Bread - Series 1 And 2 (Box Set) (DVD)

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Standard
How does it compare to similar films?	Not applicable

Advantages:	Very Very funny comedy
Disadvantages:	None

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Say hi to the Boswells. This is a brilliant British comedy series. Made, and set, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it's the story of a working class family from Liverpool desperately trying to survive life on the dole. Getting by by means of scullduggary and conning every last penny they can from the DSS (then DHSS), even living in their granddads house while he lives in theirs so they can both claim rent from the DSS. The family consists of Nellie Boswell, Freddie Boswell (her estranged husband) and their five children. It stars Jean Boht, Peter Howitt (before he went on to write and direct films like Sliding Doors and Johnny English), Victor McGuire, Gilly Coman, Jonathan Morris, Nick Conway, Kenneth Waller, Ronald Forfar, Caroline Milmoe and Pamela Power,

Nellie (Jean Boht) "She is a tart!". Nellie is the matriarch of the family. When she says jump the kids say "how high?". She keeps them all tied to the apron strings. A devout Catholic, who doesn't allow anyone to eat until they've said prayers, she rules the roost with an iron fist.

Joey (Peter Howitt) "Greetings!". Joey is the eldest of the children. He's the one they all turn to when things go wrong and the one who sorts out everyone elses problems and the one who regularly visits the DSS on behalf of the whole family. Joey is secretive, no-one knows how he earns his money, yet he drives a Jag and wears leathers.

Jack (Victor McGuire). The second eldest, Jack is the one who always tries to pull off the deal and ends up either getting paid in tomatoes or finding a box full of apples underneath three ghetto blasters. He really tries to be the wheeler dealer, but most of the time he can't quite pull it off.

Aveline (Gilly Coman) "I'm a model" Aveline is the only girl and consequently is so overprotected it's unbelieveable. Dressed in her stiletto heals and skirts that closely resemble belts, she's never allowed beyong the front door without her wistle in case she gets attacked. She drives the rest of the family mad because she takes so long in the bathroom and has so many creams and potions in there. Still, she;s a woman, what do they expect?

Adrian (Jonathan Morris) "My job is 'angin' by a tread" Adrian has changed his name from Jimmy, probably because he thinks it sounds better. The only member of the family with a job in the first series, he works in real estate and is so proud of it. In episode 6, the thread snaps and Adrian has to join the rest of the family on the dole, which totally mortifies him.

Billy (Nick Conway) "I'm not ready for all this" Billy is the youngest of the clan. Never thinks before opening his mouth and constantly jumping in with both feet. At 17, he's got his girlfriend, Julie who lives across the road, pregnant, much to the dismay of his mother.

Granddad (Kenneth Waller) is Nellies father, who lives nextdoor. The family look after him, take his meals round on a tray only for him to grab the tray from them like one of those soft toy grabbing machines you see on a fairground and say something like "I'd better 'ave a puddin"". He constantly thinks of very little other than his stomach and sits outside the house in his chair telling everyone who walks by to "piss off".

Freddie (Ronald Forfar) is Nellie's estranged husband. He's run off with Lilo Lil 3 years ago and Nellie is very bitter about it. He turns up as and when he feels like it and pushes a little yellow cart around the streets for the council for a living. He loves being a free spirit and Nellie really can't understand this. In Series 3, we finally get introduced to Lilo Lil, his bit on the side. She is referred to in these series though.

Julie (Carolilne Milmoe) is Billys girlfriend. She hates the rest of the family. She doesn't like their loyalty to each other and their closeness, probably because she doesn't have that in her own family. Her father is working away and her mother is an alcoholic who can't find her way home from the pub, so she's really on her own.

Martina (Pamela Power) "Next!" Martina is the stone faced DSS clerk who Joey always tries to give the sob story to to gain more money. Although Martina never believes any of the stories any of the family feed her, she always gives in and with a huge sigh and a hint of "God, why am I doing this" in her voice, will hand them a form and say "fill that in". Occasionally, other members of the family are sent in to plague her and the look on her face as she realizes it's yet another one of the Boswell clan is wonderful.

In it's hey day, Bread regularly pulled in over 20 million viewers for the BBC and 20 odd years later, it's as fresh and funny as it ever was. In my opinion, it's among the top 10 British comedies for sure. If you've never seen it before, you're certainly in for a treat if you buy this.