The Larkins (TV Series 1958–1964) Poster

(1958–1964)

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7/10
It has its moments, a fun sitcom.
Sleepin_Dragon9 December 2023
The Larkins love together under the same roof, a family ruled by its matriarch, Ada. Henpecked husband Alf does what he can do escape Ada's wrath, but seldom succeeds.

It's a very raw and early ITV sitcom, I've worked my way through it, and on the whole I've enjoyed it, it's not belly laugh comedy, but whenever you've got Peggy Mount and David Kosoff, there will always be laughs.

The first four series sees the family pretty much at home, with Alf and Jeff getting into all manner of scrapes. When the show returned for series five however, the setting changes, and several of the cast have gone, the show is refreshed, and set in a café, it feels different.

Standout episodes include Catastrophe and Operation Neighbour.

It never really escapes the 1950's, it's all very proper and domestic, only on a few occasions does it dip its toe into the swinging sixties.

Peggy Mount is a delight as always, and Kosoff is great as henpecked Alf. Personally I loved Hettie, and her constant demands for packets of tea.

Mount would soon appear in George and The Dragon, alongside Sid James, for my money that's a much better show.

7/10.
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An early ITV sitcom.
toons-31 April 1999
I was only nine years old but I still remember Alf Larkin being hen pecked by his missus Ada in this early ITV sitcom.David Kossoff and Peggy Mount were well cast in their parts.As far as I can recall,it was quite an amusing series,a possible precursor of "George and the Dragon" in which Peggy Mount appeared with Sid James some eight years later.
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1/10
What a lark!
Rabical-918 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
It maybe is perhaps churlish of someone my age to denounce a show like this considering which era it came from but I sadly did not get on with 'The Larkins'. Peggy Mount was the star of the Fred Robinson created show, playing the head of the family Ada Larkin, whilst David Kossoff played her hen-pecked husband Alf. Their children are Joyce and Eddie, played by Ruth Trouncer and Shaun O'Riordan ( who also produced the show ) respectively. Ronan O'Casey played Joyce's ex GI husband Jeff, who would deliver a monologue directly to the camera at the beginning of each episode. Also in the cast were Barbara Mitchell and Hugh Paddick. The show even gained a special strip in the 'Gag-A-Day' comic as well as gaining a film spin-off entitled 'Inn For Trouble'.

I haven't really seen very much of the show so it is perhaps unfair that I am delivering a negative review on it but sadly it just could not hold my interest at all. Most off-putting was Ronan O'Casey with those boring post-opening credits monologues. Peggy Mount later found greater fame alongside Sid James in 'George & The Dragon' and then later with Hugh Lloyd in 'Lollipop Loves Mr. Mole'.
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