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Chance in a Million

  • TV Series
  • 1984–1986
  • 25m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
315
YOUR RATING
Chance in a Million (1984)
SitcomComedy

Tom Chance's life is filled with coincidences, leading to his meeting Alison and frequent wrongful arrests. Despite evidence, the Police Sergeant instructs officers not to arrest him due to ... Read allTom Chance's life is filled with coincidences, leading to his meeting Alison and frequent wrongful arrests. Despite evidence, the Police Sergeant instructs officers not to arrest him due to the pattern of coincidences.Tom Chance's life is filled with coincidences, leading to his meeting Alison and frequent wrongful arrests. Despite evidence, the Police Sergeant instructs officers not to arrest him due to the pattern of coincidences.

  • Stars
    • Simon Callow
    • Brenda Blethyn
    • Bill Pertwee
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.9/10
    315
    YOUR RATING
    • Stars
      • Simon Callow
      • Brenda Blethyn
      • Bill Pertwee
    • 14User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Episodes19

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    Top cast99+

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    Simon Callow
    Simon Callow
    • Tom Chance
    • 1984–1986
    Brenda Blethyn
    Brenda Blethyn
    • Alison Little
    • 1984–1986
    Bill Pertwee
    Bill Pertwee
    • Sergeant Gough…
    • 1984–1986
    Deddie Davies
    Deddie Davies
    • Mrs. Little
    • 1984–1986
    Hugh Walters
    Hugh Walters
    • Mr. Little
    • 1986
    Angus MacKay
    Angus MacKay
    • Mr. Wingent
    • 1984–1986
    Geraldine Gardner
    Geraldine Gardner
    • Barbara
    • 1986
    Rosemary Smith
    • Janet
    • 1986
    Ralph Nossek
    • Maitre d'Hotel
    • 1984
    Graham Crowden
    Graham Crowden
    • Rector…
    • 1986
    Peter Corey
    Peter Corey
    • Cousin Thomas…
    • 1984–1986
    Debbi Blythe
    • Woman in Trouble
    • 1984
    John Savident
    John Savident
    • Derek
    • 1986
    Veronica Clifford
    • Mrs. Herbert
    • 1986
    Phyllida Hewat
    Phyllida Hewat
    • Mrs. Dodge…
    • 1986
    Joe Dunlop
    • Hotel Receptionist
    • 1984
    Hubert Rees
    • Cecil
    • 1986
    John Golightly
    • Husband
    • 1984
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews14

    7.9315
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    Featured reviews

    10dho-2

    Chance would be a fine thing

    One of the finest British TV comedies. Superb performances from both Callow and the very versatile Brenda Blethyn. Each episode managed to combine the most far-fetched coincidences with beautifully crafted dialogue, resulting in mini masterpieces. Blethyn's portrayal of librarian Alison Little should have dispelled all ideas of them as stuffy old maids! The Library Association really should have signed her up as a recruiter. It just baffles me why this hasn't been released on DVD yet. There are enough examples of the typical weak sort of stuff that passes for sitcoms being produced on DVD - time for some real quality. If there are no recordings in the archives the culprit should be hunted down and forced to watch endless episodes of Sorry.
    9eddieknocker

    Dated but hilarious gem.

    It's a testament to the talent of Callow & Blethyn that this is not unwatchable but in fact still bloody funny and charming.

    All the clichés of early 80's sitcoms in abundance - awful lighting, wooden sets, even more wooden acting from the other characters and extras, past-it's-sell-by-date canned laughter.

    I only have memories of this as a child when it was originally aired. I can see why C4 haven't showed it again as it's just too dated.

    But if you do have a spare few quid get the DVD set and marvel at Blethyn's hilarious, sweet and barely repressed sexual librarian and Callow's bumptious but likable bad luck lightning-rod.

    Mention must go to the writers - incredibly convoluted and humorous plots. Maintains the great Brtitish tradition of the farce.
    9mch2469

    An under appreciated sit-com.....

    I never saw this first time round, and don't think I ever remembered that it existed until recently.... I saw the first episode a few weeks back and I only did so to remind myself if I had seen it before..... I hadn't, but I am glad I did....!

    I never really enjoyed the typical U. K. sit-com especially at the time of its height in the 70s and 80s...... I found them to be unfunny and ham acted....

    But this show was different to the typical sit-coms of the day.... it was very well written, in terms of the clever way those acts of chance that Tom Chance suffered were set up and paid off.... and the two main characters were very well played....

    I found of the episodes I have watched so far that although this show has a typical sit-com feel.... but the characters and situations are just very surreal and sometimes very dark......

    I enjoyed this in the same way I enjoyed Get Some In, for example, although it might appear to be a typical 80s sit-com it is worth watching to find out for yourself just how different it is from the shows of the time...

    I can't think of any one else who could play the main role as well as Simon Callow... either at the time or indeed if there was a remake today..... The lazier programme makers today would likely pick a comedian of some type, whereas this show works better with a good dramatic actor rather than a comedian....
    8brian-85466

    Excellent Fun

    Currently watching this again, on Forces TV, it is brilliant, 'coincidentally', it's hilarious. Simon Callow and Brenda Blethyn are fantastic together, the scripts are totally mad. Pull up a chair and watch this 80's extravaganza of misunderstanding and coincidence.
    david-wiggins

    Very clever, very funny, very watchable.

    I was first introduced to this superb little TV sitcom in 1985 when a friend recommended it (cheers Mike). Chance in a Million is not your run of the mill TV sitcom, it is very cleverly written, well acted and a little surreal. I am only surprised that Channel Four in the U.K. haven't seen fit to repeat it. It is far superior to a lot of so called TV comedy produced today. The show's actors, Simon Callow and Brenda Blethyn have moved on to make other TV shows and movies but for me they will both always be remembered for their roles as Tom and Alison. The early episodes were the best and these are the ones I have watched the most. A new series would be very welcome indeed.

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    Related interests

    Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, and Matthew Perry in Friends (1994)
    Sitcom
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      Simon Callow said, "I loved doing it and it's one of the most popular things I ever did. The central character, Tom Chance, was a guy who was plagued by coincidence that was the basic formula of the series. The charming thing about him was that he seemed to belong to another world completely. He spoke in the most extraordinary way, which I think was derived from Mr. Jingle in The Pickwick Papers - he never used the personal pronouns ... He'd say, "... went to bank ... had problem ... sat down ... couldn't get out ... killed a woman ... very sad...". Brenda Blethyn, she's absolutely superb in it. Brenda and I and the writers are desperately keen to do a series, 25 years later on ... same couple ... I think it would be wonderful."
    • Soundtracks
      Taking a Chance on Love
      Written by Vernon Duke (uncredited), John La Touche (uncredited) and Ted Fetter (uncredited)

      Performed by The Ladybirds

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    FAQ13

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 10, 1984 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ni kriv ni dužan
    • Production companies
      • Channel 4 Television Corporation
      • Thames Television
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 25m
    • Color
      • Color

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