My Family - Christmas Specials DVD > Reviews > Tis' the season to be merry with the family

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Good
How does it compare to similar films?	Outstanding

Advantages:	Funny, original and well worth its money !
Disadvantages:	Unless you have seen the other episodes you could be a bit lost .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

This collection of Christmas episodes keeps up with the hilarious and originality of the main series.

This dvd contains 4 Christmas episodes from 2002 to 2005. Each one gets better and better.

I will say though, that you need to have watched the series to understand the events which are going on. Even if you have not, you are still guaranteed a laugh.

Lets just say that Christmas in the Harper household is chaotic!

Let me introduce the family. Dad - Ben, Mum - Susan, Eldest dopey son - Nick, young brainiac son - Mikey, Daughter - Janie, Daft cousin - Abi, Friend of the family - Roger.

I begin with the 2002 Chrsitmas episode. This is the episode which fills the gap in the main series as to when Janie got pregnant. As many of you will have seen the main series, between series 3 and 4 there is no explanation of this. In the Xmas episode, Susan tries her hardest to fins out who the father is, however not even to this day do we know..... Does she?

Janie turns up at the door in her University Xmas break with a bump, to her parents surprise. Ben as usual shows no interest and Susan can just not let it go as every mother can be with their child.

Meanwhile, Nick decides to start up another chaotic scheme in the form of a drive-thru santas grotto. He then changes his mind and decides to turn the living room into a forest of Xmas trees, much to Bens dismay.

Nick invites a gentle, old and lonely man to the Harper house for Xmas which ends in an unexpected twist.

This episode is a barrel of laughs and is full of originality. I will not tell you anymore as I dont want to ruin the funniest of parts.

The Xmas episode of 2003 although set entirely on a tube train, is again hilarious and yet chaotic.

Between Mikey disappearing into the next carriage for a series of dates with a girl and Nick scaring the carriage full of people by saying there is a nuclear war going on above ground, Ben starts to lose his temper. He manages to make enemies with people on the train and Susan being her usual controlling self decides to take over the carriage by playing group games and offering coucelling advice.

While this is going on a group of dancers appear in the carriage which end up being Cousin Abi and Roger.

Each plot rolls in perfectly with each other and the ending is ironic and funny.

Xmas 2004 must be one of the best Xmas episodes made. Again Janie brings home a surprise for her parents..... she is gettinf married, but not just to anyone, a man old enough to be her Dad! He is a creepy old night club owner who is always surrounded by dolly birds.

Again, Ben shows no emotion or care and Susan goes over the top trying to end the whole affair. Through the episode, you think it is a dream, but I am afraid I can not tell you the ending as it is unexpected and hilarious.

Susan gets drunk at the wedding to try to escape reality and Mikey and his geeky friend Hubert sell all of the Xmas pressies on ebay during the wedding!

Onto the final episode on the dvd, the 2005 show. Bring in the clowns!

There is so much going on in this episode that you just cant keep your eyes off the television.

Its Kenzos (Janies son) 3rd birthday and Susan wants to make sure its a good one as she forget her own daughter Janies 3rd birthday. What should be a small gathering ends up turning into a full party with a clown, bouncy castle and about £800 bills to pay for.

Ben being a cheapskate, decides to sack the clown and save himself money by getting Roger to dress up and perform. Roger ends up with stage fright and over does it with the whiskey which means Ben has to take over! I dont think the kids are too amused.

In this episode at the end when they are all in the room, look in the background and you will see a clown cycle past. Its quite amusing.

There are no special features on this dvd apart from subtitles.

Age rating: PG

Overall this dvd is very funny and can easily be watched over and over again. Highly recommended, especially if you are a fan of the Harpers. I hope they keep making this series......