Twiggy's son. It was mentioned back in the first series that Twiggy had another son called Lee that he was allowed to see every now and again.

typical that, deleting a scene which explans who somebody is.

apparently the Royales live at No.52.

Why does that image remind me of that National Lottery advert?