User reviews

After re watching this a few days ago, ( I found a copy of the DVD on the internet) I sat and watched in the hope that something other than modern day so -called comedy would be hanging around in hibernation. I was not disappointed. The writers clearly have certain actors in mind as we see the script wrings out every bit of talent out of the stars.Household names like Len Rossiter, Richard Briers, the incredible Arthur Lowe,Roy Barraclough...the list goes on.Incredible comic performances and character structure makes this as fresh today as they were over 35 years ago. Each and every one of theses shows could have been made into a long running t.v series that would have been a million times better than todays rubbish. (A few to mention..The In-Betweeners..My Family...Out -Numbered..the list of shame goes on...)Modern day writers should be strapped into a chair with blinkers on and be sat in front of these episodes and MADE to look,listen and learn.Arthur Lowe could have taken his role and made it bigger than Dad's Army and Len Rossiters character Jim could have given at least 6 series ( I think Rigsby was Based on Jims character and made slightly less arrogant and toned down for the larger audience). Richard Briers is amazing as the frustrated husband and we see many big stars on their way up in cameos. Pushing the boat out I would say that maybe as far as British Comedy is concerned this is among the best of the best proudly sitting alongside such marvels as Steptoe, The 2 Ronnies. Morecambe and Wise,Rab Nesbitt,Dear John( Look it up),Dads Army,Nearest and Dearest,Love thy Neighbour....Classic real life pathos and genuine characters push this way up the list. It doesn't get better than this .

Back in the day, this was a common way of finding the next big sitcom, viewers were spoiled for choice back in the 1970's, compare that to today, the whole sitcom format has all but died.

When I think of comedy complications, I think of The BBC's comedy playhouse, and also The Two Ronnies, the wonderful Seven of one series, but up there in terms of quality, the wonderful Galton and Simpson series.

Every single episode brings the laughs, they're all excellent, and hold up to the passing of time. What depresses me to think, is why comedy has just died a death, I find myself relying on shows from this era, so I'm so glad to have found this series.

My personal favourites are I tell you it's Burt Reynolds, Car along the pass and Cheers, only Variations on a Theme didn't quite hit the mark for me, but it's still good.

Terrific acting, lots of comedy talent, Arthur Lowe, Leonard Rossiter, Richard Briers and Warren Mitchell, I adored both Charles Gray and Freddie Jones, both arguably more straight actors, both were wonderful.

In reality, any of these could have become a series, two of them should have.

Well worth watching.

8/10.