Terry and June

This cosy middle class sitcom became the subject of much hatred by the new breed of talented comedians in the 1980s, such as Ben Elton. Did it deserve such malice? Well Terry and June was never clever, it was never a well-written tale with different threads which intersect at the conclusion. It was the show your mother and father and probably grandparents watched. They chuckled rather than laughed, but they were never likely to be offended by the show, so the fact that it never challenged them was immaterial.

One Foot In The Grave suffered initially because it appeared at first sight to be just another Terry and June.

A few days after the death of Terry Scott an episode was broadcast on terrestrial TV, and that has been its final outing. There have been few repeats of the show on any TV channel.

Thankfully TV comedy has advanced since Terry and June. It's hard to find kind words for it - Terry Scott did make the best of weak scripts.

The boss is called Sir Dennis, the boss's wife is called Mrs Sir Dennis, they come round for a dinner party and the meal is ruined but this needs covering up and an alternative found, the vicar pops rounds, the neighbours are always outdoing each other, they get lost in the car on the way to holiday, terry forgets birthdays and anniversaries.

I have nothing against dated sitcoms, some are very good but comedy moves on for a reason and this is it. If the above premise make you laugh then its great fun. If it doesn't, well there's little more to add. The main missing for me was the grown up children popping in with family problems, that would have made it complete.

I bought this during lockdown to while away the hours. It was truly awful. As the scripts grew thinner Scott grew fatter. There is no real chemistry between the pair. You can't ever imagine them being intimate.

The supporting cast,apart from Ian Charleston,are very week. One,Paths Smart,is truly dreadful. I have now sold the set,so they will never show up on my screen again.

This show lasted for most of the 1980s, and had its moments, but plots were usually dishwater thin and often painfully unfunny.

Terry Scott and June Whitfield were wasted in this sitcom, they both deserved better, but it does provide some fond memories and I have found myself smiling at some repeated scenes. June Whitfield's talent for comedy is allowed to shine through on occasion (when she is not being a foil to Terry) and she really is clever.

The 1980s is the last decade where you will find this kind of middle class, middle aged comedy, and many people remember it fondly, but I prefer to remember the decade for alternative comedy and the biting satire of Spitting Image.

Terry and June was one of the classic British sitcoms in my opinion. You knew what to expect - and ain't that just so typical! :) Unlike modern sitcoms with utterly contrived plots, this show is still a breath of fresh air. How lovely not see or hear remarks about bodily functions or not to see a family PERPETUALLY late for breakfast or a family with impossible teenagers. And therein is the secret: Terry & June was based on a middle class couple living in relative harmony in stead of today's strained plots with the 'de rigueur' dysfunctional family (made to look hip).

Personally, I vote the "Bridge to far" episode as one of the best. In a way, Terry's antics reminds me of Basil Fawlty - both sometimes getting almost impossibly embarrassing!

Terry & June comes highly recommended. Have your tea and biscuits ready!