Outside Edge

I've never been fond of cricket, so I was tempted to give 'Outside Edge' a miss. I only watched because of the presence of Timothy Spaull ( of 'Auf Pet' fame ) and the scrumptious Josie Lawrence. I'm glad I tuned in because if I hadn't I'd have missed I.T.V.'s last truly great sitcom, a delightful show centred around two cricket-mad men, Roger Dervish and Kevin Costello, and their contrasting wives, the prim and proper Miriam and larger-than-life Maggie. Shot on film, and without a studio audience to ruin the best lines, 'Outside Edge' was satisfying on all levels. It didn't bend over backwards to be funny. The regular cast were perfect, in particular Robert Daws, whose 'Roger' must rival 'Gordon Brittas' as the sitcom character you'd most like to throttle. The show had its tragic moments too; witness Maggie's sad pleas for pregnancy in the Corfu Xmas special. With more and more modern sitcoms relying on toilet humour for comic effect, it seems unlikely that we will get many more series of this ilk. More's the pity.

Well I know where I was and what I was doing in 1994-6, so how I missed this series I honestly don't know, but I am so glad I found it in 2021.

I've only watched episode 1 but it had me laughing out loud.

I'll comment more as I watch subsequent episodes.

Although the picture quality is inevitably poor due to its age, the programme isn't too dated. It's evident from the first couple of episodes that it's from a play. The acting is always good with Brend Blethyn and Timothy Spall particularly notable. Another gem is Josie Lawrence makes the most of her part. Towards the the middle of the three series the repetition of some of the catch phrases becomes a bit tiring. There is some pathos and that serves to contrast the humour well. Anybody who has lived in a small village will identify with the story lines and it manages to capture the relationships between the team members very well. Overall this a hidden gem of a comedy that I'm glad I found and would recommend it to everyone.

'Outside Edge' must stand as one of the best, if not one of the most overlooked, comedies of the 90's. The casting was absolutely superb, Daws, Spall and Lawrence were each brilliant, but it was the 'dowdy down-trodden' 'Mim' played by Brenda Blethyn that stole the show. It's crafted blend of subtle satire and drama rarely fail to hit the right notes, it has the power to both amuse and deeply move, all within the space of thirty minutes. Admittedly the last series never truly recaptured the glory of the first, but then the whole of the first series is an absolute gem. In short an a must see for both cricket and non cricket enthusiasts.

A much too often overlooked sitcom, especially when 'Talking Heads' come together to decide such nonsense in those the 'Best' Ever British Sitcoms' shows. Based on Richard Harris' play, the theme revolves around Robert Daws' stodgy Roger character who is a dyed in the wool stickler for tradition, detail and doing it (cricket)'the right way' and his relationships with his friends and team mates, the unconventional Kevin and Maggie, and his long suffering wife, Miriam (Mim). All the cast shine. Played out against a backdrop of a (long gone) pastoral semi-rural England (Supposedly Surrey but actually filmed in Wollaton in Nottingham) the combination of the whimsical characters, the idiosyncrasies and cultural niceties which surround the Beautiful Game make for a rich final product which cold have run for years but sadly only lasted a few series. I actually used this show to introduce my Thai wife to the above mentioned idiosyncrasies which she would encounter as a Cricket Wife in her life in England which worked a treat as her Thai themed teas have become a byword in our local league....