Don't Forget to Write!

I can only echo the other comments. Don't know how I stumbled across this when it was being broadcast as it didn't seem to be promoted. It was genuinely funny, intelligent, and engaging. It was unlike anything else being broadcast at the time, and I cant really think of anything else that resembled it, so it was unique then. The recent Metal Detectorists resembles it insofar as there was much rich humour in dialogue without jokes. Superb cast: it gave George Cole a chance to shine in something other than the Arfur Daley character for which he had become so well known. I couldn't believe that it wasn't repeated as I certainly didn't get a chance to see all episodes. I have never forgotten it and certainly agree that it should be available on DVD.

The most wonderful thing about this wonderful series is that it was broadcast with no moronic audience soundtrack - neither real nor manufactured. There was no canned laughter. The real live audience was allowed to listen for itself and react accordingly. Was this the last time on British television that this happened ? I rather think so. I must confess to being very depressed that only one of the preceding comments mentions this - but on the other hand I am reassured that at least one other person remembers. I was starting to doubt my own memory. I confess that I only saw the first series - thankfully all of it, devotedly, despite working swing shifts at the time which made any TV watching very difficult. However for the same reason I was totally unaware until half an hour ago that there had ever been a second series. Maybe that did have a laughter track - who knows?

I also remember this show very fondly. George Cole's character was perpetually blocked and his best friend Francis Matthews was always very successful and prolific. George Cole and Francis Matthews were VERY good in this show, but I adored the late great Gwen Watford as his wife.

I can't remember what her catch phrase was exactly, but every time George Cole's character explained WHY he'd gone to such lengths to avoid any work and cause huge upset in the household, she's deliberately under-react. "Yes, I see" she would say, very angry and about to explode, but not till she got out of earshot. She put over the exasperation very well. Wish I could remember the exact phrase but it was priceless...

I do miss Gwen. She was very sexy in this role, despite being middle aged. All around wonderful show. PLEASE put it on DVD as soon as possible.

The recordings of this series do exist and I believe they are in the archives of York University. In spite of the wonderful performances by George Cole and Gwen Watford the BBC didn't like this series at all for some reason best known to them. They played the usual trick of putting the second series out later and later at night - why they play this game is beyond me but play it they do once it has been decided, presumably by the Drama Controller (if there is such a thing) that they wish to be disassociated. I doubt if anything can be done about getting them to change their minds and show it again and it would probably not find favour with present day audiences. Perhaps the University of York could do a special showing but I think it is unlikely for copyright reasons. It would in itself make a very good episode. Of course Gordon Maple (George Cole) would find that he was refused admission while his friend would be a guest of honour.

I remember this very fondly, not least because my friends thought George Cole's family in it resembled my own. It also appeared in the Financial Times' TV critic's list of the 10 best sitcoms ever made. Apparently it's pretty strongly autobiographical, with George Cole playing the 'Charles Wood' character and Francis Matthews Wood's real-life neighbour Peter Nichols.

There were some exceptionally droll setpieces in it, including a scene where George Cole goes through all the motions of shaving while trying to hold a conversation but entirely fails to get the razor onto his face. I also remember the son having a probation officer who was about 19 and would just go to his room and listen to records with him.

Cole's character spends much of the two series with writer's block and at one point bemoans the fact that he is forced to make ends meet by knocking out episodes of a sitcom based on his own family.

It was also (along with Alan Plater's "Middlemen") one of the best showings by Francis Matthews who seemed set to become a big comedy star but dropped out of view somewhat after this.

I agree the BBC should repeat this series without delay (ideal for BBC4), or better still put it out on a DVD.