Sweet Sixteen

42 year old business owner Helen Walker falls for young employee Peter Morgan, and gets pregnant by him, the pair get closer, but don't always agree.

If you like comedies or British shows in general, you'll be aware of Penelope Keith's major sitcoms, To The Manor Born and The Good Life, I'm not many people are aware of this six part series, it's never had a commercial dvd release, and it's fair to say I can understand why.

Don't expect outlandishly or bawdy humour, it's on the more gentle, mildly amusing scheme, it's a love story with a difference, viewers at the time would see lots of older men with younger women on TV, very little of the other way round, so from that point of view it was quite progressive.

Too often I felt that Penelope Keith was the one doing all the hard work, she truly is a cut above here, by far and away the standout. The supporting cast are fair, but don't always get the best scripts.

Some of the character play is nice, I enjoyed the scenes where Helen took various suits down, and that scenes with ber Doctor were always good.

Look out for a young Richard E Grant in episode 6.

It's worth seeing, but it is an average watch, 6/10.

This was such an excellent series that even now, 16 years later, I still remember it as one of the best I have ever seen. Penelope Keith's performance displayed more of the depth of her talent than she has had the opportunity to express in some of her more recent roles, as she touchingly portrayed the passion, tenderness and confusion of a woman struggling to juggle love and a career. The fact that the blossoming love was with a man 16 years her junior - thus the title - added an extra dimension to this poignant comedy.

In Sweet Sixteen, Keith portrays a widow who suddenly finds herself in charge of the large construction business which her husband had built and managed successfully for many years. The fact that the age difference makes her feel that she must keep secret the affair with the young man who is so enamoured of her - and to whom she finds herself increasingly attracted - is further complicated by the fact that he is the company architect.

This Britcom made it's US debut not long after it's UK one..after all, it lasted only six episodes! My local PBS station reported (because, having seen only six, we were clamoring for MORE) that the Brits didn't accept Penelope Keith in the role of the pregnant older woman and the series was halted after six.

I run a chatlist for fans of Ms. Keith and one of her "other" series, The Good Life/Good Neighbors. Many of my members have only heard of Sweet 16. It's not available on video nor on DVD, and with only six episodes total, it's almost never seen in repeats. Pity because it really is a well done program. If by chance your PBS station decides to air it, by all means watch!

I would say it was one of her better roles, I found the story line intriguing, I thought it was funny any way. I found the tension created by their 16 year age difference believable. I have personal knowledge of a similar coupling. It is still working for them. I would also recommend "Exectutive Stress" , although they switched leading men in the middle they still managed to pull it off, and "To the manor born", both enjoyable comic series displaying Keith's acting talents. While I loved watching Good neighbors, it was a more restricted role that Keith played as the next door neighbor to the Goods in the series. But, it does show the range of characters that Keith has played.

starring Penelope Keith and Christopher Villiers "Sweet Sixteen" was named for the 16 year age difference between the older Helen Walker [Keith], and her lover, the younger Peter Morgan [Villiers]who to complicate matters is also her employee. The series works through the progression and change of their relationship brought about by Helens unexpected pregnancy. From the first episode where Peter discribes their relationship as "a bit of fun", things take quite a different turn. She knows she loves him....but does he love her?. Worth watching.. the six episodes make up a complete story.