"The Full Monty," which premiered Wednesday on FX on Hulu, is a sequel — a true sequel, not a reboot or a remake — that brings back the entire main cast of the 1997 film, with its screenwriter, Simon Beaufoy, on board as showrunner. If it isn't the most likely exploitation of an old property, having no superheroes or secret agents, it's not an unreasonable one, given the worldwide success of the movie, which spawned a hit soundtrack and a long-running musical. Even if you haven't seen the movie or the musical, you may well know what's meant by the title.
The film — whose plot is barely recounted at the head of the series — tells the story of six unemployed steelworkers in the depressed city of Sheffield, England, who hatch a far-fetched plan to stage a Chippendales-style strip show to earn some money and, despite reservations and setbacks, do. Directed by Peter Cattaneo (who recently helmed PBS' "Magpie Murders"), it's a lovely movie that does not shortchange the domestic and social challenges of its characters. The film ends at their moment of glory, and though there's been some suggestion of better days ahead, the future is left blank.
Though the series is sensible enough on its own terms, familiarity with the film will make it a richer, and not at all a disappointing, experience; the show is faithful to its predecessor's spirit — things are still tough in this corner of Sheffield, and the protagonists are still muddling through. But, as is the case with sequels, the series also introduces the element of time; among other things, this a show about age. (You would not ordinarily find a series with this many gray heads, were it not based on such a popular property.) Not all the characters were acquainted at the start of the film; now they are old mates who have been in and out of one another's hair and good graces since the last century.
