The Country Party

Sequel to The Saturday Party broadcast two years earlier. Divorced former stockbroker Richard (Peter Barkworth) now runs a restaurant in a well heeled country village. To celebrate his birthday, his daughter arranges a surprise family get together at the restaurant, her ulterior motive being the hope of a parental reconciliation.

The Saturday Party succeeded because it was unmistakably set in 1974, a notably grim year in Britain, not least for stockbrokers. Apart from throwaway references to real ale (then an exciting new phrase) and contemporary trade union leaders, this doesn't feel set in any particular time. Richard still has problems, but staff stealing food and drink is rather small beer compared to losing both his wife and job. Like The Saturday Party, numerous minor characters are introduced, but only Malcolm Terris makes any impression as a loud, obnoxious farmer. Things briefly spring to life when a new waitress clumsily tips food over the kitchen floor and cook tells her to scoop it up and serve it. I expected Richard to burst in and catch them red handed but no, nothing further happened. Imagine what John Cleese would have made of it.

A modicum of padding can be welcome in complex stories, giving us time to collect our thoughts. But you do need some events of consequence to pad out. I'd only watch this if you enjoyed The Saturday Party and have a yen to see the family again.