Wonderful character development!

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

I wasn't paying a whole lot of attention when this was aired in Australia, in the second half of 2005. Silly me, because, after a rather circuitous route, via this and "Casanova", leading to All Things Tennant, I have now watched the DVD of "Blackpool" many, many times and am absolutely smitten not only with David Tennant's portrayal of DI Peter Carlisle but with the style and plot of the entire series. What an innovative way to turn the over-used genre of TV crime-fic on its head! Yes, there is more than a nod in the direction of the genius, Dennis Potter, in the way musical numbers are interpolated into the screenplay, but even apart from this, "Blackpool" has such heart and soul that it surely is a delight for jaded TV viewers. I like that we have two male leads who are emotionally and ethically flawed; I like how the Woman is also morally compromised, not some unapproachable madonna figure. I like how the kids are decent enough in so many ways but have their own demons. And don't start me on the support characters! That poor woman and her perpetually upset stomach will haunt me for a long time! I found the sub plot involving the Holden daughter and her older lover tedious and, frankly, I fast-forwarded through many of their scenes, in my quest for more and still more Carlisle moments. But Danny, the Holden son, was a great character, full of paradoxes that were not all resolved, which makes for a nice change, in my opinion. All in all, this is one of my top most favourite TV series of all times. I adore it. I play my favourite scenes often. The leads are all splendid; most of the minor characters have an authentic credibility; the direction is sharp; and the script is wonderful. I love "Blackpool" unreservedly. Well, apart from the daughter and her bloke, both of whom I could easily dispense with. David Tennant is magnificent as Carlisle. He is such a thorough and clever interpreter of a character. Comparing him as Carlisle and as Casanova and as The Doctor, it is so clear that he is 'different' in mannerisms, style and persona in each role. Carlisle is slower or more weary in movement; he's a bit scruffy; he's been burned by life's experiences and it shows. Yet his keen intelligence also shows through, and his propensity for the subtle yet sarcastic comment, often at Ripley Holden's expense, is a delight. Holden's wife, and Carlisle's love-interest, is played by Sarah Parish. She is a skillful actor with a good range and I found her chemistry with both her on-screen husband and her lover to be excellent. She managed to convey the internal conflict of her character very affectingly, while losing none of her essential pragmatism and humour. The moral compromises that all the characters make are real and credible ones, given the plot, and there are no guarantees as to outcome. I liked that.Highly recommended.

Very,very good. Forget the Dennis Potter comparisons as this is very different. Hard to believe when people suddenly start singing and dancing, but "Blackpool" feels very real to me. Potter is art,this is entertainment. No-one in this show is perfect and that just makes it better (and certainly more surprising). Ripley Holden is a violent bully who treats his wife like dirt BUT he is incredibly funny. DI Carlisle starts off as the typical scruffy copper who will eventually get his man but he starts to compromise more and more. And Natalie is the perfect wife, mother and charity worker who has an affair. I love 'Blackpool' for it's music, humour, and its complex relationships. The only flaw seems to be that Danny is shown as a suicidal drug dealer who almost beats his future brother-in-law to death (with a brick!) and is the murderer BUT inherits the arcade and goes unpunished. But perhaps that is the point. Like father, like son.

This show was one of the best things i have EVER seen (and coming from me, thats saying something). The cast was an inspired choice, the script and dialogue was excellent and the songs were amazing! David Morrissey is an excellent choice to play Ripley Holden, he fits the role perfectly as the mysterious arcade owner who believes in luck - LOTS of luck. Before Blackpool, I was no fan of Sarah Parish, but her acting in this is great, she is believable as Ripleys wife/Carlisle's lover. Speaking of Carlisle, David Tennant MADE that role his own, playing it to perfection.All the cast are multi-talented because not only did they act IMPRESSIVELY, they actually sang the songs featured in the series, and performed their dance routines. This gives me a new-found respect for all the performers because it must be hard to do what they did on a daily basis.All in all, an excellent show. If you haven't seen it, WHY?!?

I have to admit that I've only seen the first half of this miniseries on BBC America, but I'm looking forward to finishing it. The musical numbers are a little cheesy at times and it's painfully evident that the cast are not professional singers and dancers. However, so far, the solution to the murder has not been obvious and the character development has been very good. In particular I liked Thomas Morrison who manages to show Danny's desperate need for his dad's approval without becoming a caricature, and David Tennant, who I thought looked like a complete dork in pictures for the latest "Doctor Who" series, but here manages to come across as so charming in his pursuit of Danny's married mom that I'm now hopelessly in love with him. This miniseries isn't perfect, but I'd applaud the BBC for taking a risk on a very nontraditional kind of program; I would take it over "CSI" any day.