Fred Barron's last contribution to the show as a writer, this is an episode that very much relies on the 'It's a Wonderful Life' storyline as its basis.
I wish this had been done as a Christmas show, because it would have suited the original perfectly, and actually would have been funnier than the 2003 Christmas Special.
It's a great episode though, with Ben actually realising he doesn't have to be a grump all the time. Sadly he wouldn't learn from this, and actually become more miserable as the series progressed.
Abi and Roger are given too much screen time, but there is an amusing subplot involving Nick, and one involving Michael.
My only complaint is the lazy casting of having Leslie Randall as 'Clarence', after the actor had only appeared as a patient in an episode earlier in the series, and would do again in a S8 episode. Unless Clarence was keeping tabs on Ben...
An end of an era for the show, and would actually have been a nice way to end overall.
I wish this had been done as a Christmas show, because it would have suited the original perfectly, and actually would have been funnier than the 2003 Christmas Special.
It's a great episode though, with Ben actually realising he doesn't have to be a grump all the time. Sadly he wouldn't learn from this, and actually become more miserable as the series progressed.
Abi and Roger are given too much screen time, but there is an amusing subplot involving Nick, and one involving Michael.
My only complaint is the lazy casting of having Leslie Randall as 'Clarence', after the actor had only appeared as a patient in an episode earlier in the series, and would do again in a S8 episode. Unless Clarence was keeping tabs on Ben...
An end of an era for the show, and would actually have been a nice way to end overall.
