I really did want to like 'Howards' Way' very much but sadly I just came away feeling bored and disappointed. As unfair as it sounds, I was unable to even get past the first episode. I do not normally give up quite so quickly on something, but the wafer-thin plotting and one-dimensional characters did nothing to endear itself to me.
'Howards' Way' follows the struggles of the Howard family. Tom Howard is an aircraft designer who is made redundant after twenty years of loyal service. He then invests his money in the Mermaid boatyard ( as he has a passion for ships and vessels ), which is on the brink of ruin. The owner of the boatyard, Jack Rolfe is an alcoholic who does not get on with Tom at all. Jack's daughter and secretary, Avril, however has a soft spot for Tom.
Tom's wife Jan however does not have faith in Tom's risky enterprise and so decides to take a full time job in a marine boutique.
From the little I have seen, 'Howard's Way' looks like a dramatised version of the equally awful BBC sitcom 'The River' ( which starred David Essex ). Maurice Colbourne is unbelievable and wooden as Tom and Jan Harvey, who played his wife Jan, is equally as stilted. Glyn Owen also failed to convince as the dishonest Jack. Though to be fair, 'Howard's Way' did have some decent performers, such as Susan Gilmore's Avril and Patricia Shakesby's Polly.
The end credits of each episode would have the camera close up on a statue of a female bust, whilst the Simon May composed theme tune ( which is also one of the very few decent things about the show ) played over the credits. This was parodied in the very first episode of BBC Scotland's 'Naked Video' in which a hand appeared and proceeded to grope the breasts on the statue.
'Howards' Way' follows the struggles of the Howard family. Tom Howard is an aircraft designer who is made redundant after twenty years of loyal service. He then invests his money in the Mermaid boatyard ( as he has a passion for ships and vessels ), which is on the brink of ruin. The owner of the boatyard, Jack Rolfe is an alcoholic who does not get on with Tom at all. Jack's daughter and secretary, Avril, however has a soft spot for Tom.
Tom's wife Jan however does not have faith in Tom's risky enterprise and so decides to take a full time job in a marine boutique.
From the little I have seen, 'Howard's Way' looks like a dramatised version of the equally awful BBC sitcom 'The River' ( which starred David Essex ). Maurice Colbourne is unbelievable and wooden as Tom and Jan Harvey, who played his wife Jan, is equally as stilted. Glyn Owen also failed to convince as the dishonest Jack. Though to be fair, 'Howard's Way' did have some decent performers, such as Susan Gilmore's Avril and Patricia Shakesby's Polly.
The end credits of each episode would have the camera close up on a statue of a female bust, whilst the Simon May composed theme tune ( which is also one of the very few decent things about the show ) played over the credits. This was parodied in the very first episode of BBC Scotland's 'Naked Video' in which a hand appeared and proceeded to grope the breasts on the statue.