Manicman8
Joined Feb 2005
Welcome to the new profile
We're still working on updating some profile features. To see the badges, ratings breakdowns, and polls for this profile, please go to the previous version.
Reviews5
Manicman8's rating
By the title, this show is meant to be a return to 70s/80s sitcom 'Open All hours' staring Ronnie Barker and written by Roy Clarke. This isn't.
To see the problems, you need to know about the original. the Original was a Vehicle for Ronnie Barker, a classic British comedian, actor and writer. The show was mostly focused on him trying to sell stuff in his store to increase profit while spending as little as possible, and pursing his second Love, Nurse Gladys Emmanuel. At the same time, Some scenes would then focus on his young nephew, Granville, who was trying to be a hip young person and purse his own love life. That was it. The show focused on mostly Barker as 'Arkwright', or his nephew Granville. Nothing else. while the odd customer comes
This show, Ronnie Barker is dead so the character of Arkwright is too, Granville has now grown up and has given up trying to be young, trying to update things, or anything else much, is has turned into a sub-par version of Arkwright, with his own son who gets little character but roughtly filling in the Granvile role. But it is a 'Modern' show with out such strong leads as Ronnie Barker, so half of the show is sketches and focus on regular customers and people in the street. Where the original wouldn't have many, or any, scene without either Arkwright or Granville, this show goes for half it's time without either of the fill-ins for them. Where the original only had 3 regular cast, with the a few people appealing on a semi-regular basis (like Barbara Flynn as the Milk Woman, or Stephanie Cole as the Black widow, Mrs Featherstone), they were in less then HALF of the series. Now the semi-regulars appear in it more then the main cast and many of the stories focus specially on them. This gives the show a completely different feel as it has a completely different focus and even a completely different take of humour, more closely related to 'Last of the Summer Wine' (Also by Clarke) then to Open all hours. If they just renamed a couple of the regular cast members characters, and the name, this would easily pass as a unrelated show with some comments about how it's trying to rip-off the original. The only reason it's doing so well is what it can take from the nostalgia group who more prefer the modern styling of the show then the original.
Either Roy Clarke is trying to show how his writing work as badly degraded in his old age, the lack of interest in the 'old style' of the old show, or that the actors aren't any where near as strong as Ronnie Barker was, and are unable to carry a show like he was.
either way, it's a very sorry state of affairs and much like other 'BBC revival' attempts as they have long ago lost the heyday of classic sitcoms, signs that they just shouldn't bother and leave the past in the past.
To see the problems, you need to know about the original. the Original was a Vehicle for Ronnie Barker, a classic British comedian, actor and writer. The show was mostly focused on him trying to sell stuff in his store to increase profit while spending as little as possible, and pursing his second Love, Nurse Gladys Emmanuel. At the same time, Some scenes would then focus on his young nephew, Granville, who was trying to be a hip young person and purse his own love life. That was it. The show focused on mostly Barker as 'Arkwright', or his nephew Granville. Nothing else. while the odd customer comes
This show, Ronnie Barker is dead so the character of Arkwright is too, Granville has now grown up and has given up trying to be young, trying to update things, or anything else much, is has turned into a sub-par version of Arkwright, with his own son who gets little character but roughtly filling in the Granvile role. But it is a 'Modern' show with out such strong leads as Ronnie Barker, so half of the show is sketches and focus on regular customers and people in the street. Where the original wouldn't have many, or any, scene without either Arkwright or Granville, this show goes for half it's time without either of the fill-ins for them. Where the original only had 3 regular cast, with the a few people appealing on a semi-regular basis (like Barbara Flynn as the Milk Woman, or Stephanie Cole as the Black widow, Mrs Featherstone), they were in less then HALF of the series. Now the semi-regulars appear in it more then the main cast and many of the stories focus specially on them. This gives the show a completely different feel as it has a completely different focus and even a completely different take of humour, more closely related to 'Last of the Summer Wine' (Also by Clarke) then to Open all hours. If they just renamed a couple of the regular cast members characters, and the name, this would easily pass as a unrelated show with some comments about how it's trying to rip-off the original. The only reason it's doing so well is what it can take from the nostalgia group who more prefer the modern styling of the show then the original.
Either Roy Clarke is trying to show how his writing work as badly degraded in his old age, the lack of interest in the 'old style' of the old show, or that the actors aren't any where near as strong as Ronnie Barker was, and are unable to carry a show like he was.
either way, it's a very sorry state of affairs and much like other 'BBC revival' attempts as they have long ago lost the heyday of classic sitcoms, signs that they just shouldn't bother and leave the past in the past.
When watching this, if you are able (as it hasn't really been repeated or given any release), people often make huge mistakes. They compare it to the wrong things. Is this M.A.S.H? no. can't be. A lot of people will tell you that M.A.S.H. wasn't even M.A.S.H. and that the Potter episodes are much worse then the Blake episodes or whatever. the Show changed over time to make something which was good as a whole.
After M.A.S.H. kinda has the same issues. set a few months after they got home, the show reunites Col. Sherman T. Potter, Maxwell Q. Klinger and Father Francis Mulcahy, well as Soon-Lee Klinger and keeps them completely well in character while changing the setting from the middle of a war, where there job was to patch and ship them out, to a Veterans hospital where sometimes the ones they saved, still have a long way to go.
