User Reviews

Caroline Fairchild has decided it's time to go back to work, she's raised the children, and seen the last one off to college, husband Donald isn't too keen on the idea, but he's also keen on a change in career.

I thought this was quite a good start to this series, it's one of those DVDs that I've had cellophane wrapped for many years, time to open it up, and stick it on.

First thing, that wonderfully 80's theme tune, I'm instantly taken back to my childhood. As for the episode itself, wonderfully middle class, I bet the pair strive own a Volvo, read The Telegraph, and have dinner parties with Royal Doulton china.

Very middle class, very safe, but takes me straight back to my childhood, not rip-roaring humour, but I enjoyed it, and I can see laughs following.

Clearly there was a big effort to find roles for two comedy powerhouses, Penelope Keith and Geoffrey Palmer, and they combine well together.

Always good to see Richard Marner, of course best known for Allo Allo, but he popped up quite a lot.

7/10.

Actor and writer George Layton developed a niche for writing well liked but bland cosy middle class sitcoms such as Don't Wait Up.

A contrast to the characters he played as an actor like the lovable but shady rogue in shows like Minder.

Executive Stress was a starring vehicle for Penelope Keith. She plays Caroline a mother of grown up children who wants to return to publishing.

Her husband Donald (Geoffrey Palmer) also works in publishing. In fact he is waiting for the owner of his company to retire so he can take over the reins.

In the opening episode Donald is dismissive of his wife's idea to resume her career. In fact she walks into a publishing job easily as she was a whizz at it before she gave it up to raise a family.

It is Donald who is in a quandary, the owner does retire but he sells the company rather than appoint Donald has his successor.

The first episode is bland, only mildly offensive to women and slightly amusing. It does slightly acknowledge the fact that a revolution had taken place in publishing in the 1980s.

Author Jeffrey Archer who is mentioned in this episode had an anecdote where he told his British publisher about publishing and marketing books like they did in the USA in the early 1980s. The publisher was dismissive but change came very soon.

Donald's company is stuffy and old fashioned and he has ideas to buck things up. Caroline's new company is owned by an American. They are the purchasers of the company Donald works for. So he and Caroline will be colleagues.

I thought it was telling that Geoffrey Palmer never returned for a second series.