'Billy Liar' did not really need a second season. The first ended with Billy realising he did not have to lie in order to score with the opposite sex. It is implied he will start telling the truth from then on. But the ratings were high and Billy secured a second season. Furthermore, because the show was popular with children ( Billy was basically a big kid at heart ), the time-slot was changed from Saturday nights to Sundays. This meant that George A. Cooper's dialogue had to be modified, and Billy's flights of fancy got toned down ( no more shots of Elissa Derwent running around in the buff! ).
This episode begins with Barbara in the Fisher's living room gazing at a photo album of her recently married friends 'Ken' ( Alec Sabin ) and 'Linda' ( Sandra Bryant ). They appear to be the perfect couple, not unlike Ken and Barbie, and Barbara is envious. She wishes she and Billy could be like that. But there is a problem - Billy does not want to get married...
This is typical of where Season 2 went wrong. All Billy has to do is tell Barbara to get lost. He does not do this. I wonder how they came to be engaged in the first place. She does not seem to be his type. 'Betty' from Season 1's 'Billy And The Lost Weekend' was more up his street. The attractive Sandra Bryant appeared in four episodes of 'On The Buses'. Unfortunately, they were in the mostly dreadful final season. Over drinks in the pub, Ken tells Billy he does not like being married as Linda keeps phoning him at work to find out if he still loves her. Eventually, they split. Barbara's dreams of marital bliss are shattered.
Funniest moment - as ever 'Grandma' ( May Warden ) steals the show with her hilarious anecdotes about her amorous past. Her Jack must have been quite a man!
This episode begins with Barbara in the Fisher's living room gazing at a photo album of her recently married friends 'Ken' ( Alec Sabin ) and 'Linda' ( Sandra Bryant ). They appear to be the perfect couple, not unlike Ken and Barbie, and Barbara is envious. She wishes she and Billy could be like that. But there is a problem - Billy does not want to get married...
This is typical of where Season 2 went wrong. All Billy has to do is tell Barbara to get lost. He does not do this. I wonder how they came to be engaged in the first place. She does not seem to be his type. 'Betty' from Season 1's 'Billy And The Lost Weekend' was more up his street. The attractive Sandra Bryant appeared in four episodes of 'On The Buses'. Unfortunately, they were in the mostly dreadful final season. Over drinks in the pub, Ken tells Billy he does not like being married as Linda keeps phoning him at work to find out if he still loves her. Eventually, they split. Barbara's dreams of marital bliss are shattered.
Funniest moment - as ever 'Grandma' ( May Warden ) steals the show with her hilarious anecdotes about her amorous past. Her Jack must have been quite a man!