A Very Peculiar Practice

Judging by the small number of comments, AVPP was only shown once outside of the UK. Like most great television, it was probably too way out for most viewers at the time. Initially I was drawn to it by the presence of Peter Davison and the lovely Barbara Flynn. Other reviewers have explained the story and refreshed my memory. A superlative cast and remarkable script, touches of 'The Twilight Zone' and 'The Outer Limits', a memorable theme and soundtrack - and those two nuns.

The sequel in the form of a TV-movie, 'A Very Polish Practice', may have put a lot of people off the original series, which is a pity.

If you ever get the chance, watch the original series from start to finish.

Let's face it, almost everyone who writes on IMDb likes to claim such-and-such is the best movie/TV series/mini-series etc. Well this is my pick. I can only assume that not many people have seen this because there are some fairly mediocre programmes getting the nod. This show was a dark black comedy with exquisite scripts and terrific acting. It's the best British show I've seen (Upstairs Downstairs is close and I accept The Singing Detective may be better than I found it). If you get to see reruns of this - make the effort. You'll never regret it or forget it.

Update: the first series is now available on DVD, which is great news. It's truly a programme to treasure. How many others do we buy that we never return to? This is such a literate and witty show that it's worth keeping. The only thing is, Series 2 was probably the best and it's not yet available.

Just saw a repeat of one episode on satellite channel Performance and what a good one it turned out to be, pure luck finding it on at all. All I could remember after all the years were star Peter Davison and of course the two mad nuns, a quirky running joke you looked out for (like a Hitchcock appearances in his films) when these were first broadcast originally. This had Timothy West as a literally manic professor consulting the campus Dr (Davison's character)and raging at him on a drunken rampage round the University while popping pills Dr Daker keeps saying should not be mixed with alcohol. It is a typically bravura performance worth an award I felt and shamefully lost in TV's vaults, what an example of top-notch acting, does anyone agree with me I wonder? A companion piece to his Brass efforts in my opinion. This or both series should be run again on a main channel to be seen by more people for all its plusses already cited here. And to see Troughton and Crowden at their very best which is very very good as is the terrific original writing of the great Andrew Davies. Frank

The early morning light struggles to penetrate the dark, litter-strewn walkways of the University Campus - no trees here, just concrete, tarmac, and murky glass windows that only reflect grime and misery.

Not the most obvious setting for a comedy, but it's fitting that the dark, forbidding structures of Lowlands University match the richly dark humour of A Very Peculiar Practice. We see the Medical Practice, with it's share of social outcasts (dour, drunken Scot Jock McCannon, self-centred, self-obsessed Bob Buzzard, and scheming, feminist man (and woman) trap, Dr Rose Marie). We see the University Chancellor, the inappropriately named Ernest Hemingway. We see the students, scared, drunk, clever, confused, horny - all finding their own way. And into all this, we see cast the misplaced and well-intentioned Dr Steven Daker, who is wonderfully played by Peter Davison. Daker is so out of his depth to start with, but slowly he managed to learn the way of survival, then life, then enjoyment, as he learns from his colleagues, his friends, and the lovely Lyn Turtle.

As has been said before, this is a story about life - as we all have to live it. It's superbly written, excellently played, and delightfully spiced.

Come on, BBC - release Series 2 on DVD!!!

Two successful series and a one-off "return" in 1992.This intriguing comedy based at a fictional university, satirically attacks changes to Britain, and in particular the entrenched establishments of the time,and the faceless,self-serving individuals that gained from their destructive demise.The university is plainly a metaphor of the country at that time,and the skillful script and expertise of the superb cast illustrate the changes then, as darker forces take over control of the university whilst the various departments and individuals fight for their own ends;like Bob Buzzard's refusal to accept that he may not graduate to a 'series 5 BMW',from his existing 'series 3',let alone his dream of a 'series 7',and all of this taking precedence over the fact that his wife and kids have left him, and his house is starting to fall apart all around him.Barbara Flynn's portrayal of Rose-Marie is one of the sexiest memories I have of that time.Strangely enough,although I seem to remember an obscure screening on a cable channel about ten years ago,the show,as best as I can tell,was never re-shown on UK television and was never released on video.Perhaps some nerves were touched in places that do not like to be touched?