In the absence of anything else I watched it tonight. 2nd episode I think and I did enjoy it.
Just Good Friends Page 4
Yeah it still stands up well enough
The family were great both sides
Long wanted to see a rerun, after being told to watch it on its first airing and only caught a few. It probably seemed too much of a 'girls sitcom' for me at the time, being into Citizen Smith and Dad's Army. So it was interesting to read in the trivia notes that Sullivan was motivated to write it after Cheryl Hall in CS said he couldn't write for women. What I do remember is it was the most talked about sitcom at the time, people would avidly watch it for the 'will they get back together again thing'. It was an insanely popular show, so he obviously cracked it on that one.
John Sullivan. Write the theme toon, sing the theme toon.
A joy to watch (properly) after 40 years and the benefit of these Drama and Yesterday channel reruns is you don't have to wait a week for the next episode, unlike for the original run and repeats. There's chemistry between the leads and some great lines and trade mark JS visual gags dotted throughout. I particularly like the after end credits return for a punchline from Vince. It's a cracking romcom-sitcom, with the added interest of seeing life again as it was back then - unPC but amusing. I think there may be a link there.
The end of series 2 last night, great ep and the intended end of the sitcom proper, but followed up with a 90 minute Christmas special prequel as a send off for its fans. Such was the furore from the fans that it and the couple ended, Sullivan had to bring them back for a final series two years later. Anyway, I'm hoping they show the 90minute special tonight in place of the LOTSW double bill. And that s3 will be shown next.
This has been a proper sitcom with a story arc, not the soapy dramedy stuff they do today. Sullivan's high joke count ratatat dialogue is all over it, a joy to watch and thoroughly deserves its place in the Top 50 sitcom list. And a mention for Nicholas, clearly not a trained actor, but few could match his laddish charm. The chemistry between the two was sparkling, couldn't have had a better match of leads.
I agree Alfred. When people wrote he was a crap actor - I had never noticed and still don't think he was.
If anybody was not a good actor, it was Gina, his wife.
One of my favourite episodes is when he meets Penny's husband at the vegan restaurant.
Andrew Tourell played nasty creepy Graham brilliantly.
Sorry but yes I always thought Paul Nicholas was a crap actor like all those rock stars; Roger Daltrey, David Essex, David Bowie.
Adam Faith was pretty good I thought and Ringo did alright in the little roles he had. Jim Dale and Anthony Newley were the best though, both natural actors. Nicholas is actually very good at the comedy, it's just the long scenes of dialogue he struggles with as you can see him trying to remember his lines. A performer rather than a natural actor like most pop stars.
I always found Nicholas to be a little too aware of the camera - always slightly taking the audience in. It meant the scenes never felt 'real', in my books.
She was fantastic.
And lovely.
Jess Conrad - that's another. Popped up in an Are You Being Served, a Miss Marple and the film The Boys in the past week.
Quote: Chappers @ 6th June 2022, 5:24 PMAnd still is!
Just checked.
Still got it going on.
Final ep just starting on Drama for those interested. Hmm, finally a resolution but a bit rushed through I thought. And I didn't get it. Were marriages in France not valid in GB back then then?
Watched an episode on the Drama channel, I think it was - still holds up well, and noticed Arthur Bostrom in bit part as a gay drinker in a pub - "I was pissing by the door, when I heard a shat"(Name that part, without looking anything up). 😁