Monday night saw This Country return for its final series, with the opening episode a tribute to late cast member Michael Sleggs.
And people are saying it was so good it should win awards.
The cast regular, who played Michael 'Slugs' Slugette (a character inspired by himself) in the BBC Cotswold-based mockumentary, passed away last July following heart complications.
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Fans were promised that Michael - who was a friend of show creators Daisy May Weston (nee Cooper) and Charlie Cooper before they cast him - would be honoured in the series 3 premiere in "ultimate Slugs fashion". And that he was.
The episode opens with Reverend Francis Seaton (Paul Chahidi) telling the documentary crew about the sad news of Sluggs' passing.
Kurtan (Charlie Cooper) and Kerry (Daisy May Weston) then speak about their friend, explaining his final words to them were seeing if they wanted to do a zombie escape room - a typical Sluggs' request.
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Later in the episode, Sluggs' girlfriend Kayleigh arrives at Kurtan's door to give him a letter left for him in Sluggs' will.
In it, he opens by saying "if you're reading this letter it probably means I'm six feet deep, not with a chick this time lol just in the parish cemetery."
He goes on to explain that "bedgate" - a mysterious event from "Newquay 2007" involving a broken bed which caused Kurtan to have to leave his holiday early - was actually the doing of Sluggs and Kerry.
At the end of the episode, after reconciling heir differences, Kurtan and Kerry speak once more about their old friend Sluggs.
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"I tell you who'd be laughing at all this, Sluggs," says Kurtan. "Sh*t-stirring from beyond the grave."
"Very funny," Kerry adds, gesturing a a clap towards heaven.
The praise quickly rolled in for the episode, with many saying the show should win awards.
"#ThisCountry so glad it's back. And what a lovely tribute woven in to #slugs Yet again, perfect writing :heartpulse: give it more awards," wrote one fan.
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"Throw every award at this show. Bloody brilliant," wrote another.
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This Country was Michael's first acting gig, and he starred in seven episodes of the series, making his final appearance in the 2018 special This Country: The Aftermath.
In the show, Slugs has terminal cancer and one of his episodes sees the character attempt to organise a game of laser-quest with Kerry and Kurtan as part of his bucket list.
The actor died in July 2019 age 33, shortly after announcing he too was terminally ill.
Featured Image Credit: BBCTopics: Entertainment, This Country
