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 have already done the review on series one and now here is series two …….
I won't repeat the set up here as I would be repeating what I said in the previous reviews 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.
Basically Tom and Barbara Good live in a posh part of Surbiton and have decided to become self sufficient. This entails planting 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 second DVD in the set has the seven episodes of Series Two which were originally broadcast in 1976.
Just my Bill
In this episode Tom sets out to sell his surplus in order to pay the bills that need actual cash as opposed to bartering - in this case the Rates Bill. Sadly it isn't as easy as he thought that it would be.
The Guru of Surbiton
Two young people are fascinated by Tom and Barbara's lifestyle and try to emanate Tom in particular. Their interest develops into hero worship much to Barbara's amusement! A plot has to be hatched to get them to leave the Good's alone.
Mr. Fix It
The press takes an interest in Tom and Barbara and Margot is driven to distraction trying to get her comments and her photograph in the local news paper.
The Day Peace Broke Out
A thief is stealing leeks from Tom's front garden and Tom takes the law into his own hands shooting the man with his pellet gun. After a brief spell in jail he finds that he and the thief share an interest in cricket and, as boys will be boys, they end up as friends.
Mutiny
This episode concentrates more on the lives of Margot and Jerry as Jerry is forced to choose between going to the production of The Sound of Music with Margot in the starring role or obeying his boss and entertaining clients. The initial disagreement eventually all turns out for the best - but then it usually did in The Good Life.
Home Sweet Home
Tom and Barbara consider selling their Surbiton home in order to buy a small farm and take their self sufficiency to the next level. Neither really wants to leave their home but each thinks they will disappoint the other if they say anything. Eventually Jerry gets them to talk to one another and all is well.
Going to Pot?
Tom, Barbara and Margot take up evening classes with Tom taking weaving and Margot and Barbara taking pottery. Barbara and Tom don't get on with their classes and so they swap, whilst Margot gives up completely after just one lesson. Jerry however has already bought her a studio full of equipment which Tom uses to his advantage.
So there you are - the second DVD - seven more 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 third series ……..
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Christopher Ettridge, Victor McGuire, Emma Amos, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Elizabeth Carling
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
Sorry for the H, but if this is to be a full DVD review, I would prefer to see a review of the extras in similar detail to the way you've reviewed the series, rather than just a list of them.
Writing321 29.03.2008 09:42
Been watching re-runs of this during the past week.. forgot how much I loved the series.... makes me laugh ...
When Tom Good, a 40 year old draughtsman, and his wife Barbara, drop out of the rat race ... more
and become self-sufficient they change their lives forever. To the horror of their neighbours, Jerry and Margo Leadbetter, the Goods turn their lovely Surbiton hom...
![The Good Life - Series 2 [DVD] [1975]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78523272.jpg "The Good Life - Series 2 [DVD] [1975]")
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