User Reviews

'Till Death Us Do Part' ended on the BBC in 1975. Six years later, Johnny Speight revived the character for ITV. As the BBC owned the rights to the title 'Till Death Us Do Part', Speight was forced to shorten the title to 'Till Death...', however it did not meet with the success that Speight must have hoped.

Alf and Else have sold their house in Wapping and have moved to Eastbourne, taking along their interfering neighbour Min. Needless to say they meet with no end of problems. Alf's bigoted views soon get up the noses of the toffee nosed locals.

The fish out of water feeling didn't do the show any favours, nor did the dispensing of a studio audience. The lack of a laugh track makes the show seem too much like a soap opera. Also the lack of regular appearances from Una Stubbs as well as the absence of Tony Booth ( who refused to return to the show as he was unhappy with the way it had previously been progressing on the BBC ) blighted 'Till Death...' and viewers noticed.

'Till Death...' was pulled from the airwaves after only six episodes. When ATV became Central Television, they refused to renew the show. Speight didn't give up though, as in 1985 he took Alf back to the BBC where he belonged for the superior 'In Sickness & In Health'.

Six years after 'Till Death Us Do Part' ended, Alf Garnett crossed channels to A.T.V. - home of 'Crossroads'. He and Else have retired to Eastbourne with their friend and former next-door neighbour Min, now a widow.

As you would expect, they stand out like a sore thumb amongst the well-heeled locals. In one episode, Alf buys a clapped-out motorbike, finds he cannot drive it properly ( it only turns right on the road ) and crashes into the back of the garage. Una Stubbs made a welcome guest appearance as 'Rita' ( she and Mike have moved to Liverpool ), bringing with her Alf's punk grandson - Mike Junior.

The absence of Tony Booth unbalanced the show because Alf had no-one to rail against his bigoted views. Another detrimental factor was the lack of a studio audience. I cannot think of another sitcom where the laugh-track has been so important. Take it away, and there's a danger that Alf will be taken seriously.

'Till Death' was not well received, and has never been repeated or issued on V.H.S. or D.V.D. It wasn't the end for Alf though, he and Else returned in triumph to the B.B.C. four years later with 'In Sickness & In Health'.