Hello everybody
I was wondering if the various off-series specials of OFAH are as good as the regular episodes.
I would appreciate your views and opinions on them. You can even go ahead and mention you favourite ones of the bunch 
Should I get them or do I just stick with the regular series (and save the cash for a better sitcom-investment?)
Thanks,
Fred
In my opinion, they're better. My favourite episode of any is 1989's The Jolly Boys Outing. The storylines (i.e. Rodney's marriage woes) continue through them, so it's best to watch them in sequence with Series 6 and 7.
You should definitely get the specials. Nearly all of them are good with a lot being fantastic. Jolly Boys Outing, Mother Nature's Son and the 1996 trilogy are classics IMO.
To Hull and Back is excellent
However, avoid the 2001-3 eps.
Quote: Dave @ August 19 2011, 5:56 PM BSTHowever, avoid the 2001-3 eps.
I watched the 2001 special last weekend with my family and my dad (who has watched a lot of episodes) thought it was hilarious and his favourite. The 2002 special I've always liked, it was only the 2003 one which focused more on the drama that wasn't that funny IMO.
Thank you all for the input. I'm already getting a clearer picture now.
There is however another aspect my attention was drawn upon whilst checking out bits of the specials on YouTube, i.e. did I hear correctly that some of these specials do not have the usual laughter track? If so, don't you feel it takes anything away from the OFAH-feel?
Thanks
Fred
In my opinion, they are just as good. I think the only one I haven't seen in full is the last ever episode.
Quote: Frederick @ August 19 2011, 6:26 PM BSTThank you all for the input. I'm already getting a clearer picture now.
There is however another aspect my attention was drawn upon whilst checking out bits of the specials on YouTube, i.e. did I hear correctly that some of these specials do not have the usual laughter track? If so, don't you feel it takes anything away from the OFAH-feel?
Thanks
Fred
To Hull and Back doesn't have a laughter track and is filmed to make it seem more of a TV Movie but it's a very good episode. Both A Royal Flush and Miami Twice part two originally aired without laughter tracks but have had tracks added onto the DVD, A Royal Flush is a bad episode with amny cuts anyway and Miami Twice has been ruined somewhat by the laughter track being added in, all the other specials were made with laughter tracks originally.
The one with the two Dels (Miami Twice)
I remember thinking that they had jumped the shark at the time.
But I was pleased when they did the Peckham Spring one, as it was just as great as the original series.
I've been re-watching the entire series recently and can only (largely) echo what others have said: the specials are easily up there as some of the best in the show's history. Although, having said that, I definitely prefer the earlier 30 minute pure-sitcom episodes in general.
On laughter tracks, I found it really, really jarring and off-putting to have To Hull And Back so cold and clinical. It's a very funny episode no doubt, but it needs that extra sparkle and warmth, both of video (rather than film) and the laughter. I think they realised this though, as all the others I've got through (not yet finished the marathon) do seem to have an audience.
A Royal Flush really, only get for completeness. It's ... I can't even describe how awful it is. Perhaps if the DVD release didn't have almost 20 minutes cut out it'd be better, but the hour is about all I can cope with.
In summary: get it all.
Yes, they're all good. I can't remember which is which now though. You're probably best to watch them in order. Especially some of the later ones as they follow on from where they left off, sort of.
Wow, thank you all guys for your valued opinions on this!
I think the specials are mostly all good apart from Fatal Extraction - I never liked that one.
I know it's only a sitcom but this one contains the most un-realistic scene they did, where the rioters stop to allow the Trotters' car through.
Yea I hate that scene too!
