Morecambe and Wise: the Lost Tapes; Dutton Ranch; Outlander

“In this pre-[Eddie] Braben episode, Eric and Ernie are playing to the studio audience, whereas later, Eric would make his trademark grin and wiggle his glasses at the camera. The duo’s music hall roots are also evident in an extended introductory sketch where Eric gives Ernie detailed (and inevitably misleading) directions for driving to his home in Harpenden. It may be nearly eight minutes long, but their comedic patter doesn’t drag for a second. And crucially, the episode is funny despite missing the colour and glitz of those more polished 70s series. Rather more underpowered (but interesting from a cultural history point of view) are the musical guests. Whereas the likes of Elton John, Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones and (of course) André Previn would appear in the later series, here we had The Paper Dolls – a long-forgotten British female trio in miniskirts and Twiggy-style baby-doll false eyelashes. Trio Athenée were meanwhile a cheery, equally long-forgotten guitar-playing Greek threesome who sang in French, like a Fast Show pastiche of Eurovision.”
Gerard Gilbert, The i

“It is not a classic, not unless you want to see Morecambe and Wise topless (you don’t) or are a diehard Trio Athénée completist (you’re not). The opening sketch, however, does serve notice of what Morecambe and Wise would become once Braben yoked their reciprocal magic to his material. It’s a very Two Ronnies-style waffle platter in which Morecambe gives the worst directions ever to Wise on how to get to Harpenden, only to reveal at the end that the party he is inviting him to is not even in Harpenden. It is entirely reliant on the duo’s timing and interaction and silliness and wordplay, and watching it you see how Morecambe and Wise have defined the TV-presenting double-act in ways that, for example, have led to Ant and Dec’s all-conquering light-ent shtick. Most of all, though, you wonder what Morecambe and Wise (and Braben) would have done with an episode about lost episodes of classic shows. Now that would have been really funny.”
Benji Wilson, Telegraph

“It’s not a taxing watch, mind. Rip’s lines include zingers such as, “Sweetheart, you can’t chase peace, you gotta live it.” And early on he punches the lights out of baddie Rob-Will (Jai Courtney) for calling his ranch hand Azul (JR Villarreal) a “wetback”. “I don’t like racist assholes,” Rip lets rip, and while no one will dispute his sentiments, you don’t need a philosophy degree to untangle this world’s moral fabric.”
Ben Dowell, The Times

“Twelve years have passed since the adaptation of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books gave us the time-travel bonkbuster we didn’t know we needed. You can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief for its stars, Caitríona Balfe and Sam Heughan, whose chemistry has sizzled admirably across eight long seasons (it took 17 months to film the first one after Covid). As it limps towards its finale this week, the end is long overdue – but it is a bittersweet farewell to a wonderfully ludicrous show.”
Hollie Richardson, The Guardian