The Good Life - Series 3 (DVD)

...ago I wrote reviews about the complete boxed set of every episode of the seventies comedy The Good Life and then detailed reviews of series one and two.

I thought it was about time I got round to reviewing series three.

The DVD on its own currently costs £17.98 from Amazon.

I won't go into the set up too much here as I would be repeating what I said in the initial review and that wouldn't be fair on you ...
...me twice for the same information, so I will just give a very brief synopsis.
All the programmes are brilliantly written by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey.

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 even a goat!

The next door neighbours are Margot and Jerry ... more

Some time ago I wrote reviews about the complete boxed set of every episode of the seventies comedy The Good Life and then detailed reviews of series one and two.

I thought it was about time I got round to reviewing series three.

The DVD on its own currently costs £17.98 from Amazon.

I won't go into the set up too much here as I would be repeating what I said in the initial 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.
All the programmes are brilliantly written by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey.

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 even 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 a set up that she thinks devalues the area right next door to her.

The sit com is then a series of various events and their consequences to all parties concerned.

So the third DVD in the boxed set has the six episodes of Series Three which were originally broadcast in 1976.

The Early Birds

This is the episode where Tom decides that it would make more sense for him and Barbara to get up at dawn and go to bed when it gets dark irrespective of the actual time. The idea is that this will maximise the time available to work in the garden.

As usual the theory is great but the practice doesn't quite work! Going to bed so early means that Tom and Barbara can't sleep and they end up playing various games and naming their 100 favourite films to try and make themselves tired!

The Happy Event

This has to be on of my favourite episodes where the pig gives birth. Tom and Barbara enlist the help of Margot and Jerry during and after the birth with hilarious consequences!

The birth goes well but there is a runt in the litter and Tom originally intends to allow nature to take its course until Barbara steps in and then everyone, including the local police, pulls together to save the little piglet.

A Tug of the Forelock

In this one Margot's gardener and daily help go on holiday and Tom and Barbara step in to do the work in order to earn some money to finance the running of their new vehicle made from the rotary cultivator.

Whilst Margot can separate the working relationship from the friendship and treat each differently Tom in particular finds this difficult and keeps teasing Margot and acting the fool much to her annoyance!

I Talk to the Trees

Tom and Barbara meet a man at the allotments who talks to his tomatoes they decide to try it with their plants to see if it will enhance their growth.

Unfortunately Tom decides to play his music rather loudly as Margot is hosting a meeting of the Music Society in her lounge! She is NOT impressed.

Whose Fleas are These

Tom and Barbara realise that they have fleas and naturally assume they are from the animals. The first and biggest problem is to tell Margot and Jerry as they will probably be infected too.

The man from the pest control comes to sort out the 'little offenders' as he calls them, but he finds that they don't originate from Tom and Barbara's animals and Margot is in for a shock!

The Last Posh Frock

This is another of my favourites beginning with Barbara tearing her one remaining frock and Tom being practical and reminding her that she doesn't need it anyway. Then Tom and Barbara play host to one of Barbara's old school friends who turns out to be a stunner!

Typically Tom doesn't notice Barbara's distress as he flirts outrageously with her friend.

This time Jerry steps in and gives Tom a good talking to - but does he listen?

So there you are - the third DVD - and another 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! 

...less