When the Boat Comes In

One of my favourite TV shows of all time. Not many shows on TV have I set aside time for to make sure the show is never missed. This is one of them - along with Auf Wiedersein Pet, The Good Life, Bouquet of Barbed Wire, The Lovers (with Geoffrey Bubbles Bon Bon!), Not the Nine o'Clock News, The Fast Show, Shine on Harvey Moon and recently, now I live in Canada, the new HBO series Rome.

It was put your feet up time and settle down to a good old epic story of life, with fun, tears, laughter, trauma, love, lost love and love regained. Real.

Tell me its out on DVD please!

James Bolam came into his own as a mature actor, more than ably supported by his then wife Susan Jamieson. They, in turn, were supported by a fine cast of actors playing in roles that were gritty and not so gritty, full of pathos and ranging in ages that enabled all the viewers to identify with the characters and their situations.

I recently purchased the complete series DVD, and have just finished series 2. I first watched this series 30 years ago, and could remember only parts of it., but recalled it was good. This time around it stands head & shoulders above anything currently on TV.James Bolam is outstanding, as is the whole cast throughout. The one thing that stands out for me also, is how the writer developed the story lines, from a simple soap type beginning to the drama it became-brilliant stuff. If you want to see how good TV once was, and can be, then treat yourself to this superb series. The only fault with the DVD I found was the audio was a little faint at times, but it did not detract from the overall enjoyment. Other than this minor fault, I thoroughly recommend it.Bravo to all!

This is a wonderful, well acted and produced saga of an England that many of us knew. I found the interaction between the various social levels, and the fierce determination to make it to the top of their goals in a difficult time and location to be truly believable. It was a well researched vehicle of a time and place that many my not know, but for those who do, it is an honest portrayal of hard times yet with many 'good times' Several folks on my ex-pats Liverpool lists have interest in obtaining the videos/discs. Why oh why can't it be produced in NTSC format. Is there not anyone out there who has some influence to have it reformatted so that those of us in a different 'format' area can enjoy it. We can of course order the DVD's in PAL format but with shipping, rate of exchange, probably duty (because of the number and therefore total cost) and the cost to convert it makes it cost prohibitive. Nita Jones Alexandria, Virginia

When The Boat Comes In is a gritty Northern drama, set in Newcastle just after the end of the Great War. It follows the trials of Ex-Sergeant Jack Ford and the Seaton family as they struggle with the problems of that time: The aftermath of the war, the great depression of the 1920's, trade union activists and an uncaring society. The characters also spend a lot of time drinking in and out of pubs! The props are good (some must be over 70 years old now) and outdoor shots are cleverly done, capturing the feel of streets and houses of the '20s (definitely no phone boxes or aircraft in the background!) James Bolam is convincing as Jack Ford, a cunning man who has seen ignorance and stupidity in the trenches and finds himself fighting against it in his role of Union boss during the peacetime.

Thanks to DVD I am now watching this entire series, all the way through for the second time in 3 years. It is difficult to explain to younger people these days, what with CGI and Dolby Sound how much more believable the string and sealing wax era of TV drama was but each time I watch these programs I am more authentically taken back the 1920s Gallowshields than anything I watch nowadays. The writing, the acting, the direction - they are all first class and although James Bolam steals the show, his supporting cast are all fine actors. Personally, I find it hard to think of a better example of acting than Bolam's transformation in the final series from a man down on his luck to a successful businessman. The second episode of that series is probably one of my favourite episodes of them all and a fine example of understated but compelling acting. Until this program I doubt anyone had ever really understood the immense impact that the first world war had on individuals because we are a generation who has been so influenced by the second one. As I reach the end of the fourth series I am always saddened to think that there will be no more. Still, thanks to DVD I'll still be able to watch it all again at some point in the future.