A Very Peculiar Practice

This is the best comedy I've ever seen. Written, perhaps as a serie a clef, by ex-academic Andrew Davies, who went on to adapt Middlemarch, Pride and Prejudice etc for the BBC, it is also the best comedy ever set in the health centre of a provincial British university.

A Very Peculiar Practice is another example of the intelligent and thought-provoking television which the BBC went through a phase of producing during the mid to late-1980s. Along with the likes of Edge of Darkness and the Singing Detective this is a series which demands the attention of the viewer.

Andrew Davies has a proved track record in writing for television and this series is no exception. Peter Davison made the successful leap from being the confident, self-assured and cheeky Doctor Who for 3 years to being the clumsy and nervous but capable Stephen Daker.

Graham Crowden's performances as Jock McCannon are seemingly bizarre but do keep with the series' title. Barbara Flynn is the slightly enigmatic Rose-Marie but David Troughton steals the show as Bob Buzzard, a typical example of the many right of centre profit-seekers who populated Thatcher's Britain at the time.

The series has aged somewhat but its dark humour and memorable theme music give it a great degree of uniqueness and those who don't mind being challenged while watching television could do a lot worse than adding this gem of a comedy-drama to your DVD collection.

Let's face it, almost everyone who writes on IMDb likes to claim such-and-such is the best movie/TV series/mini-series etc. Well this is my pick. I can only assume that not many people have seen this because there are some fairly mediocre programmes getting the nod. This show was a dark black comedy with exquisite scripts and terrific acting. It's the best British show I've seen (Upstairs Downstairs is close and I accept The Singing Detective may be better than I found it). If you get to see reruns of this - make the effort. You'll never regret it or forget it.

Update: the first series is now available on DVD, which is great news. It's truly a programme to treasure. How many others do we buy that we never return to? This is such a literate and witty show that it's worth keeping. The only thing is, Series 2 was probably the best and it's not yet available.

I treated my husband to the DVDs of A Very Peculiar Practice Series 1 for Christmas, and it cheered us up enormously. Instead of watching the usual bilge dished up on British TV, we wallowed in Andrew Davies' witty scripts and the excellent acting of all involved. I can hardly think of a more perfectly cast show - Bob Buzzard is a truly stunning invention, played to perfection by David Troughton. And I doubt if Graham Crowden was ever better. Add to the mix the fragrant Barbara Flynn and you have perfection. The little boy lost look of Peter Davison is affecting, and Amanda Hillwood provides a very decorative foil (even if her accent is hard to pin down - I spent the first episode assuming she was Australian!). We were amazed how well it stood the test of time - my husband is a university lecturer and says things have hardly changed at all, just got worse. To anyone who has never seen this excellent series, give yourself a real treat. You won't regret it.

Firstly, this series is not to everyone's taste. I also wouldn't be at all surprised if it didn't travel too well.

Secondly, it is a 'high comedy', no laughter track, 60 minutes (without adverts) episodes, deliberately slow plot, complex dialogue scenes.

However, now the first series is available on DVD, many can now found out what an absolutely fantastic series this was.

It is based on a 'new' English University Campus, the type built in the 1950's and 60's which display concrete cancer out of every nook and cranny. It has a medical practice to serve students and staff, and every one is slightly mad and eccentric except for the star, Stephen 'Touch Taboo' Daker, his open relationship partner Lyn Turtle, and his roommate (Chen).

Do you like 'The Office'? Well, it is often cited that the prototype for David Brent was Basic Fawlty; but just watch this, and you will know it is Dr Bob Buzzard, what a fantastic creation!

Why is it good?

The acting, the scripts and the direction (even the set design) is fantastic; multiple viewings will be rewarded. Be prepared for a black-edged, intelligent, highly satirical look at University life, complete with a couple of nuns. Andrew (let's do another adaptation) Davies has never really topped this.

I don't think they dare to make slow moving, intelligent, character-based comedy dramas anymore - this is a big pity.

I am curious to know how other people view this, I wouldn't be surprised if there were many who didn't like it. But if you watch this, because of this, or other reviews, and you like it, you will be forever grateful!