Butterflies

Butterflies is a low key introspective comedy that was more popular with females than males.

It had a nuclear family, a wife who was a bad cook, a husband who was rather distant and reserved.

The husband is a dentist and collects butterflies in his spare time and two older sons who drive, are unemployed and are rather rebellious youths.

The comedy is bitter-sweet, you get traditional comedy via Ria's cooking and family disputes. However what was unusual was Ria's unconsummated relationship with the successful businessman Leonard.

Ria is dissatisfied and wants something more in life and believes that its obtainable with her unconventional friendship with Leonard.

The series ran for five years, Wendy Craig played Ria to a tee, Geoffrey Palmer was his hound dog best as her husband Ben.

Nicholas Lyndhurst played one of the sons and he ended up playing Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses at almost the same time.

The businessman Len was played by Bruce Montague who in effect had a difficult role and did well to make a potential Lothario so likable.

Even 20-odd years after the fact (and with it's late-70s sexual revolutionism looking humorously dated these days), Carla Lane's 'Butterflies' remains one of the freshest and funniest sitcoms Britain ever produced. The story itself is relentlessly simple -- a stifled housewife's yearning for more in her life is complicated by a distantly ironic husband, two sex-crazed still-at-home sons, and the romantic attention of a wealthy playboy whose desire revs up the more undesirable she feels. But it's not the plot that makes 'Butterflies' great so much as it is the opportunity that that plot gives Lane to explore Ria Parkinson's world as it slowly collapses around her, and it's impossible not to see a little bit of oneself in the sometimes-hilarious, sometimes-sobering struggles of Lane's memorable characters as they attempt to survive the small anguishes of day-to-day life. Smart writing and great performances all around.

A few years back, 'Butterflies' would show up in late-night rotation on PBS in the states and Canada; if it does again, catch it.

Far superior to the majority of sitcoms, "Butterflies" is a gentle, subtle, elegant delight. It tells the story of Ria (Wendy Craig) - a middle aged housewife with a family who becomes friends with a loveable, self-indulgent businessman but cannot take the relationship any further due to her loyalty to her husband. Much of the programme deals with her dreamy, wistful nature which results in a few overcooked meals. The acting by the three leads is superb. Geoffrey Palmers conservative manner and appearance maker him perfect as Ria's conventional dentist husband and Wendy Craig's charm and grace make 'Ria' especially sympathetic. Sometimes philosophical, sometimes poetic, "Butterflies" should be adored by a discerning audience.

Looking back over the past 28 years (since my first exposure to the show), all i can say is: Once you get it-it will stay with you forever. I remember my initial reaction being: 1) annoyingly overacted, 2)under produced 3) unlikeable characters

Well, two years later I watched some episodes again and didn't find it nearly as annoying. A year later I was able to catch the entire series from the beginning and quickly became engrossed in it's bittersweet tale of human fault and perspectives on happiness. Yes, the show has a style that is not for everybody, and I'm sure the dated production value would be hard to deal with now. But, I still think about the show at least once a month with a vague teary eyed longing for what seemed like simpler times...

BTW I am a married man...(for all who think this is a show for females)

This delightful series boasts a first-rate cast and original scripts. Principally from Ria's (the housewife) point of view, this low-key and often whistful comedy shows a mid-life crisis as it not only affects her, but those around her. The laughs come from reality-based comedy situations, and from self- or situation-recognition. I don't think there's a single disappointment here.