Howards' Way

Curerently being re-run on UK Drama, this was the BBC's answer to "Dallas" and "Dynasty".

Totally implausible plots, big shoulder pads, badly acted, intrusive syrupy incidental music and characters with no redeeming features whatsoever (aside possibly from Avril Rolfe, played by Susan Gilmore). It made for unmissable TV. I don't think it was meant to be a comedy, but it certainly made me laugh.

The ridiculous notion that Southampton was a financial hub and the focus of the fashion world beggared belief. I cannot believe that anyone of the viewing millions actually understood anything Charles Frere, Gerald Urquhart and Edward Frere were talking about when it came to "big" business. And how did Jan Howard go from bored housewife to top fashion house proprietor in about three weeks ?!

I was obviously not alone in my assertion of the appalling manner of the acting as I cannot remember any of the cast being in anything after Howard's Way. Top of the "they should never work again" list was the oily fashion victim Ken Masters (Stephen Yardley) closely followed by Kate "Dahhhhling" Howard (Dulcie Gray) and the over-the-top-meistress, Kate O'Mara.

They don't make them like this anymore.... amen to that !!!

I was only 12 years old in 1990 when I bought the Howard's Way theme music on audio cassette - it was the first recording I ever bought!!

It was great to watch on a Sunday night! I always wanted to be out on the sea and be as successful as them!

Due to the recent repeats on UK Drama, there is now quite a lot of interest from fans on various websites who also seem to love the show and the music as much as I did.

Those sunsets and seascapes and the fantastic music would be better than ever if they were digitally remastered and released on DVD !!! It's high time it was!

I never really bothered with Howards Way on its original run i thought it was a lame,cheaply produced British rip off of Dallas,Dynasty,Falcon Crest and the like which i loved watching back in the eighties. But since the re-runs on UKGold i've become hooked, okay its still got the wooden acting,the slightly scary eighties fashions and hair don't's but all this adds to the charm which partly comes from the nostalgia buzz of times past. But in a decade when all we are subjected to in the way of televised entertainment is reality dross and x-list celebrity talent(less)shows or soaps that make the performances in Howards Way look like Oscar contenders then i'll take the nostalgic look back to times when entertainment was exactly that and not the twisted view of what producers consider reality to look like on todays airwaves.

Having lived and worked on the Solent I can vouch for the characters being very true to life especially the husbands & wives behaving badly!! The clothes were realistic for the time ( I can remember wearing a huge hair bow)and anyone who thinks there's no money in Southampton needs to think again you only need to look at the Port Solent & Ocean Village developments with the Sunseekers parked outside!I'm glad to hear its being released on DVD next year-all we need now is a re-run of Eldorado and my happiness will be complete. I don't think Howards Way would have worked as a soap as it would have been difficult to keep up the great story lines but it has to have been worth a few more series at least!

Oh how much I loved Howard's Way, and just imagine my happiness when I saw that it was being shown on UK TV Drama every weekday at 12 and then at 6. It is also repeated on Sundays at 2pm.

Watching it again takes me back to the 80s. A time when Sunday evening's were made eating crumpets doused in butter, drinking tea and watching slimy old Ken Masters in his brilliant white suits. Along with Jan Howard and her 'cutting edge' fashion house (mmmn, polka dots and American football style shoulder pads)

Was gutted to read on this site that Charles and Jack are no longer with us - god bless ya, and thanks for making a very warm childhood seem even warmer.

Howard's Way is available on DVD from this link: http://www.play.com/play247.asp?pa=srmr&page=title&r=R2&title=867783

Brilliant.