Sunnyside Farm

The word has it that this programme was commissioned when another production fell through, with only three months notice.

I could have sworn it made it to a second series, but who am I to argue.

The gist of the plot was two brothers inherited a farm, one, the 'cleverer' of the pair was overcome with dismay, at the utter futility of the situation.

He fantasised about having an affair with the 'woman next door' - a pretty if not especially bright 'townie' who's moved from the city with her husband and children (Oberon & Titania) The second brother (by far the more stupid) is content with his lot.

To that extent, it's a thinly veiled remake of the classic 1960's sitcom 'Steptoe and Son'.

In my estimation this should have been ranked alongside 'Father Ted' but the mandarins at the BBC thought otherwise, nd it was quietly 'put out to grass'

For me this was a must see alternative look at life in the country.! All the characters were larger than life,but as someone who grew up in an English village you could see people that could have fit the bill from your own youth. So it was not "pc" but that can only be a good thing looking back as we have now gone too far with that brigade.And what is wrong with having a good belly laugh,?as most times we are probably laughing at ourselves anyway,as none of us are perfect. I put "Sunnyside farm" in the same pigeonhole as "I Hope it rains" starring the late Tom Bell,this too was a minority audience comedy set at the seaside,with him running a really run down waxworks type museum.

Raymond and Ken Sunnyside live in a dilapidated old farmhouse and are beholden to their Barbour wearing Tory scum landlord, Mr Letchworth. Ken (Mark Addy) is a little on the dim side (to say the least) and his brother Raymond (Phil Daniels) is a belligerent little git whom you just can't help but warm to. In fact, he's rather like Victor Meldrew in that respect, only a lot ruder and more down-at-heel.

This peculiar little sit-com focuses on the many mis-haps of the scruffy twosome and is the sort of thing that you might expect from Monty Python or the Kids in the Hall, had either of those surreal comedy teams decided to do a sit-com. It doesn't seem to care about making the masses laugh and most would find it just plain nonsensical. But there are some truly bizarre situations that made me laugh out loud and brilliant central performances from Daniels and Kitchen (Addy and the often hilariously surreal Matt Lucas are also wonderfully memorable).

I'd love to say more about this show but it's been so long since I've seen it that most of it is a bit of a blur now (no pun intended - for those in the know). Also, having been a complete flop and utterly slated in the press, it's never been released on video or DVD. In fact, my main reason for commenting on it is to put straight the user who referred to Phil Daniels' accent as 'mockney'. I really take exception to this as Daniels was born and raised in London and was using his own accent. Anybody who's heard Blur's 'Parklife' will be aware of that. Also, I never got the impression that he or any of the other actors in this unusual comedy seemed ill at ease in their roles. It's not as if they're jobbing actors who grab what they can and spend the rest of their time on the dole. I like to think they chose to do 'Sunnyside Farm' because they recognised something totally original when they saw it.

I have now tired of sending pleading emails to UK satellite channels requesting that they re-run this show, and would like to leave this comment as a parting shot. I don't suppose for one moment that I was the only person to enjoy this comedy, it's just I have yet to meet another! Phil Daniels and Mark Addy were great in this show, and I can still see Ray Sunnyside standing atop a pile of dung shouting with delight that his sheep had disease (compensation instead of actually having to look after them), the lesbianarium for the visiting female couple, not to mention the natural yoghurt! Yes it was crude, yes the language was foul, and yes the characters were disgusting, but I loved every episode. It was ahead of its time, thats for sure.....jeez I would love to see it again.....maybe just a few more begging emails......

This pathetic disgrace of a so-called 'sitcom' remains the worst piece of television, any genre, to be made in Britain in the televisual era. A complete lack of situation, a complete lack of comedy. The plot so thin it constitutes an eating disorder, the writing almost at the level of a 'disadvantaged' person, the acting so embarrasing getting caught with your pants down sounds a better bet. Even the actors Mark Addy and Phil Daniels seem ashamed as they perform.

That is not however to let them off. Daniels 'Mockney' schtick tires after just minutes of the first episode and gets worse each time. Concentrating solely on getting a laugh by saying phrases such as "oh, bellowing cows' backsides" as Cockney as possible cut no ice with anyone, nor did the vague attempt to set the sitcom in - surprise,surprise - a farm. Addy, as his stooge, fares no better. The viewing public switched off in droves, the critics tore it to pieces and it was pulled after the first series without trace. The fact that very few people in Britain actually recall this sitcom stands as testament to it's overwhelming offensiveness.

Watch it if you can and prepare to be appalled.