Possible spoilers.
One of the sweetest comedy series I've ever seen.
I first saw it on WTTW (Chicago's Public TV station) back in 1974 or 1975 (end of high school, beginning year of college) when it ran before _Monty Python_. On a Sunday night! As you've probably seen from other reviews, the series (only two seasons, alas) deals with Charles and Clara Danby (John Alderton and Pauline Collins). They've been married for 10 years and each episode deals with aspects of their lives from their first date until their first wedding anniversary.
The chemistry between the two of them is terrific; the fact that they're married to each other in real life really adds to the sparkle. This show has been compared to _The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show_ (another major favorite of mine). There is some comparison - Charles Danby (CD, as he is referred to) is down-to-earth whilst Clara is kind of fluttery from time to time. Otherwise, the humor is derived differently.
The actors chosen for other parts compliment CD and Clara. Her parents are delightful - you'd never know Clara was from the gentry. If you currently watch _Keeping Up Appearances_ you'd recognize the actor who plays Onslow. He was in an episode of N-H playing a football mate of CD's.
The show's theme song is actually a song sung by Lyndsey DePaul. I was able to find it on a legal file sharing service and treasure it. When the show went off the air I thought I'd never find it again. I was really fortunate to find it on video tape. It was a treat and played it on rare occasions.
I thought I'd never find it on video. I spent half the night looking for it and found it (perfect condition)! Apparently it wasn't "copyrighted" (I think) or the rights expired and no one did anything about it. I don't even remember where I found it but I picked up two copies of each season, one for me and one for my best friend. I played the theme song at their wedding (almost 30 years ago), but in a far more religious manner.
I've seen the discs recently and they're still wonderful. The show is well-written, very funny, and does not require on innuendo or language to carry it. Clara is sweet without being coy and CD is wonderful without being overbearing or patronizing.
I also learned about a few Britisisms, specifically rhyming slang and (Irish) Shandies. I also learned some British English it took awhile for me to learn (I ended up purchasing a British English/American English Dictionary and it's helped years later.) Thirty years or so later, I was at an Irish restaurant and the idea for a Shandy came to mind. The idea of drinking beer and lemonade together didn't seem appealing but it was terrific! Clara and CD were with me.
I only wish the program had gone on a couple of more seasons to discuss other events in a married couple's life (pregnancy and birth, for example). However, it could have lost some of its sparkle - how many programs "jump the shark" after pregnancy and birth? One of these days I need to write a much-belated fan letter to them thanking them for doing the program (they were also very good in _Wodehouse Playhouse_ but each episode was different).
The one thing about the program is that it does not quite appear to be time-correct. If CD and Clara were married 10 years in the early 1970s, they would have met in the early 1960s. The clothing in some of the episodes does not appear to have been what was popular in the 1960s. However, if that's all I can note in the negative I need to get more of a life.
Make the effort to see it if you can.
One of the sweetest comedy series I've ever seen.
I first saw it on WTTW (Chicago's Public TV station) back in 1974 or 1975 (end of high school, beginning year of college) when it ran before _Monty Python_. On a Sunday night! As you've probably seen from other reviews, the series (only two seasons, alas) deals with Charles and Clara Danby (John Alderton and Pauline Collins). They've been married for 10 years and each episode deals with aspects of their lives from their first date until their first wedding anniversary.
The chemistry between the two of them is terrific; the fact that they're married to each other in real life really adds to the sparkle. This show has been compared to _The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show_ (another major favorite of mine). There is some comparison - Charles Danby (CD, as he is referred to) is down-to-earth whilst Clara is kind of fluttery from time to time. Otherwise, the humor is derived differently.
The actors chosen for other parts compliment CD and Clara. Her parents are delightful - you'd never know Clara was from the gentry. If you currently watch _Keeping Up Appearances_ you'd recognize the actor who plays Onslow. He was in an episode of N-H playing a football mate of CD's.
The show's theme song is actually a song sung by Lyndsey DePaul. I was able to find it on a legal file sharing service and treasure it. When the show went off the air I thought I'd never find it again. I was really fortunate to find it on video tape. It was a treat and played it on rare occasions.
I thought I'd never find it on video. I spent half the night looking for it and found it (perfect condition)! Apparently it wasn't "copyrighted" (I think) or the rights expired and no one did anything about it. I don't even remember where I found it but I picked up two copies of each season, one for me and one for my best friend. I played the theme song at their wedding (almost 30 years ago), but in a far more religious manner.
I've seen the discs recently and they're still wonderful. The show is well-written, very funny, and does not require on innuendo or language to carry it. Clara is sweet without being coy and CD is wonderful without being overbearing or patronizing.
I also learned about a few Britisisms, specifically rhyming slang and (Irish) Shandies. I also learned some British English it took awhile for me to learn (I ended up purchasing a British English/American English Dictionary and it's helped years later.) Thirty years or so later, I was at an Irish restaurant and the idea for a Shandy came to mind. The idea of drinking beer and lemonade together didn't seem appealing but it was terrific! Clara and CD were with me.
I only wish the program had gone on a couple of more seasons to discuss other events in a married couple's life (pregnancy and birth, for example). However, it could have lost some of its sparkle - how many programs "jump the shark" after pregnancy and birth? One of these days I need to write a much-belated fan letter to them thanking them for doing the program (they were also very good in _Wodehouse Playhouse_ but each episode was different).
The one thing about the program is that it does not quite appear to be time-correct. If CD and Clara were married 10 years in the early 1970s, they would have met in the early 1960s. The clothing in some of the episodes does not appear to have been what was popular in the 1960s. However, if that's all I can note in the negative I need to get more of a life.
Make the effort to see it if you can.