My Family
- TV sitcom
- BBC One
- 2000 - 2011
- 120 episodes (11 series)
A long-running, high rating BBC One sitcom about an average middle class family. Stars Robert Lindsay and Zoe Wanamaker. Stars Robert Lindsay, Zoë Wanamaker, Gabriel Thomson, Daniela Denby-Ashe, Siobhan Hayes and more.
- Series 9, Episode 7 repeated tomorrow at 3pm on U&W
Streaming rank this week: 1,752
Episode menu
Series 9, Episode 1 - Bully For Ben
Further details
It's Ben and Susan's wedding anniversary. Ben is trying to write a loving message in a card but is having serious difficulties, despite fierce prompting from daughter Janey.
Janey sets off for the local pub quiz with her brother, Michael, lodger Alfie and Ben's annoying work colleague, Roger. Ben is insulted that he wasn't invited but decides to tag along anyway.
As their team falls behind in the quiz, Alfie points out that a player on another team has been cheating by texting all night. Ben decides to confront the phone cheat, Barry, who invites him outside to settle their disagreement. Ben backs out of the fight but is determined to get into shape so he can return to confront Barry.
Michael and Alfie later find Ben in a heap surrounded by gym equipment and figure out what he's up to. They force Ben to confess that the real reason for wanting to fight Barry is that he was bullied at school.
With the encouragement of his family, Ben heads back to the pub to confront Barry and his school demons. But, when Ben arrives, he's not so sure he can go through with it - especially as humiliating facts come to light about the identity of his school bully. But, if he backs out now, will the rest of the family ever look at him in the same way?
Broadcast details
- Date
- Thursday 2nd April 2009
- Time
- 8:30pm
- Channel
- BBC One
- Length
- 30 minutes
Cast & crew
| Robert Lindsay | Ben Harper |
| Gabriel Thomson | Michael Harper |
| Daniela Denby-Ashe | Janey Harper |
| Keiron Self | Roger Bailey Jr. |
| Rhodri Meilir | Alfie Butts |
| Tayler Marshall | Kenzo Harper |
| Richard Graham | Barry |
| Tony Bluto | Quizmaster |
| Allison Ryan | Danni Jarvis |
| Brian Leveson | Writer |
| Paul Minett | Writer |
| Ed Dyson | Writer (Additional Material) |
| Amy Shindler | Writer (Additional Material) |
| Robin Taylor | Writer (Additional Material) |
| Nic Phillips | Director |
| John Bartlett | Producer |
| Donald Taffner Jr. | Executive Producer |
| Micheál Jacob | Executive Producer |
| Tom Anderson | Executive Producer |
| Chris Wadsworth | Editor |
| Ian Fisher | Production Designer |
| Sandie Shepherd | Production Designer |
| Graham Jarvis | Composer |
Press
You know just where you are with this sitcom. The gags are set up and knocked down with metronomic precision; the characterisations are as subtle as a sledgehapper; the laughter comes right on cue; and there's nothing too risque - unless you find the odd sexual innuendo offensive. In fact, it's so middle-of-the-road that you can almost see the white line painted down it.
The only surprise is that there's no sign of Zoe Wanamaker in this first episode of the new series (apparently Susan is staying with her mother). Responsibility for generating the laughs, therefore, lies mainly in Robert Lindsay as Ben Harper who gets into an argument at a pub quiz.
Jane Rackham, Radio Times, 2nd April 2009One of Britain's longest-running sitcom - 92 episodes and counting, just 15,235 behind Last of the Summer Wine - returns for a ninth run. It's Ben and Susan's anniversary (again), so Ben takes himself off down the local for a pub quiz with the kids. Where, perhaps, one of the questions will be, 'Which BBC1 comedy should consider quitting while it's ahead?'
What's On TV, 2nd April 2009