I agree, it was brilliant. And they knew to quit at it's peak and not drag it on, with half the original characters gone, storylines going over the top because they'd run out of ideas etc.
I got to thinking of it recently when watching one of the actors (cant remember his real name, Stephen something?) in a touring play "Stones in his Pockets" - just 2 actors playing approx 17 parts - it was a freat play and he was top notch.
Simon Delaney? He played the heavy looking guy whose marriage broke up. I think one of the funniest scenes was him attending his school reunion out in the Killiney Court, getting p*ssed and telling them all where to go.