A Fine Romance

When I first watched this show, I was little disappointed but after watching it again. I could see this is a fine show about two real life actors like Dame Judi Dench and Michael Williams (who did receive a papal knighthood) playing two odd characters like a linguist and a landscaper. Judi plays Laura, the intellectual linguist, and Michael plays Mike, the quiet shy landscaper. At first, this is an unlikely pairing but you know if you know anything about the great Dame Judi Dench (even though she prefer you call her just Judi, no Dame Judi or Ms. Dench). This is their romance. While Dame Judi receives a lot of attention, Michael is the wind beneath her wings. I paid a lot more attention to his role in this show. I can see why she fell in love with him. When Judi asked about her longtime marriage to Michael, she responded that "they just enjoyed being in the same room together." Now that is a sign of a fine romance and an excellent relationship. Michael never did receive the fame or accolades as his wife but I know he was proud of her even now as she earns one of Britain's top honor, Companion of Honor, only 65 living people at a time can receive this honor. When Dame Judi earned her O.B.E. (Officer of the British Empire) in 1970, Michael was not there in her life. When she became Dame Judi, Mike and her daughter, Finty was there at the palace. Now, she has her grandson, Sam, and Finty for this special occasion. I will say the writing of this show could be better. The humor is much dryer than normal, it is very cerebral and intellectual. Susan Penhaligon and Richard Warwick are just fine as Laura's sister Helen and brother-in-law Phil. It really is the story of Mike and Judi's great relationship. I bet you that Judi loved doing this show with Mike. It gave them a chance for both of them to shine.

"A Fine Romance" is a delightful, gentle comedy that romance afficionados will love. Cleverly written by Bob Larbey, half of the duo that brought us "The Good Neighbors" and wonderfully nuanced performances by Dame Judi and the rest of the ensemble. American Britcom fans will definitely want to check this one out. Even my (non-romantic) hubby was chuckling throughout.

This is one of those TV series you remember fondly from earlier days, due to its two stars and the gentle humour which honestly reflects the actions of two awkward people, each looking for companionship and never expecting to find it. Mike and Laura are made for each other in the eyes of their friends; it really is that obvious, but not to themselves, of course.

Viewers of 'As Time Goes By' may find the show less fun. Perhaps that's due to the late 70s and early 80s being a strange period, especially for those of us who managed to survive it without any scars! I've seen ATGB from beginning to end a number of times and am sure it was partly done as Judi's tribute to Michael. He's one of my three favourite actors, right up there with James Bolam and Alun Armstrong.

Some people have commented on the shortness of the series, but it was and still is common practice in England to produce seasons of less than 10 episodes per year, in order to maintain quality control over the content.

This is a delightful British comedy about two people who are too shy and insecure to reveal their true feelings to one another. It's a treat to see Judi Dench a bit earlier in her career. She also gives us a preview to her character in "As Time Goes By". It's a pity that they made so few episodes of this charming series.

This is just the kind of wonderful English comedy that American television would buy and then immediately strip all its charm away by loading it down with sexual innuendo and casting actors wrong for the parts.

Judi Dench is admirable as an actor because she is willing to take on the mundane and see its dramatic possibilities. She has never been a snob about television comedy roles. Her work in it is usually better than 95% of movies filmed. Her husband, Michael Williams, is a master at physical comedy that reveals his character's state of mind. There is even pathos in the series as each character learns that what he or she thought was "settling" is actually a golden opportunity because the other person has valuable qualities.

It's a shame that the world did not fully recognize Mr. William's brilliant comedic talent before his untimely death.