Starting off, Potter finds retired life too dull and after having problems back in private practice, found a good place and winds up Chief of Staff in the Veterans hospital, where he finds an old War Buddy from his Unit back when he was a Sgt (Bob Scannell, played by Patrick Cranshaw). After Klinger found trouble set himself up home after finding Soon-lee's parents, and his family not accepting a Korean daughter-in-law, He ends up helping out Potter and becomes his Sectary, but has to learn you can't just pull some of the same tricks as in the Army. Then Father Mulcahy joins after having a major depression when it was found out he was deaf. After a minor operation, part of his hearing is restored and he works at the Hospital.
New Characters include the Hospital Administrator Micheal D'Angelo (John Chappell) who is more interesting in his public image then the patients, Alma Cox (Brandis Kemp), his Sectary and in charge Admin who hates everyone bar her love, D'Angelo, while wanting everything to go via the book and has a grudge against the loose altitude of Klinger.
When the show starts, it also features Alma's Assistant Bonnie Hornback (Wendy Schaal) who fancys Klinger, and Dr Gene Pfeiffer (Jay o. Sanders), the local resident who is always over tired and with a lack of money leading him to try to get food wherever he can. over time, these characters disappear into the background before being completely removed, with Pfeiffer being replaced with Dr Boyer (Davie Ackroyd) a former frontline medico in Korea who lost his leg and has a big chip on his shoulder.
While the show was good, it didn't quite get the crowds they wanted and they tried to push it closer to Mash.. but sadly, they didn't seam to know how to do that and after Klinger had a few run ins while trying to get money to support his wife and soon to be born child, he ends up back in court where he decides to pretend to be insane. Some say this means he is 'Back in a dress', but doesn't wear a dress much, but wares a range of outfits where he has to prove to them he was insane, but got better. The Hospital Admin is changed and some characters come and go. Season two was very much NOT helped by the Network deciding to put the show opposite the A-team, believing (falsely) it could beat it in a war. Leaving a batch of episodes unaired and even some unfilmed.
It's easy to see why people compare it to Mash, as a Spin-off, it's trying to take some of the love for the show and bring it to a new one, but this show successfully takes old characters and puts them into a new setting.. However the new characters weren't always used to the best and the settings weren't always the best and people didn't get it as much of a chance as it needed and it would be a shame it see it never released to the public.
Some notable episodes often feel, like M.A.S.H. before it, don't quite go as far as they could do when they have to deal with after combat issues like Downwinders, left behind shrapnel, missing limbs and more.
After M.A.S.H. kinda has the same issues. set a few months after they got home, the show reunites Col. Sherman T. Potter, Maxwell Q. Klinger and Father Francis Mulcahy, well as Soon-Lee Klinger and keeps them completely well in character while changing the setting from the middle of a war, where there job was to patch and ship them out, to a Veterans hospital where sometimes the ones they saved, still have a long way to go.
Starting off, Potter finds retired life too dull and after having problems back in private practice, found a good place and winds up Chief of Staff in the Veterans hospital, where he finds an old War Buddy from his Unit back when he was a Sgt (Bob Scannell, played by Patrick Cranshaw). After Klinger found trouble set himself up home after finding Soon-lee's parents, and his family not accepting a Korean daughter-in-law, He ends up helping out Potter and becomes his Sectary, but has to learn you can't just pull some of the same tricks as in the Army. Then Father Mulcahy joins after having a major depression when it was found out he was deaf. After a minor operation, part of his hearing is restored and he works at the Hospital.
New Characters include the Hospital Administrator Micheal D'Angelo (John Chappell) who is more interesting in his public image then the patients, Alma Cox (Brandis Kemp), his Sectary and in charge Admin who hates everyone bar her love, D'Angelo, while wanting everything to go via the book and has a grudge against the loose altitude of Klinger.
When the show starts, it also features Alma's Assistant Bonnie Hornback (Wendy Schaal) who fancys Klinger, and Dr Gene Pfeiffer (Jay o. Sanders), the local resident who is always over tired and with a lack of money leading him to try to get food wherever he can. over time, these characters disappear into the background before being completely removed, with Pfeiffer being replaced with Dr Boyer (Davie Ackroyd) a former frontline medico in Korea who lost his leg and has a big chip on his shoulder.
While the show was good, it didn't quite get the crowds they wanted and they tried to push it closer to Mash.. but sadly, they didn't seam to know how to do that and after Klinger had a few run ins while trying to get money to support his wife and soon to be born child, he ends up back in court where he decides to pretend to be insane. Some say this means he is 'Back in a dress', but doesn't wear a dress much, but wares a range of outfits where he has to prove to them he was insane, but got better. The Hospital Admin is changed and some characters come and go. Season two was very much NOT helped by the Network deciding to put the show opposite the A-team, believing (falsely) it could beat it in a war. Leaving a batch of episodes unaired and even some unfilmed.
It's easy to see why people compare it to Mash, as a Spin-off, it's trying to take some of the love for the show and bring it to a new one, but this show successfully takes old characters and puts them into a new setting.. However the new characters weren't always used to the best and the settings weren't always the best and people didn't get it as much of a chance as it needed and it would be a shame it see it never released to the public.
Some notable episodes often feel, like M.A.S.H. before it, don't quite go as far as they could do when they have to deal with after combat issues like Downwinders, left behind shrapnel, missing limbs and more.
