Duty Free

When this series was first shown (three seasons from 1984 to 1986) I thought it was great.

About ten years after it finished I was really pleased to see some repeats coming up on satellite.

I watched the first part and by around halfway through my jaw was on the floor.

A talented cast flounders, completely at a loss as to how to bring any life or freshness to scripts that feel as though they've been sat on a shelf since the early sixties, when package holidays to Spain were a new idea (by the mid-eighties the novelty had pretty much worn off).

I can only think that this series got the green light on the back of Eric Chappell's success with 'Rising Damp' and 'Only When I Laugh'.

What on Earth I thought was good the first time around, I cannot imagine.

Just been watching reruns on TV Still as funny as I remember Can't understand why people would give it a low vote, maybe they a just pretentious and haven't got a sense of simple comedy

Is this in the top ten best ever UK TV sitcoms? No it's not. Is it in the top 100 best ever UK TV sitcoms, no again. I watched this first time round and while it's not exactly in the same class as Only Fools And Horses or Faulty Towers I do find it to be a compulsive watch.

I understand completely the low scores given by some but I can't help it I have to give it a high score. It's currently being rerun from the first episode on UK TV and I'll be watching every one of them, only at episode two so far.

The sillyness of it all, especially David constantly fawning over Linda, and their spouses reaction, keep me watching it.

I have recently watched all three series of Duty Free and I have to say I wasn't disappointed! I found the characters to be hilarious, especially Robert! I really don't understand some of the negative reviews and I would recommend this to anyone who understands true comedy before political correctness came into the matter! Robert in particular conforms to most stereotypes calling the French frogs and insulting the Germans with every opportunity he gets, not forgetting the Russians and any other country that lost in the war! But I think that every body knows that its not really intended to offend anybody and is said purely for a laugh (having said that, I might not recommend this program to any English speaking Germans!)

When Duty Free started in 1984 it set viewing records for a sit-com at the time - and its easy to see why.

There are plenty of finely observed comic lines (mostly from Gwen Taylor's feisty character Amy) and the basic premise of the couple trying to have an affair but somehow being always thwarted provides for much comic tension.

All the cast fit their roles perfectly, and its always a pleasure to see Keith Barron do comedy.

Yes, the series was filmed in the studio. Yes, there are better sit-coms around - but there are far worse and this is definitely above average for an ITV situation comedy. Definitely worth a look.