Ever Decreasing Circles

Successful comedy writing partnership John Esmonde and Bob Larbey had already come up with the popular "The Good Life", and they teamed up with Richard Briers again for this series focusing on middle-class suburban eccentricity and strife.

Briers starred as Martin Bryce, a completely obsessive form filler, club joiner and committee organiser. His wife, Ann (Penelope Wilton) has somehow put-up with his irritating behaviour for some years - 14 in fact when it's revealed later in the series. According to Martin, and perhaps because of him, everything runs like clockwork in "The Close" - a leafy Home Counties estate where the houses have nice names. Martin's is called Brookes Mead.

Martin's life is changed however with the introduction of Paul Ryman (Peter Egan). Paul is an affable, charming and super confident chap who has a university degree (Martin hasn't) and runs a hairdressing business in town. Totally secure, he is not put off by Martin's horrendous attitude towards him and proceeds to help him out. It is this fact that frustrates Martin even more - because Paul can sort everything out just by calling one of his many "friends". The mere fact that Paul can make life seem so simple while Martin frets over every small detail makes their relationship a taut one. Still, Paul is such a nice guy he never shows a cold side to Martin. However, he enjoys flirting with Ann, and for a couple of episodes you wonder if they would get it on behind Martin's back, but surprisingly, Martin and Ann's marriage is very stable.

In the tradition of weird next-door neighbours are the dull Howard and Hilda Hughes (geddit), who are fully-paid up members of Martin's committees, flower-growing clubs and other silly schemes that you would only get in white middle-class English communities. They have a penchant for wearing matching Noel Edmonds type sweaters, with Howard always telling the same joke to his wife when he comes home to work in the evening. Stanley Lebor and Geraldine Newman are perfect in these roles.

This BBC sitcom proved to fairly popular with viewers, perhaps because the talented cast make their characters work so well. The first couple of episodes, straight off from where we see Martin using his infamous duplicator in his small upstairs office, are a little off-putting. It is down to the character of Martin, who is such an obsessive bore you can't stand much of him and have little sympathy for either. But he grows on you, and while he never truly gets on best mates terms with Paul, he accepts him as a neighbour as the series goes on. The viewers are in the same boat, as we accept all the misery is reaped on him by himself, and that we English share a kind of self-depreciating empathy with him.

The series ran for 4 seasons from 1984 to 1987, with an 80 minute closing episode in 1989. This had Martin and Ann moving away from The Close.

P.S. My favourite scene in this series is when Martin joins the exclusive Egremont Club. Martin and the man who introduces him to the club keep calling for the steward - but he is nowhere to be seen. In comes the smooth Paul who sits down and calls "steward" in the same manner, and the barman promptly appears.

Apart from Only Fools and Horses there is no better mainstream 80s comedy than this, on the surface it's the usual middle class suburban fare with clichéd characters but is a whole lot deeper, cleverer and funnier than that.

Richard Bryers gives his best comedy performance, quality support from Penelope Wilton and Peter Egan is well cast as his foil Paul. Then of course the shows light relief in the form of 'his and hers' outfits, Howard and Hilda.

The show exists in very ordinary unspectacular surroundings of a London suburb but no shame there, as thats pretty much the situation most of us live in. Much of the comedy derives from Martin Bryce's (Byrers) insecurity as he see's Paul as the threat to his quiet little corner of England.

Richard Briers has appeared in some terrific TV comedy series but this must surely be his best performance to date. His character, Martin Bryce, runs 'The Close', his local neighbourhood by organizing all the committees and cajoling his neighbours to take part in various activities. His job, at Mole Valley Valves is seen to be fairly humdrum. His wife (Penelope Wilton) just about puts up with his irritating, though well-meaning ways, but his dream world has a rude awakening with the arrival of new next door neighbour, Paul Ryman (Peter Egan). Paul is everything Martin is not that in that he is successful in business without seeming to bother, has played cricket at Lords, is handsome with a succession of beautiful girlfriends, has many 'mates' to help him pull strings and is charming to all and sundry.

