Sunnyside Farm

Raymond and Ken Sunnyside live in a dilapidated old farmhouse and are beholden to their Barbour wearing Tory scum landlord, Mr Letchworth. Ken (Mark Addy) is a little on the dim side (to say the least) and his brother Raymond (Phil Daniels) is a belligerent little git whom you just can't help but warm to. In fact, he's rather like Victor Meldrew in that respect, only a lot ruder and more down-at-heel.

This peculiar little sit-com focuses on the many mis-haps of the scruffy twosome and is the sort of thing that you might expect from Monty Python or the Kids in the Hall, had either of those surreal comedy teams decided to do a sit-com. It doesn't seem to care about making the masses laugh and most would find it just plain nonsensical. But there are some truly bizarre situations that made me laugh out loud and brilliant central performances from Daniels and Kitchen (Addy and the often hilariously surreal Matt Lucas are also wonderfully memorable).

I'd love to say more about this show but it's been so long since I've seen it that most of it is a bit of a blur now (no pun intended - for those in the know). Also, having been a complete flop and utterly slated in the press, it's never been released on video or DVD. In fact, my main reason for commenting on it is to put straight the user who referred to Phil Daniels' accent as 'mockney'. I really take exception to this as Daniels was born and raised in London and was using his own accent. Anybody who's heard Blur's 'Parklife' will be aware of that. Also, I never got the impression that he or any of the other actors in this unusual comedy seemed ill at ease in their roles. It's not as if they're jobbing actors who grab what they can and spend the rest of their time on the dole. I like to think they chose to do 'Sunnyside Farm' because they recognised something totally original when they saw it.

Very difficult to find this, but can be found quite easily since 2013. I have begged the BBC to release this on DVD. No reply. This is crazy humor and today i think would suit more people as i think it was ahead of its time. Many scenes are just unique and quite special in the way they were captured. A harsh sense of humor is needed at times to appreciate the crass comments, but i think the cast went on to their own things after this and to abandon this without thought was a mistake, i was looking forward to a second series but alas, never happened, if you get a chance and enjoy heavy comedy with outrageous politically incorrect moments then this is for you

But I do remember that I thought this was funny and should definitely be made available, and I normally hate that cockney guy.

This And Glam Metal Detectives needs a DVD release.

I wish I could remember more of this but unfortunately I didn't record any episodes.

I'm sure this could hold it's own against the total dross we now in the UK have instead of comedy (excluding Peep Show, TV Burp & Entertainment Now)

WAKE UP BBC! If The High Life can get a DVD release.

Why not this?

This pathetic disgrace of a so-called 'sitcom' remains the worst piece of television, any genre, to be made in Britain in the televisual era. A complete lack of situation, a complete lack of comedy. The plot so thin it constitutes an eating disorder, the writing almost at the level of a 'disadvantaged' person, the acting so embarrasing getting caught with your pants down sounds a better bet. Even the actors Mark Addy and Phil Daniels seem ashamed as they perform.

That is not however to let them off. Daniels 'Mockney' schtick tires after just minutes of the first episode and gets worse each time. Concentrating solely on getting a laugh by saying phrases such as "oh, bellowing cows' backsides" as Cockney as possible cut no ice with anyone, nor did the vague attempt to set the sitcom in - surprise,surprise - a farm. Addy, as his stooge, fares no better. The viewing public switched off in droves, the critics tore it to pieces and it was pulled after the first series without trace. The fact that very few people in Britain actually recall this sitcom stands as testament to it's overwhelming offensiveness.

Watch it if you can and prepare to be appalled.

The word has it that this programme was commissioned when another production fell through, with only three months notice.

I could have sworn it made it to a second series, but who am I to argue.

The gist of the plot was two brothers inherited a farm, one, the 'cleverer' of the pair was overcome with dismay, at the utter futility of the situation.

He fantasised about having an affair with the 'woman next door' - a pretty if not especially bright 'townie' who's moved from the city with her husband and children (Oberon & Titania) The second brother (by far the more stupid) is content with his lot.

To that extent, it's a thinly veiled remake of the classic 1960's sitcom 'Steptoe and Son'.

In my estimation this should have been ranked alongside 'Father Ted' but the mandarins at the BBC thought otherwise, nd it was quietly 'put out to grass'