The Stage, 28 February 2002, by Chris Bartlett.
"Quality actors all rise to shine in thrilling Old Bailey drama."
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[.....]

In *Manchild* (BBC2, Tuesday, February 19, 10pm) Nigel 
Havers' relentless narration extolled the virtues of "a 
full-on hedonistic quest for pleasure." In effect a *Sex in 
the City* for fiftysomething men, former agony uncle Nick 
Fisher's opener was the televisual equivalent of watching 
your parents dancing at a wedding. A fine cast - Havers 
joined by Don Warrington, Anthony Head and Ray Burdis - was 
wasted in comedy drama that flailed between these two genres 
while failing to function as either.

Havers played Terry, a divorcee enjoying his freedom through 
motorbike acquisition and massage parlours. His voiceover, a 
lazy device in the best of hands, took up so much time that 
nothing else really happened. It was the self-congratulatory 
centre of a script that did far more telling than showing. 
These are all accusations you could level at its 
inspiration, *Sex and the City*, but at least the exploits 
of that show's protagonists are told with originality  and 
some wit.

*Manchid* played like an extended version of Charlie 
Higson's midlife crisis man *The Fast Show* but without the 
jokes. And it is hard to see anyone who is not a 
fiftysomething male singleton having the faintest interest 
in Terry and his pals.

Plus the novelty of hearing Nigel Havers use the f-word can 
only last so long.

[.....]



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