But I thought the ending was rubbish.
Up to then, the acting was excellent, and there was a wonderful building of tension to the showdown.
Bob Hoskins was top notch, as was everyone else, but what an unbelievably damp squib of a climax. No way would the villain have just turned and walked out of the door, after his son had been publically humiliated like that.
It might make a moral conclusion, but in reality there would have been a lot more claret on the carpet.

Stumbled across it while flicking channels. Compelling stuff, great acting, very tense, but ending just not believable. Like he says, no way would the villain have walked away.

Enjoyed the cocktail umbrella in the pint of lager, though.

A great piece of TV Drama. Great cast well written. The ending was a bit damp but I wish there was more TV like this. I'll be checking the rest of this series out.

Jim Broadbent was exceptional in the first series. Timothy Spall was the kind of character that Timothy Spall always plays (but still very good) but Jane Horrocks didn't quite cut it in my view.

Very, very good writing though. And even though most of the characters were not that likeable, you did end up understanding why they were like that. Jimmy McGovern seems to be able to portray unbearable stress caused by either the extraordinary or the mundane.

I thought this was wonderful television. I loved the last outing of 'The Street' and when I heard Bob Hoskins was going to be in this series I dug out Shane Meadow's extraordinary 'Twenty-Four-Seven' to remind myself of Hoskin's all-too-rare outings of earthy, down-at-heel brilliance.

Although the ending was just a little on the shandy side of weak, the whole episode was real edge-of-your-seat stuff. Was Bob's son gonna come back? Would anyone in the community support him? Would Cunningham back down? Would his son turn against him? Great television always keeps you guessing, and this fitted the bill.

The two briefs parts of the lad who said he would stand by him (and who valiantly turned up only to finmd he was the only one there) and the hair-of-the-dog drunk were outstanding. Roll on the rest of the series and hopefully Bob and the always-excellent Liam Cunningham will feature in a few upcoming episodes...

I also liked the reference to 'The Grapes', that great fictional Manchester pub from 'Early Doors', another great BBC series that deserves another run. Maybe Jimmy McGovern could move Ken Dixon, Eddie and Joan, miserly old git Tommy, Jean Dixon and the great coppers Phil and Nige into The Street?

but I didn't think much of the story, though the High Noon touches were funny. Very silly ending, I agree. I'm not mad on Bob Hoskins. He looks like a little old man.

The Anna Friel one next week is quite good, but the one to watch is the Jonas Armstrong one in a few weeks time.

McGovern by numbers. Every McGovern cliche present and correct. Never bettered the Hillsborough episode of Cracker

...and surely nothing beats episode 5 (the Stephen Graham episode)? Stephen's performance is the best of his career so far. Same with Maxine Peake.

Thought she had gone all "Hollywood" but it was an exceptional performance last week.