Potter

Only just discovered Potter and I'd say its one of the most underrated comedies of its time. Make no mistake it's not perfect and the premise is slightly weak and predictable but there is just something about Arthur Lowe that really endears you to the series.

It's not ground breaking but it is entertaining and actually really quite witty in places. Redfers (Lowe) was delightfully archaic even back in 1982 but today he borders on prehistoric in his views of the world.

It's delightfully period in places yet still feels quite fresh and there is no doubting the consummate skill of Lowe as an actor - worth a watch just go expecting fawlty towers.

I've seen most British sitcoms as they came out since the late 70s, so I don't know how this one escaped me till now. Starring Arthur Lowe and written by Roy Clarke, it deserves to be much better known - it seems to have had a DVD issue only in Australia, and its upload (thankfully) onto Youtube was also by Australians.

Clarke, best known for Last of the Summer Wine and Open All Hours, has actually written quite a few shows - I'm guessing that this one was the result of a move into London's suburbia, and the characters he observed there, but it has many of the same themes and elements as the others: retired people trying to find something to do with themselves, the yearning to get more out of life, outraged respectability and - above all - people trying to Keep Up Appearances. Lowe, though, makes a perfect vehicle for his style, and Potter - 'Potter mints, the hotter mints' - is a character to compare with Arkwright, Clarke's greatest creation. His condescending pomposity is perfect - you laugh in a 'you are awful' way, but crucially he doesn't repel you. He's not quite Cpt Mainwaring, because the latter lived in terror of his wife but Potter is always browbeating his; also Mainwaring is basically a stand-up guy, where Potter is a shameless parasite - but a strangely likeable one.

There's excellent support, particularly from John 'CJ' Barron (who looks a giant next to Lowe and the rest of the cast) and Harry H Corbett. For both Lowe and Corbett it was their last significant role. RIP.

I think I may have watched this when it was originally shown, but couldn't remember much about it. Seeing it again, I'm not surprised - although not unwatchable, it's far from either Arthur Lowe's best work or Roy Clarke's as writer. The section where Potter returns to his office for his last half-day before retirement is rather silly, particularly where he has a sort of tug-of war over his old office carpet. The "at home" parts are rather better - Noel Dyson as his wife is quite amusing when she comments that all she sees of him at breakfast is his ankle - but the scene at the end where they both get drunk didn't really work.

I seem to revisit the first two seasons of Potter alot. They have alot of comedy in them that is subtle and enjoyable. Its not a noisy laugh out loud type of sitcom like Fawlty Towers. It has moments of physical comedy but much of it is driven by dialogue.

The first two seasons are excellent but the third season loses me. The show was slated to start shooting but Arthur Lowe passed away a few months before they started. By that time, Harry Corbett who played the recurring role of ex gangster Harry Tombs passed away (he himself replaced Sydney Taftler in the role who had also passed away during the show's run) and they didn't bring back the character. Robin Bailey took over the role of Redvers Potter but the storylines ended up being mostly about just Potter and the Vicar getting Tolliver in trouble. Not only were these great actors gone but gone were some fresher ideas of where the story could go.

Its a clever show and well written. It is also a unique show in that British sitcoms mostly ignored older wealthy characters as featured centerpieces for a show. There is nothing young or trendy about Potter. Maybe thats why it's basically buried in the archives.