Hi,
Thanks for my first ever diamond and of course the continued rrc's. It's beginning to look a lo...
Hi,
Thanks for my first ever diamond and of course the continued rrc's. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas! xx
Member since:08.02.2008
Reviews:278
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Goodnight Sweetheart is one of those programmes that I had heard about quite a bit but had never really managed to catch on the TV. For that reason I decided that I would ask my granddad if he would buy it for me for Christmas. Being lovely he said yes and so here I am reviewing it.
Goodnight Sweetheart is a sitcom that ran for six years from 1993 to 1999. Gary Sparrow is a very typical man with an everyday life; that is however until he becomes an accidental time traveller. A small alley called Duckett's Passage looks exactly like an everyday alleyway to you and me but for Gary Sparrow it is a passage to warn torn London. A passage to the Blitz, to rationing and barrage balloons but most importantly a little pub called the Royal Oak and its barmaid…Phoebe.
Despite the discovery being a definite accident the lure of the 1940's or more correctly the lure of the lovely Phoebe soon becomes too much and Gary finds himself lying to both his wife as well as Phoebe in order to lead an epic double life in two decades over 50 years apart.
The complete series one DVD contains all six episodes from the first series as well as episode commentaries from the series creators with a complete running time of 230 minutes. Due to the fact that I ordered the DVD's myself online I know that this DVD cost me (well my granddad) just over £6, which I think is very good value for money.
Now I really enjoyed watching every episode within this series because it takes the concept of travelling time without turning the programme into a science fiction bonanza. The whole idea is treated in a way that simply shows Gary in two different eras without him trying to work out how it happens or how to get other people through with him. I think it is this simplicity that really makes this programme appeal to me.
My favourite episode from the series is definitely episode one 'Rites of Passage' because Gary's confusion at suddenly finding himself in 1941 is wonderfully scripted and acted as well as very humorous.
The acting within this series is quite strong in my opinion. Nicholas Lyndhurst puts in a very solid performance and it is his style, as well as the scripting of course, that makes Gary such a likeable as well as strangely believable character. Michelle Holmes, as his wife Yvonne, is in my opinion a very good contrast to him. She is fiery compared to Gary's rather laid back mentality. The relationship between them is also consistent throughout. Dervla Kirwan, as Phoebe, however is in my opinion a much better opposite to Gary. She is a strong women yet due to the era in which she was born seems much more passive and relaxed than Yvonne ever could.
Now being a sitcom the series is of course humorous and the show certainly does deliver some very good laughs. A lot of these develop from the fact that Gary, to those in 1941, seems rather like a mystical crystal ball that can peer into the future and the way Nicholas Lyndhurst delivers the ironic and satirical lines is definitely one of his strong points. Despite this however there wasn't as many laughs as I expected there to be and a couple of episodes seemed a bit low on laughs. Saying this however the laughs that this series does provide are certainly good ones.
All in all this series is one I would highly recommend. I found that the second series one finished I was reaching for the second series DVD in order to continue the journey along with Gary and I'm sure that if you watch it you'll find yourself doing the same thing too.
Pictures of Goodnight Sweetheart - Series 1 (DVD)
The box cover featuring
Phoebe, Gary & Yvonne
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Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Meet Mr Garry Sparrow, just an ordinary bloke with an extraordinary life; almost a devoted ... more
and attentive husband, and a sometimes loyal and dependable best friend. By day a very bored and uninspired TV repairman, and now, by night, an accidental time t...
![Goodnight Sweetheart - Series 1 [DVD] [1993]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/76236240.jpg "Goodnight Sweetheart - Series 1 [DVD] [1993]")
Jan 5th, 2009
very helpful by (100%):
