Have just re-watched (well, not quite finished) the first series of Solo with Felicity Kendal. I watched it a few years back and must say I seemed to think it was better this time round for some reason.
It's gentle, funny, witty, a bit moody, very topical (for the time) and makes you think, quite seasond actors and a writer in her prime.
I like it, I like it!
More please!
I've never seen it repeated here and I doubt very much I'll get it on DVD. I would watch it if popped up again, to see what I only had on as background in little patches when it first aired. It was certainly very ponderous from what I remember, but looked pleasant. I would call it a sitromcom.
I seem to recall that it aimed for the wistful tone of Butterflies but with a slightly more feminist slant. Perhaps Felicity Kendal did not serve Carla Lane's writing as well as Wendy Craig, but I do not recall it making much of an impression.
Lovely theme song by Sandy Denny; curious though to compare the out of control lifestyle of the folk diva with the supposedly modern girl in the safe sitcom.
I've been watching it recently in order to put our guide together, and wasn't massively impressed. It's very ... patchy, doesn't quite feel like it knows where it's going half of the time. Much like Gemma, I suppose, but still.
Here's the review I've written for it:
A mediocre offering from the prolific Carla Lane. Typically female-centric, but somewhat unusually a mix of propaganda both for and against men, relationships, marriage, babies, and anything else of such ilk that one could care to mention.
Gemma's neighbours - who make bizarre scattered appearances unlinked to Gemma, Danny, or the main of the plots - have more than a little ring of Beryl and Sandra (The Liver Birds) to them; one can at times picture Polly James and Nerys Hughes chattering in the small bedsit, rather than Josie and Bernadette.
An odd programme on the whole. It is not entirely unfunny, but it is by no means anything special. Watching it, one is torn between whether it should be classed as a quaint, light-humour affair, or just a not-particularly-good sitcom.
I guess it was heading towards Luv.
Watched this a few months back when it was shown on GOLD. Found it to be quite slow and not at all funny. I'm sure many there were many women who at the time who watched this, could empathise and relate to Gemma's character.
Nice to see Elspet Gray playing the part of Gemma's mother. Some of you may remember her from Fawlty Towers in the episode The Psychiatrist.
It was ok, but Felicity Kendal looked older than 30. Joey from Bread turns up in it .
At the time I remember it as being quite ground breaking - even the suggestion that life might be better on your own. Enjoyed it less second time around. I rented it from "Love Film" if anyone wants to see it.
