Quote: Gordon Bennett @ 23rd July 2015, 8:08 PM BSTI watched the first two episodes of my box set I got on my last birthday (or was it Christmas?) and I like it so far. The comedy is not laugh out loud but funny enough. I like the sci fi aspect, that'll will keep me interested for many episodes if nothing else. And of course it's great to see Nicholas Lyndhurst again.
There's also loads of references to famous songs and people - such as Robert Maxwell - or should that be Robert House?
Quote: Chappers @ 23rd July 2015, 8:11 PM BSTThere's also loads of references to famous songs...
In the first episode Gary claims to have written "Your Song".
Quote: Gordon Bennett @ 23rd July 2015, 8:15 PM BSTIn the first episode Gary claims to have written "Your Song".
Amongst many many others.
It's one of the running jokes.
Still enjoying it after 7 episodes.
My only criticism about the series was that I'd have loved to see Ron used more. Such a good character and actor.
Quote: Chappers @ 23rd July 2015, 8:11 PM BSTThere's also loads of references to famous songs....
Cop: "Don't go breaking her (Phoebe's) heart!"
Gary: "I couldn't if I tried"
Quote: Aaron @ 29th July 2015, 9:00 PM BSTMy only criticism about the series was that I'd have loved to see Ron used more. Such a good character and actor.
Agree! The character could have been written for The Big Bang Theory, a nerdy loner, slightly creepy. Brilliantly played by the actor.
When this first came out, my mum and I really were looking forward to the concept. We still catch the odd episode when it's on. My mum always thought it would have been better with a more 'Timothy Lumsden' character in the main role. Someone who really had nothing much in his own time but perhaps was an avid history-buff working in a library. It may have been better if he had little control over the length of time he could stay in the past, meaning that he really couldn't stay for long.
Mum really didn't like the adultery aspect, as she always pitied Yvonne's character who seemed to always love and support him no matter how distant, absent and financially draining he was to her.
So your mum didn't really like it then?
She liked Ron better than Gary
Quote: Mutley @ 5th August 2015, 4:03 PM BSTWhen this first came out, my mum and I really were looking forward to the concept. We still catch the odd episode when it's on. My mum always thought it would have been better with a more 'Timothy Lumsden' character in the main role. Someone who really had nothing much in his own time but perhaps was an avid history-buff working in a library. It may have been better if he had little control over the length of time he could stay in the past, meaning that he really couldn't stay for long.
Mum really didn't like the adultery aspect, as she always pitied Yvonne's character who seemed to always love and support him no matter how distant, absent and financially draining he was to her.
When I re-watched the series again quite recently, I couldn't help feeling the same way as your mother. Goodnight Sweetheart is still a pretty good show but it should have been so much better based on the great concept.
Richard Herring continues to rip it apart on his podcast at regular intervals...
I said it when the series was new and I'll say it again now.
The WW2 scenes were excellent but the modern-day scenes were very pedestrian indeed.
I never understood why Rodney didn't bring more authentic WWII stuff back for Del to sell at auction. Within a year they could have been millionaires.
The first three series are good fun and often pretty funny but for me the main draw was the lovely Dervla Kirwan, whom I first became smitten with in Ballykissangel. I didn't care for the change over in series 4 and particularly the replacement of not only Dervla but also Michelle Holmes as Yvonne. The loss of those two was badly felt for me and should've been a signal to the Beeb to have called it a day.
I always forget that they changed Yvonne too.
I wonder if there's ever been a show that gradually changed all the main character actors.
The problem with the show - and I generally like it, I have the set - is that it isn't funny enough.
Ron is a great character, ably played by Victor McGuire, and the rest of the cast are fine. But it needed to be a lot punchier. Reg, for example, is particularly weak. He's stupid. And that's it. Many of the jokes which derives from that are similarly stupid.
Phoebe's father, Eric, was only in the first series but he was excellent. He was suspicious of Gary and that brought tension. You thought Gary could be found out at any moment. Take him away - which the writers deliberately did, ostensibly so the Gary and Phoebe relationship could develop - and the tension was gone. Gary, of course, had no problem pulling the wool over Reg's eyes.
There were laughs to be had, of course, but the main draw is its premise.
