After Henry

I discovered this show by chance on a trip to Ireland and was exhilarated by its comic freshness and unexpected poignancy. The three lead actresses and one lead actor had terrific chemistry, and the writing could make you belly laugh and sob almost simultaneously. It is a mystery to me that "After Henry" has not made its way to these shores, where I'm confident it would join the top ranks of most beloved Britcoms. Are the programmers at PBS all dead in their offices at this point? They would do well to retire their endless reruns of jukebox "specials" and seek out savvy, unfamiliar programs like "After Henry." (If I hear "Amazing Grace" warbled just one more time, there will be havoc in Mudville.)

After the first few sentences of each episode you can see how it's going to unfold,more amusing than laugh out loud funny and I doubt you will remember any highlights but as in the 70s and 80s women in British comedies were little more than eye candy this must have been a major departure with 3 leading ladies.

Prunella Scales plays a recently widowed woman living with her 18 year old daughter in the flat above and her 70 something mother in the flat below. Sarah's husband's death (the titular Henry) has somewhat destabilized life for these women and while they most definitely care for one another, they also get on each other's nerves on a regular basis. Joan Sanderson is absolutely hilarious playing Scales' interfering mother with an incredible ability to either blissfully ignore personal criticism directed at her (usually from "Sarah dear") or tartly respond to it. Scales is also funny as she trods angrily down to her mother's flat or tentatively and carefully up to her daughter's. She often finds herself torn between maternal concern for her flighty daughter (nicely played by Janine Wood) and fear of turning into her own mother. She creates a very human character in Sarah who makes as many mistakes as she does wise choices in restructuring her life without her husband. And despite the grim subject matter, the series is much more funny than sad.

This is a great series. There's also a radio series with the same cast - except the bookshop owner.

A funny and gentle series with the fantastic Prunella Scales (who I first thought overacted dreadfully, but she soon calmed down). There is no bad language, no annoying background music (which is usually blasting out over the dialogue nowadays). All in all great fun and great fashion of the 1980s. It also has a serious gay character which is highly unusual for the time - not a stereotypical gay character either. The series is currently being replayed on TV and what a welcome change. UK 'comedies' today start with foul language from the off nowadays.

After Henry is a show I loved as a youngster, and have enjoyed rewatching over the years. As a sitcom it isn't one you could say is loaded with belly laughs, it contains no slapstick, but what it does have is a very strong sense of realism. The humour is very dry, very witty, a brand of humour that seems to have vanished off our screens. For me the enjoyment of the show comes from the often moving moments when Henry is remembered.

Prunella Scales and Joan Sanderson are both superb, both have great timing, superb actresses, they make the show. Janine Wood is good also, but the character of Clare is just a little less interesting then her more mature family members. The best laughs come from Eleanor, and her caustic comments, her delivery was always perfect.

Series one is very good, but in this case I feel that it gets into its stride in the second and third series. The forth is a little pale in comparison. Sad that Joan Sanderson died before it's transmission in 1992.

At times it feels a bit middle class only, but the eighties were a different time altogether. The awful fashion and hideous decor prove that. A lot of quality comedy also came from that era.

After Henry goes to show that when a radio show is made into TV, it can work. 8/10