Glad to see that we can now view the rates for our reviews. Maybe next time Ciao should test the new...
Glad to see that we can now view the rates for our reviews. Maybe next time Ciao should test the new system before installing it?
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I have recently written a review about the complete boxed set of every episode of the seventies comedy The Good Life in which I promised to do reviews on each of the individual DVD's in the set.
I won't go into the set up too much here as I would be repeating what I said in the previous review and that wouldn't be fair on you as the reader or on Ciao who would be paying me twice for the same information, so I will just give a very brief synopsis.
Tom and Barbara Good live in a posh part of Surbiton and have decided to become self sufficient. This entails plating both their front and back gardens with vegetables and keeping pigs, chickens and a goat!
The next door neighbours are Margot and Jerry Leadbetter who are good friends with Tom and Barbara. However Margot is a snob and is horrified at the new set up next door.
The sit com is then a series of various events and their consequences to all parties.
So the first DVD in the set has the six episodes of Series One which were originally broadcast in 1975.
Plough Your Own Furrow
This is the episode which sets the scene for the whole series. We are introduced to the four main characters - Richard Briers as Tom, Felicity Kendall as Barbara, (the late) Paul Eddington as Jerry and Penelope Keith as Margot.
It's Tom's 40th birthday and he isn't happy working the daily grind as a draughtsman. He wants to change his life but can't decide how - he knows 'it' is out there but can't find out what 'it' is. Eventually he realises that he wants to drop out of the rat race completely and become self sufficient. After discussing the plan with Barbara they decide to go ahead.
Say Little Hen
This is the episode where the transformation of the Good's garden into a smallholding takes place including the introduction of the chickens including a cockerel with a mind of his own which Barbara christens Lenin! Poor Margot is quite horrified by it all.
The Weaker Sex?
Now Tom and Barbara are self sufficient there's no cash for utility bills so they buy an old range from a local rag and bone man, who pretends to be a cockney to make he appear more authentic! His made up cockney rhyming slang has to be heard to be believed! The range is absolutely filthy and Barbara gets the unenviable job of cleaning it while Tom is 'busy' doing not very much!
Pig's Lib
The next new arrivals appear in this episode in the form of Pinky and Perky the pigs. Margot insists she draws the line at pigs but Tom and Barbara convince her that the pigs won't be able to get out of their sty. In true sit com style Pinky and Perky have other ideas!
The Thing In The Cellar
It's back to the lack of utilities in this one where Tom manages to build a generator in the cellar running it on the manure produced by the animals. How much more of this can poor Margot take? Tom delights in playing her up by mentioning manure at every opportunity!
The Pagan Rite
Tom and Barbara reminisce about the days when they had money and they used to go away for a weekend at a nice hotel which they referred to as their 'Pagan Rite'. Tom sets about making sure that they can do it again. This is one of those episodes where there are misunderstandings galore and I cringed more than once as I thought 'Oh no, I would have reacted like that!'
So there you are - the first DVD - six episodes of great laughs!
The DVD does have a PG certificate but for the life of me I can't fathom out why!
Also on the DVD there is also an interview with Bob Larbey, some scriptwriters' biographies, filmographies and some production notes. This isn't really of any interest to me as I just want to watch the programmes!
Watch this space for the second series ……..
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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
![The Good Life : 6 episodes from BBC Series 1 [1975] [DVD]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78514740.jpg "The Good Life : 6 episodes from BBC Series 1 [1975] [DVD]")
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