The series shows Martin's vain attempts to prove he is the better man, often to his wife, Anne, but also to other neighbours from the close, notably Howard & Hilda Hughes. These two are another classic creation from writers Esmonde and Larbey. They do everything together, have a daily set routine which can never be interrupted and a genius for unintentional and innocent double-entendres usually only picked up by Paul and Anne. Howard (brilliantly portrayed by Stanley Lebor) is Martin's best friend but the latter cannot understand why he falls for Paul and his 'nice guy' image.

One of the funniest episodes of the series comes when Anne is in hospital for a few days and Martin boastfully promises to spring clean the house single-handedly in her absence. He uses charts, colour-coding and a stop-watch but everything goes wrong that could go wrong and it's Paul who inevitably has to come to the rescue. The series ended with a one-off extended edition which saw Anne expecting a baby (rather late in life) and the couple's move from The Close to Oswestry, brought about by the merger of Martin's firm.

An essential purchase on DVD for anybody who appreciates subtle comedy writing and great performances by the entire cast.

The brilliance of this series is demonstrated by the fact that when it was shown on the same Sunday evenings as Only Fools and Horses the eminently forgettable programme sandwiched in between "Howard's Way" recorded amazing viewing figures also. The premise of the series which centred on the angst of a pedantic control freak, was hard to pull off but Richard Briers was amazing in the role which was the entire hub of the series. The support cast was also brilliant with an amazing rapport between all the players. I have to say I laughed out loud at the one damning review here which couldn't see the joke in Howard saying to Hilda:

"Come on dear, we best go home now or we'll miss the shipping forecast."

"Why do we always listen to the shipping forecast Howard?"

"Because it leads us nicely into the news dear."

If he couldn't see the humour in that he must have had a good deal in common with Briers' character Martin Brice who could never see the humour in anything. That was what made it so funny.

Martin Bryce is a man going in ever decreasing circles. His long suffering wife Ann loves Martin, but he drives her mad most of the time, particularly when he takes his obsessive behaviour to extremes (such as oiling the bed in the middle of the night because it squeaks!) Martin runs all the clubs and activities in the local area (of which there are many). Then Paul Ryeman moves in next door to Ann and Martin and is instantly popular. He is likable and easy going, everything Martin is not, except that he, like Martin, is a leader rather than a follower. Many of the residents (most of which are rather pathetic) now see Paul as their guiding light. This drives Martin mad and he soon develops a strong dislike to Paul which, though mellows, never entirely goes away.

Paul does become quite fond of Martin and gets on very well with Ann. They have a similar outlook and sense of humour and Paul helps Ann cope with life amongst the narrow minded bores of the Close. If Martin had the courage to step outside his comfort zone he would see these people for what they are, but he loves being the leader and feeling that he's important. He also loves organising. His day job (he works in valves) doesn't motivate him, but he devotes most of his spare time to organising the activities of his societies. He has a box room with lots of cubby holes packed with paperwork. He is never happier then when in this room busily at work. Although he loves Ann he often puts organising committees above spending time with her in his list of priorities.

Although there is an attraction between Ann and Paul, they never get together because Ann loves Martin. In the final episode Martin discovers Ann is pregnant, and with his valve company moving to Shropshire, he makes the painful decision to move away from his beloved Close. As they are saying goodbye Ann suggests to Paul (who was married before) that he should get married again. Paul says he would if he could find someone like her. His true feelings are revealed.

The standard of acting in the show is very high. Richard Briers is in top form and produces a great comic and tragic performance as Martin. Penelope Wilton is brilliant as Ann. On paper it would appear that there would be nothing keeping Martin and Ann together, but the way Richard and Penelope play the parts the love between their two characters is clear to see. Peter Egan is perfectly cast as Paul and Stanley Lebor and Geraldine Newman are very amusing as Martin's reliable but rather pathetic neighbours Howard and Hilda. This sitcom ran for four series, plus a feature length finale, and the standard remained high throughout.