Just Good Friends

Didn't realise this drivel was written by John Sullivan, the man who copied every character - episode - storyline from Steptoe & Son to write Only fools and horses. Don't believe me then watch every episode of Steptoe then go watch Only fools and you'll see the names Rodney, Delboy, Alby-Albert etc etc all mentioned in Steptoe. This Just good friends is utter drivel where every episode is the same. Awful show from a conman.

The series follows the wavering relationship between two ex-lovers, Penny Warrender, a secretary for an advertising firm, and Vincent Pinner, an ex-ice cream salesman turned turf-accountant (bookmaker) who is the son of a wealthy scrap-metal merchant. The couple split up following Vincent's decision not to marry Penny on their wedding day, leaving her at the altar. In the pilot episode, 5 years since their intended wedding day, they meet again by chance in a pub while out on individual dates. They decide to forget the past and become friends, although the rekindling of their relationship is not welcomed by Penny's snobbish parents, particularly her mother Daphne.

It seems amazing that it is roughly 23 years since this sit-com was broadcast on BBC, but to me it is one of the most endearing and enjoyable comedies that the BBC ever produced.

The chemistry between the two main characters, Penny and Vince, is quite addictive, and it is helped by the fact that the two actors who took the parts, Jan Francis and Paul Nicholas, were both extremely good-looking in their own right, and apparently off-screen shared a similar sense of humour. The supporting cast, {in particular Sylvia Kay as Daphne, Pennys mother} helped this comedy to become a true classic, almost ageless in quality.

John Sullivan has often received so many plaudits for the great 'Only Fools And Horses' and rightly so, but to me personally, Just Good Friends had everything that you could want in entertainment, a great cast, good story lines, great one-liners, plenty of laughter, sadness, and hope. I just hope that todays generation will get a glimpse of it sometime, and become as addicted as I did.

I must have seen this show when it appeared, 80s, and I do recall some of it now that the That's Entertainment channel is showing it again. But did I see the final (3rd) series? -- well, I'm not sure, but looking forward to finding out!

Other reviewers have accurately summed the story, 2 deliciously attractive main characters, well backed up by parents who show us how their kids got that way.

Lots of funny lines from the writer of OFAH, as you'd expect, and all expertly playing will-they wont-they with the substantial audience that loved this show.

Back at the time, I think I'm right in saying that both leads had quite a cult following due to this show. I'm not sure that Paul Nicholas is the greatest actor that's ever been on British TV, but he was close to perfect for this show, helped by getting JS's gags and put-downs to deliver..

I hadn't realised until I checked just now but he was within a whisker of 40 when this show started, and the heavenly Jan Francis (just 'sex on legs'!) was past her mid-30s point by then and had recently had her first daughter. I was in my early 30s by then, and certainly didn't see them as older!! She had to strike the balance between being vulnerable, stroppy, and alluring to suit each vagary of the script, and always carried off those demands to perfection.

Here I must take issue with one (ridiculous) review, by a David Cooney (Looney?!) who accuses Sullivan of stealing all the OFAH plots from Steptoe and Son, but I don't recall Galton & Simpson accusing him of plagiarism?!

The claim is libellous, and ludicrous, OFAH ran for more episodes than Steptoe, and I recall no Fools episodes that had a punctured waterbed, a house/flat divided by a fence and turnstile, or the burial of a relative that ended with the house contents being stolen (all well-known Steptoe ones), and I certainly must have missed the Steptoes dressing up as Batman & Robin to run through the street, perhaps the most famous Fools episode?! SO, Mr C(L)ooney, over to you, one apology needed?!

Back to JGF, at this stage of the reruns, I don't know if they WILL get back together again, full-time, Penny knows he's a Jack-the-lad, but lusts after him, and Vince knows he could have soooo many other girls, but this posh one has just got under his skin.

Credit to the reviewer who noticed that Penny's mum, who spends most shows hating on Vince ("Thing") but actually dated several such dangerous guys before settling down to a boring married life!

One other thing, it's easily seen that this sitcom, as used to be the case, back in the day, actually has lots of laughs -- present day sitcoms are usually as limp as a 3 day old salad that's been left in the sun.

The recent Gavin & Stacey, that drew praise for its final shows (Xmas 24), had a few more amusing bits than is usual these days, but still lacks the laughter count of the older shows!

Unbelievably Just Good Friends is actually the same bloke, that gave us one of the best TV comedy shows Only Fools and Horses, it's one that I have taken until now to bother to watch it at all.

Surprisingly John Sullivan actually wrote the shows signature song, which even more unlikely is sung by the shows lead actor Paul Nicholas.

Two families one of which is "The Pinners" Less Pinner is the bloke who has built up a pile in a scrap metal business, Rita Pinner with a voice akin to a "screech owl" sons Clifford perpetually confused and accident prone, and Vincent the smart Alec proprietor of a turf accountants.

The second family is the Warrenders, Norman is a nice amiable easy going bloke, but a veritable doormat to his overbearing spouse, Daphne Warrender is the archetypal harridan overbearing, obnoxious and thoroughly egocentric. The daughter is "Lady Penelope" a reference to the character, in the TV series which I think was Thunderbirds, the stuck up pompous and somewhat snooty character, and a carbon copy of her mum.

The couple Penny and Vincent have a relationship akin to a ride, on the Big Dipper at Blackpool without any of the fun and excitement, for an otherwise grownup woman, Penny invariably shows all of the maturity of a spoil brat. While Vincent behaves like a kid, who wants all of the candy in the sweet shop, along with being the archetypal Jack the lad.

I had no expectations of Just Good Friends and it hasn't disappointed, it's most certainly not up to to standards of Only Fools and Horses, but for all that it's not too bad, a rather amiable and unpretentious comedy, about the ups and downs of human relationships.

I realise that I'm in a minority here, but on a recent second viewing, I was more than a little disappointed with this series. First time round I was captivated and looked forward to each episode. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, I can see it's faults with its increasingly far fetched plot lines and insufferable canned laughter.

Unlike "Only Fools and Horses", there is very little by way of character development. All seem to be one dimensional and, in at least a couple of instances, poorly acted. I'm thinking here in particular of Daphne Warrender and Les Pinner.

But on a positive note, the early episodes of the first series still stand the test of time some 38 years later and can be enjoyed over and over again. Episode 4 of the third series, "Juanita", contains a very tender scene between Mr and Mrs Warrender when they finally loose their inhibitions and express their deep love for each other, possibly for the first time since their marriage vows.