The Upper Hand

Sometimes we Brits steal America's shows.

This is based on US show Who's The Boss? I say 'based'; translated is more like it, as the first episodes are identical in their script. The premise is interesting: career woman Caroline Wheatley (Diane Weston) is looking for a housekeeper. Unbeknown to her, her mother Laura (Honor Blackman) has promised the job to ex-footballer Charlie (Joe McGann, brother of Paul/Stephen/Mark McGann). Though Caroline is a bit unsettled at having a bloke in the house, he and his chip-off-the-block daughter Joanna (Kellie Bright) move in.

As a sitcom, it's a bit 'gentle' and laboured; sleepy Sunday type of TV, which is probably why it's being repeated on ITV 3. It works a lot better as a comic drama about alternative family structures and gender role reversals. Refreshingly (although I haven't watched every episode so don't know if this evolves) neither the characters of Caroline or Charlie are made to sacrifice their personalities. Caroline is a career woman who couldn't care less about domesticity and Charlie is house-proud without being portrayed as effeminate.

We know from the start that Caroline and Charlie will get together but it's like in Ugly Betty. It's the audience's pay-off. However there's no sizzling sexual chemistry. That may disappoint some viewers but I actually prefer it. The sitcom is about families and whilst I'm not disputing the right of parents to have a sex life (which Caroline and Charlie attempt to have else where), it would imply that the combined family was as a result, an afterthought, whereas it's actually the romance that's the afterthought.

There isn't really a 'will they, won't they?', it's a question of 'when will they?'. But even then, the appeal is that the families just accept their unconventional structure; indeed, they pretty soon become one family.

Whilst I wouldn't watch it for laughs, it's a nice undemanding bit of comfort TV. Second Chances was also on around about this time; it has a similar theme of families evolving/combining and a similar gentle tone. Interestingly the opposite of other nineties sitcoms such as Game On and Men Behaving Badly, which explored lad culture.

this show was about a single father moving away from London to be a housekeeper in the countryside. The show ran for 6 years and was always full of laughs, the cast were superb and it was a shame to the show end.

The entire series lacked not only depth but also quality jokes. Apart from the occasional plot variation, the script was vapid and often sentimental. The fact that this was meant to be a comedy is the only laughable element of this program.

Best avoided!

"The Upper Hand" was an extremely funny comedy but was also a drama series. The story goes that Charlie Burrows (Joe McGann) is a single parent, trying to bring up his daughter Joanna (Kellie Bright) in a rough area of London. When a job opportunity arises which allows Charlie to leave London and give Joanna a better life, he grabs it with both hands. This job is working as a live-in housekeeper for divorced business woman Caroline Wheatley (Diana Weston) and helping to look after her son Tom (William Puttock). As the series progresses a friendship begins to grow between Charlie and Caroline, which eventually leads to love. "The Upper Hand" is stuffed full of comedy much of which comes from the hilariously naughty character of Laura West (Honor Blackman) Caroline's mother. The two children are also another source of light relief especially when the relationship between Caroline and Charlie begins to develop. Looking back at "The Upper Hand" now, the set and the "niceness" and perhaps innocence of life do make the viewer very aware that it was a series of the 90s but this does not make it any less entertaining to watch. Indeed, it is about time the series was released on DVD for fans of the show and for those who didn't see it first time round. From the first notes of the theme tune right to the end, every episode is a joy to watch.

This was great show. and had huge ratings in the UK. It even got an extra original season made in the end, because the US version left things unfinished.

The cast were fantastic. As were the re-written scripts for the UK. Blackman and the other cast blended well together. Always made me laugh how the Sets really are look a likes for the US version. In the UK this was a prime time comedy which is very rare for the ITV Networks who showed it. ITV during the 90's were not big fans of Prime Time Comedy, this show broke the mold.

I would say to anyone watch this show you will like it.