Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?

These two seasoned series followed up on the exploits of the lads five years after they were last seen together. It ran from 1972-1974 but what was different from the original series was that Robert Ferris had moved off the shop floor and worked for his fiancés father as a white-collar executive building houses in the north-east. In addition, he'd moved out of his parent's place and purchased a two up two down in an upscale housing estate with a car to boot.

By contrast Terry Collier came back to his hometown after spending five years in the army, embittered by a failed marriage and resentful at missing out on the swinging 60's and permissive society of his beloved north-east. Therefore, the episodes mostly centered round Terry coming to terms with how his hometown had changed and how everybody else had changed too. He stubbornly clung to his working-class ideas and refused to conform to the early 1970's and took a sneering view towards Bob's newfound status and his engagement to Thelma. Terry was consistently coming in between Thelma and Bob trying to turn the clock back and rekindle days gone by with things like, boy's night out. This was not to say Bob himself didn't miss the old days as it didn't take much effort to lead him astray. It was hilarious at the same time watching him try to get Terry to change his ways, responsibility was not in his vocabulary. This led to some great story lines and some great laughs. The early 1970's was considered the beginning of the golden age of situational comedy and this BBC comedy is still a gem to watch. To pull this off you have to have good story lines, good scripts great dialogue between the characters and good actors to play the part and the creators of this certainly hit the sweet spot with this series. It ran a respectable two seasons was followed up by a great Christmas special at the end of 1974 and a film released in 1976 which was not bad, but it had a melancholy feel to it. There was great on screen chemistry between the two lead characters whether both having a laugh and reminiscing about the old days or else were at each others throats.

I can't finish this without commenting about the rift or the falling out between the two actors in real life. I have no insight or knowledge but my feeling is that James Bolan really didn't care for Rodney Bewes either as an actor or a person. Whether this went back to the earlier series or just boiled up during the run in the 1970's it's difficult to say. But when you work together for the best part of four years which included a BBC radio adaption of the series as well as doing commercials for ITV, that could easily test people's patience and staying power. When the series wrapped up James Bolan's next project was "When the Boat Comes In" a serious drama where the character he played was so far removed from Terry Collier you get the impression that he wanted to get as far away from his association with Rodney Bewes as quickly as possible. Bolan would return to comedy in the late 1970's in "for only when I laugh" where he played a bit of a slacker and followed up in other comedies as well as other serious dramas over his career. There never was a reunion which was a shame, because by the 2000's the die had been cast, it was too long after the 1970's for them to be pressured into another series or even a one-off comedy special, but it would have been a great salute and tribute to the fans of the series.

I would highly recommend this series as walk down memory lane at a time when people could laugh at everything and recommend it for younger people that appreciate good quality comedy at work.

Very few sitcom sequels are better than the first series, and the first series of this was great, but this one is. Bob's social climbing and Terry's determination to stay working class has plenty of comedy opportunities in it and all three main characters are very well cast.

The theme tune is brilliant as are the starting and ending sequences. Bob and Thelma's house is still standing and I wonder if any fans hang about outside and take pics of it.

One of the best ever UK TV sitcoms which cannot be recommended highly enough. It's a comedy must watch, being repeated on TV now, on "that'sTV", 150 on Virgin.

One of my favourites from the golden age of comedy.

I cringe at the outside shots of Newcastle because everywhere looks likes a building site. Rows of partly demolished terraced houses and countless rubble filled fields. I can assure you that living through the seventies it certainly didn't look like that all the time. Great to see them order two pints of beer, two bags of crisps, hand over a pound note and still receive change !

As other people have said, there really isn't a poor episode, just some are better than others.....outstanding ones include No Hiding Place and the Great Race.

With regard to the alleged issues they had working together.......this has been totally exaggerated. You can tell by watching that they had great chemistry and the subtle smiles and laughs when certain lines were delivered.

James Bolam has stated in his book that they got on really well and that it was a pleasure to work with Rodney. He was very saddened that Rodney was spreading the story that they parted under a cloud.

James stated that if he had an issue with Bewes then why would he agree to doing the updated series and also the second series.

James Bolam has said on several occasions that he enjoyed working with Bewes but after the series ended, they went their separate ways to do other jobs. He added that as an actor, you worked with people for a few weeks or months and really enjoyed their company, but then moved on to work with an entirely different cast. There was never any bad blood between him and Bewes and he was a little saddened that it had been reported that there was.

