{{Short description|1997 series of television comedies}} {{Use British English|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} '''Comedy Premieres''' is a programming strand of four one-off television comedies, produced by Granada Television for the ITV network and broadcast throughout 1997.

== Premieres == {{Episode table |background=#000 |title=30 |director=20 |writer=20 |airdate=20 |episodes=

{{Episode list |RTitle= ''Cold Feet'' |WrittenBy= Mike Bullen |DirectedBy= Declan Lowney |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1997|3|30|df=y}} |ShortSummary=A serial philanderer (played by James Nesbitt) finally finds the woman of his dreams (played by Helen Baxendale), but the relationship breaks down when he gets cold feet. Spun off into ''Cold Feet'' in 1998. |LineColor=000 }} {{Episode list |RTitle= ''The Chest'' |WrittenBy= Peter Morgan |DirectedBy= Suri Krishnamma |OriginalAirDate={{Start date|1997|4|12|df=y}} |ShortSummary=A failed businessman (played by Neil Morrissey) hopes to clear his massive debts after finding a treasure map. He discovers that the location of the treasure has had a housing estate built on top of it. A rival (played by Jim Carter) tries to claim the treasure for himself. |LineColor=000 }} {{Episode list |RTitle= ''The Grimleys'' |WrittenBy= Jed Mercurio |DirectedBy= Declan Lowney |OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1997|7|5|df=y}} |ShortSummary=A schoolboy (played by James Bradshaw) falls in love with his English teacher (played by Samantha Janus) but has a love rival in the shape of his sadistic PE teacher (played by Jack Dee). Spun off into ''The Grimleys'' in 1999. |LineColor=000 }} {{Episode list |RTitle= ''King Leek'' |WrittenBy= Billy Ivory |DirectedBy= Sam Miller |OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|1997|12|30|df=y}} |ShortSummary=Malcolm Cromer (played by Tim Healy) is so confident that his leeks will win a local competition that he bets the family home on it. His wife (played by Su Elliot) tries to sabotage the leeks by urinating on them, but this has the opposite effect of improving their growth. |LineColor=000 }} }}

== Production == The Premieres, all pilots for potential television series, were produced from 1995 to 1996 for intended broadcast in 1996. However, they were all postponed until 1997.

== Reception == ''Cold Feet'' received positive critical reaction from ''The Times''; in ''The Times'', Matthew Bond wrote that it is "an enjoyable one-off comedy aimed at anybody who's ever been single, married, or had children. With such catholic appeal further heightened by Helen Baxendale heading a talented cast, it showed just what ITV can do."<ref name="Bond Times">{{cite news|author= Bond, Matthew|title= This postman two-parter was merely irritating|work= The Times|date= 1997-03-31}}</ref> An ITV committee selected ''Cold Feet'' to represent the network in the comedy-drama category at the Montreux Television Festival. The programme won the Silver Rose in the Humour category and the Golden Rose of Montreux, the festival's highest honour.<ref>{{cite news|author= Clarke, Steve|title= Brits smell the Roses at Montreux fest|url= https://www.variety.com/vstory/VR1117342161.html|work= Variety|date= 1997-05-01|accessdate= 2008-08-21}}</ref> Further acclaim came at the end of the year at the British Comedy Awards when ''Cold Feet'' won the Best Comedy Drama (ITV) award.<ref>{{cite web|title= British Comedy Awards past winners|url= http://www.britishcomedyawards.com/pastwinners97.html|work= British Comedy Awards website|publisher= Michael Hurll Television|accessdate= 2008-08-21|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080820093726/http://www.britishcomedyawards.com/pastwinners97.html|archive-date= 20 August 2008|url-status= dead}}</ref>

