For you American readers of a certain age this show kinda reminded me of the old Andy Griffith Show. Like Andy Griffith it begins with a catchy tune , a soft rendition of Somewhere Beyond The Sea sung beautifully by a female British singer in a folksy ballad style. It's a perfect theme song for this program. The Cafe is billed as a comedy. If you are expecting typical off the wall raucous British humor you have come to the wrong place. Instead the jokes are a bit corny. The kind that would appeal mainly to older folk but that's OK. The show is set in a seaside British town called Weston Super Mare. The jokes ,the dialogue, and laid back characters all fit in this environment. The title Cafe is struggling to attract customers. The cafe is run by a middle aged woman named Carol. Her daughter and Mum frequent the cafe most of the day shooting the breeze with one another. Where this comedy differs from most modern day comedies is the comedy here is gentle, not the mean spirited smart ass urban dwellers that most comedies are based on today. There are oddball characters that visit The Cafe, a loopy hairdresser that loves to say "OMG", a gay guy that wears weird costumes on the beach for tips and a homeless bloke that sits outside the cafe selling newspapers homeless folks sells. He begs for food from the proprietor of the restaurant and she reminds him that he gets it at the end of the day. None of these characters are over the top and you grow to like them. I know others may find it annoying but I love how everyone says laters constantly to each other when they depart. I have adopted it myself. One thing about the show that I love is how kind and nice everyone is to one another. You watch it hoping the cafe is a success and that the daughter finally gets her book published. The seaside location looks lovely too.
Review of The Cafe
