Birds of a Feather

Don't ask me why I am writing a review of this but it was a part of my childhood/adolescence and I saw some repeats in the past few years which allowed me to re-evaluate the series. Despite the main characters being women it was a show anyone could watch, and it gave a glimpse of a suburb called "Chigwell" in a wealthy part of London. The setting was flexible enough to allow for a wide variety of story lines, with a central theme of two dependent women becoming increasingly independent as time goes by. But with a significant leg-up of having a large rent-free house in a good neighbourhood and two hundred grand hidden in a spare tyre. Their husbands play supporting characters and inject a slight amount of social commentary on adjusting to prison life.

Birds of a Feather was easily one of the better British sitcoms from the 90's and offered painless, cringe-free watching (as opposed to eg. Keeping Up Appearances). Even if it became predictable as time went on the quality was fairly high overall (if memory serves correct) and it's a reminder of earlier, happier days for me.

This series is amongst the best ever written. I grew up with this show, and after just watching it again on tele, am about to run out and grab the DVD. It is even better than I remember it as a child.

This is both hilarious and heart wrenching at times, I can't remember the last time I was funny myself silly and then getting wet around the eyes in such a short time. These women are amazing actresses, and you care deeply about their characters.

I think we can all see parts of Tracey and Sharon in people we know, even ourselves, although at times Dorian is a little unrealistic. However, she is there to lighten the show and provides many opportunities to laugh out loud.

There has been no series made this decade that could be classed in its league.

Birds of a Feather has just began airing on cable in Australia, so we're getting to see the series right from the beginning again - and it's just as funny as the first time around!

Pauline Quirke and Linda Robson are two wonderful actresses that do a great job with the series. They noticably get better as the series progresses as they get more comfortable with their roles. They do a great job as sisters, and actually come across as being sisters as well!

However, a lot of the real laughs come from Lesley Josephs character, Dorian Green. Recently an episode aired where Sharon (Pauline Quirke) got into the finals of a karaoke contest and got too nervous to sing. Her sister Tracy (Linda Robson) wasn't going to be singing either.

To their surprise, Dorian gets up on stage and sings. Now Dorian is a complete man-eater, and the song she sang was Like a Virgin. It was the funniest thing I've seen in years - especially the part when all you can see are her legs above the crowd!

The husbands are really quite linear and are always doing the same thing - they're really only there to keep the plot moving along at times.

One of the best sitcoms to come out of Britain - and I hope it's put on DVD sometime soon!

BOAF was shown briefly on Swedish television and I immediately loved it. Sure, as many other series, it sort of ran out of steam towards the end and certain episodes feel a bit cringe worthy today in their views on certain things, but all in all it's great comedy with hilarious one-liners. The series greatest asset is the chemistry between the main actresses with special praise going to Pauline Quirke and Lesley Joseph as Dorian, the sex crazed neighbour, and Sharon. These two are great together, creating many laughs. Linda Robson is fine for most of the time as Tracey, but she sometimes has a tendency to overact IMHO. The same goes for Alun Lewis as her husband Darryl, but Peter Polycarpou is very good as Sharons husband, greek-cypriot Chris. The Christmas episode "Sailing" is a personal favourite along with "The front" from season 4 where Pauline Quirke and Lesley Joseph are a laugh riot together. But all in all, no episode is really bad (even though the series didn't really hit its stride well into season 2), which actually is an achievement (although "Young guns" from season 2 comes close - it feels really dated today) and many are comedy gems

When I heard of the news about the 10th series late last year. I thought please be as funny as the earlier once and I have to say it was. I just watched the latest episode and what a start with great banter between the sisters and still maintaining the charm of the older series. I'm glad they didn't go over board with the script by trying to force laughs that some try to do and kept the original series at the heart of it.

I don't get the mixed reviews it received from critics but that's always going to happen with a show that's been brought back. I don't think they understand that it's meant to be a bit tongue 'n' cheek, lighten up a bit. Anyway I liked it so that's good enough for me.