Alexander Chancellor previewed ''The Chest'' for ''The Observer'', calling it "homely" and concluded that "If you don't mind implausible plots and inconclusive endings, you may find this quite enjoyable to watch; but don't expect to laugh very much."<ref>{{cite news|author= Chancellor, Alexander|title= Television|work= The Observer|publisher= Guardian Newspapers Ltd.|date= 1997-04-06|page= 70}}</ref> In ''The Independent'', Tina Ogle noted that Neil Morrissey was playing a "typical fluffy bunny", but singled out Jim Carter as the best actor.<ref>{{cite news|author= Ogle, Tina|title= Today's television|work= The Independent|publisher= Independent News Ltd.|date= 1997-04-12|page= 32}}</ref> Thomas Sutcliffe for the same newspaper was more critical of Morrissey, writing that he was putting on "his 10-year-old boy act", and concluded by saying ''The Chest'' "makes you want to run someone through with a cutlass."<ref>{{cite news|author= Sutcliffe, Thomas|title= Last night|work= The Independent|publisher= Independent News Ltd.|date= 1997-04-14|page= 28}}</ref> Matthew Bond criticised the story for being "a familiar variation of a familiar story" but complimented the main cast for holding it together.<ref>{{cite news|author= Bond, Matthew|title= Infuriating woman|work= The Times|date= 1997-04-14}}</ref>

''The Grimleys'' received acclaim for its 1970s nostalgia. Mark Lawson called it "a rare example of a period sitcom" and compared Darren Grimley to Adrian Mole.<ref>{{cite news|author= Lawson, Mark|author-link= Mark Lawson|title= Close up on the invisible woman|work= The Guardian|publisher= Guardian Newspapers Ltd.|date= 1997-07-07|page= T19}}</ref> John Millar for the ''Daily Record'' anticipated a full series would follow the pilot<ref>{{cite news|author= Millar, John|title= Drama with a flare for 70s fashion|work= Daily Record|publisher= Scottish Daily Record & Sunday Mail Ltd.|date= 1997-07-07|page= 24}}</ref> and Eddie Gibb for ''The Scotsman'' named it the best sitcom of the year.<ref>{{cite news|author= Gibb, Eddie|title= 1997: The best of television|work= The Scotsman|publisher= Johnston Press|date= 1997-12-23|page= 15}}</ref> The broadcast was watched by 4.6 million, gaining a 42% audience share.<ref>{{cite news|author= Methven, Nicola|title= Granada's Grimleys set for spring launch|work= Broadcast|publisher= Emap|year= 1998}}</ref>

''King Leek'' was described in ''The People'' as having "sheer comic class". The reviewer praised both the leads and the supporting cast and concluded by calling it the best of the four comedy premieres.<ref>{{cite news|author= Lanning, David|title= A prizewinning vegetable plot for Geordie Tim|work= The People|publisher= MGN Ltd.|date= 1998-01-04|page= 35}}</ref> Matthew Bond wrote that Billy Ivory had written "something so black that it was nigh on impossible to see the comedy at all."<ref>{{cite news|author= Bond, Matthew|title= The authentic voice of grieving people|work= The Times|date= 1997-12-31}}</ref> Desmond Christy of ''The Guardian'' was equally disappointed and hoped a series would not follow the pilot.<ref>{{cite news|author= Christy, Desmond|title= A load of Po from Dimby-Wimby|work= The Guardian|publisher= Guardian Newspapers Ltd.|date= 1997-12-31|page= 23}}</ref>

''The Grimleys'' and ''Cold Feet'' were each commissioned for full series. ''The Grimleys'' ran for three series from 1999 to 2001, and ''Cold Feet'' ran for five series from 1998 to 2003 and, after a thirteen-year hiatus, for four more series from 2016 to 2020.

== References == {{Reflist|30em}}

== External links == *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080531203136/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/567944 ''Cold Feet''] at the British Film Institute *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090129192652/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/547077 ''The Chest''] at the British Film Institute *[https://archive.today/20121223194434/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/554879 ''The Grimleys''] at the British Film Institute *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090603120542/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/537449 ''King Leek''] at the British Film Institute

Category:1997 British television series debuts Category:1997 British television series endings Category:ITV (TV network) original programming Category:1997 in British television Category:Television pilot seasons Category:Television series by ITV Studios Category:English-language British television shows