You just have to watch carefully to see that extra special chemistry.

I will end with a slight gripe I have. Considering it's a north east comedy, the only genuine actor from that area is Bolam himself. Most other actors put on this strange random northern accent which sounds more Yorkshire than Geordie.

Cleverly observed, impeccably cast, brilliantly written and refreshingly un PC, this timeless classic is not only my all time favourite sitcom but probably the best ever comedy sequel, especially when compared with the dire Still Open All Hours.

What elevates this above its predecessor The Likely Lads is the presence of Thelma (played to perfection by Bridget Forsyth), and the entire show revolves around Bob's emotional tug of war between commitment to his socially aspirational wife and loyalty to his unashamedly unreformed old drinking buddy Terry Collier. The best episodes are bursting with wit and intelligent social comment, therefore i just hate it when people mention Men Behaving Badly in the same breath as Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? - to me it's a bit like comparing brass and gold, and the two idiots in that show aren't fit to lace Bob & Terry's Watney specials. In fact, the chemistry between James Bolam and Rodney Bewes was as good as anything ever seen in a sitcom in my opinion, which made it all the more sad that they fell out so spectacularly in 1976 and never made up - this and Bolam's reluctance to talk about the the show could explain why WHTTLL doesn't get quite the same kudos and recognition as other sitcoms that frankly couldn't hold a candle to it.

Everything about WHTTLL approaches perfection including a superb supporting cast, the bleak North East locations, right down to a classic theme song penned by Mike Hugg of Manfred Mann fame. It's a world away from the crassness and crude innuendo that passes as comedy today.

This is most probably the best comedy sequel of all time in the British comedy field, it certainly tops the original which was one of the runaway classics of the sixties.

At the helm once again is the writing talents of Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais and this time they really surpass themselves. It's 1973 and we see the social and industrial changes taking place in the North East of England through the eyes of long-time friends Bob Ferris and Terry Collier. Terry, just out of a five year stint in the army, and non the better for it, has to adjust to the aforementioned social changes with a little help from his best friend-the long suffering Bob.

One of the major aspects that Terry has to get used to, but never does, is the fact that it isn't just him and Bob anymore-there's Thelma as well, Bob's fiancée and soon to be Mrs.Ferris. All this unfolds superbly with great comic timing and a great continuing storyline throughout the 26 episodes and 1 Christmas special. The stand-out episodes include: 'Strangers On A Train', 'No Hiding Place', 'Boy's Night In', 'End Of An Era', 'One For The Road', 'The Great Race', 'Conduct Unbecoming'.

Rodney Bewes and James Bolam have both matured superbly into the lead roles and it's with age that this comedy series in my opinion has certainly come into itself. A fine supporting cast with hilarious consequences to be had in each and every episode, make this one of my personal favourite comedies along with 'Fawlty Towers' and 'Only Fools & Horses'. Another bonus is the catchy hit theme song by 'Highly Likely'-check it all out!

UPDATE: May 2006 - The Complete Series 1 is now finally available in crystal quality at long last - Hoorraayyy!!! Since the release of 'The Very Best of' on DVD four years ago it was thought that the six episodes on this compilation were the only surviving episodes - criminal! However, this is not the case and we finally have the first 13 episodes available to enjoy forever. I do believe that Series 2 will be available to buy in August 2006! All we need then is the 1974 Christmas Special - watch this space...

UPDATE: August 7th 2006 - And finally, the Complete Series 2 arrives to our DVD screens with a special feature bonus of the Christmas Special 1974!

Series 2 continues in fine style the story of Bob and Terry...and now Thelma, in one of the Best British TV Comedies of all time. There are some more wonderfully classic moments to cherish in this nicely designed 2-Disc package from the BBC which includes such great episodes as "Absent Friends", "One For The Road", "The Great Race", the brilliant "In Harms Way", "Conduct Unbecoming" and "The Shape Of Things To Come". Thank you Messrs. Clement & La Frenais!

Once you have completed a run of the second series then check out the Christmas Special on this package where Terry is learning to drive and reminds Bob that he hasn't forgotten his hand signals!

Timeless.