That's My Boy

Watching this show brought back fond memories of both Mollie Sugden and of British comedies of those years. There really are not any plots to speak of with their only purpose being to encourage a few moments of simplistic escapism. The humor mostly relies on the characterizations of Mollie and her co stars. They are two dimensional and laden with mugging to the camera, but for me, charming. I did laugh when someone commented how terrific the theme song is. It consists of "la la la, that's my boy" repeated over and over again ad nauseum until I decided to fast forward through it after viewing the first few episodes.

I did find the series to improve as it went along. I would guess that you would really have to like Mollie in order to like the show, which I do. Of the two other lead characters, Jennifer Lonsdale, I can't find any other work she did after this series and Christopher Blake died fairly young. They do what they are supposed to do which is mainly to serve as backdrop for Mollie to bounce off of and are likable while doing it. Jennifer is very attractive and her wardrobe representing her character of a high fashion model is sometimes remarkable and sexy.

I found it to be very pleasant spending some evenings with this show.

Form your own ideas about Mollie Sugden portraying "Ida Willis". Of course she does NOT act like Mrs. Slocombe because she isn't. If you give her a chance, you'll have a good chance at enjoying her portrayal. A 'real' Mollie Sugden fan will enjoy Ida too; whereas a Mrs. Slocombe fan might not. It's just like Patricia Routledge portraying Hyacinth Bucket [Bouquet] and Hetty Wainthropp. They are both interesting characters but Hyacinth is a funny snob whereas Hetty is a lady detective. They're different, as are Mrs. Slocombe & Ida. I really believe that you'll enjoy BOTH characters. Give them a chance; you'll be glad you did!

That's My Boy, produced by Yorkshire Television in the 1980s, was clearly designed as a vehicle for the irrepressible Mollie Sugden, who was riding high on the popularity of her unforgettable role as Mrs Slocombe in Are You Being Served? With her ever-changing hair, penchant for innuendo, and impeccable comic timing, Sugden was a household name-and this series gave her centre stage once again.

In That's My Boy, she plays Ida Willis, a no-nonsense, meddling housekeeper who discovers the young man she's working for is actually the son she gave up for adoption years earlier. The humour is built around the ensuing awkwardness, misunderstandings, and culture clash. Sugden dominates each episode with her larger-than-life presence, while Christopher Blake and Jennifer Lonsdale play their roles straight, effectively providing a platform from which Sugden's comedy can land.

Compared to other sitcoms of the same era, That's My Boy is relatively gentle and easily forgettable. The show doesn't break any new ground, and its appeal was always going to skew older-partly due to Sugden being in her sixties and playing a mother figure to an adult son, which naturally shaped the tone and humour.

Yet, for all its simplicity, the series still has charm. The plots may be predictable, but they're executed with warmth, and the show knows exactly what it is: light entertainment. There's comfort in its predictability, and Sugden's energy carries it through even its flatter moments.

Not a classic, but an affectionate throwback that remains watchable thanks to its star's enduring talent.

A strange premise for a sitcom but it sort of works chiefly because of Mollie Sugden's immensely likable performance. This show also has a terrific theme tune which suits the show really well. It is surprising that they made 5 series and maybe it did go on too long but some of the episodes are enjoyable, and in places, quite funny. I really like Jennifer Lonsdale as Angie, and Christopher Blake as Robert is also perfectly OK. I liked this show when first shown on TV without it being one of my favourites and the same applies now. Worth watching if you like something fairly gentle but with a few laughs and well worth seeing if you like Mollie Sugden.

Very funny but minor comedy series from the 80s that stars the terrific Mollie Sugden as a pushy, possessive, and very funny mother.

Odd plot has Sugden as Ida Willis, a middle-aged woman who works as a domestic. When she shows up for a new job, she discovers that the doctor she's working for (Christopher Blake) is the baby she gave up for adoption 28 years before. While this seems like an odd starting point for a comedy, it injects some tension in the relationships between mother and son and adopted mother (Clare Richards).

The snooty adoptive mother has raised the boy, named Robert, to be a proper prig. Down-to-earth Ida constantly needles the doctor, whom she named Shane after a soap opera character, to break through his pomposity, much to the delight of his sweet wife (Jennifer Lonsdale).

Lurking in the corners is Ida's shiftless brother Wilfred (Harold Goodwin) who's a thorn in her side and an embarrassment to Robert.

In the fourth season, Robert gets the chance at his own medical practice in the country, so the shows packs up and moves to a new locale. This season also brings in the marvelous Deddie Davies as the medical secretary Edith Parfitt.

The series provided another great character for the wonderful Mollie Sugden, joining Mrs. Slocombe from "Are You Being Served?" in the pantheon of unforgettable British comedy characters.