I’m not sure what it says about the state of television that Lee Mack’s enduring sitcom Not Going Out has refreshed itself for a 14th series by aping techniques more usually seen in prestige drama.

One of the BBC's longest-running sitcoms, Not Going Out, is back on screens – and not for the first time. The "fantastically funny" and hugely popular comedy aired its finale in 2014, following up ...