Bow before "Royle"ty! (The Royle Family - Series 2 (DVD))

Member Name: kaitlinsmummy

Product:	The Royle Family - Series 2 (DVD)
Date:	21/03/08 (103 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A right good watch.

Disadvantages: None!

I have been sitting here for quite sometime now trying to decide what I could review next, I have a few options, but nothing that jumps out at me. So as I am absentmindedly staring into space my dvd collection catches my eye, (owww, lol!), I dive in and find my beloved "Royle family" dvd, so decided to give it a go.

Now before I review any of the episodes from the second series I must fill in a little background information.

The family that the series is based on is, obviously, the "Royles". A working class family from up North, and I say working in the loosest sense due to the fact only two of them actually have jobs!

The family comprises of Dave and Denise Best, (nee Royle), the lazy spoilt eldest child and her husband. The characters are played by Craig Cash and Caroline Aherne, and the series is also written by them.
As in the first series, the majority of the episodes revolve around them and their impending first child, "Whitney or Keanu, depending obviously on the sex!"

There is also the wonderful partnership of Jim Royle, played by Ricky Tomlinson and his screen wife Barbara, played the incredible Sue Johnston.
Having been a little too young to remember Brookside when it first started, my mum soon recalled on how wonderful the afore mentioned actors were as a previous screen couple! So it delighted her to see them back together again.

Jim is the lazy and foul mouthed father of the family, he spends most of his day in front of his first true love........ The television!! He is always quick to point out his children's faults and lack of professions, but never seems to take onboard any of this in regards to his own work situation!!

Barbara is the mother and backbone of the family, she is one of my favourite characters due to the fact I can see me doing the same as she does with her children, it doesn't matter what is said or done, she will defend them to the end. She is however a little hormonal, and aside from her uncontainable excitement at her prospect of her first grandchild, seems to be going through the change, as is evident in a couple of the episodes. She is also one of the two characters who has a job, albeit a part time position at the local
Bakery, so she at least leaves the house for another reason than to visit "the feathers", the local watering hole they all frequent, but never actually seen!

Ralph Little and Sheridan Smith play Anthony, (the younger of the two Royle siblings) and Emma (Ant's new girlfriend, who in fairness seems quite bemused with the family!).
Anthony is picked on incessantly by Jim, taking all sorts of insults from "lazy little git" to "gayboy", of course this line of attack disperses somewhat upon the family meeting Emma, it does however turn into the ribbing of Ant about Emma being best friends with a boy and how he couldn't compete, what with his prospects only being "McDonalds", and not having any else to offer! I know it sounds harsh but how its been written, you can't help but chuckle!

The last main character is the delightful and hysterical Liz Smith, who plays Norma, Barbara's mother. The relationship between her and Jim is unmissable, the constant competition between them, for the telly, the toilet and just generally to outdo and outwit each other is wonderful to watch! She is quite ditzy and is constantly and passionately telling anyone and everyone about her friends daughter having her outfits from "Marks and Spencers", and generally repeating herself over and over and over......... classic!

~~~~~~ THE EPISODES ~~~~~~

None of the episodes are titled, but numbered. In total this dvd contains 7 episodes.

Episode 1 - This is the first episode after the wedding of the century, (see series one). Denise and Dave turn up after tea to see Barbara and Jim, their all sitting round the telly (as usual), and Barbara can't understand why Denise won't have a cigarette, as she normally "likes smoking soo much"!, then Denise drops the bombshell that, "were pregnant!"

This is a brilliant episode, and could be viewed by someone not familiar with the first series, as the characters are so constant, you become acquainted with them easily. Just the sight of Jims face when Denise is recalling ever detail of her missed "period" and how she had to pee on the pregnancy teat has me in stitches!

Episode 2 - This episode shows the entire family having their Sunday dinner around the Royle's family home.
Throughout the episode you see Barbara getting redder and redder, after a final prodding by her mother about "hot flushes and the menopause", she finally flips!

This is another wonderful episode where nothing ever happens, but is written in such a way, you find yourself comparing your family life to theirs making it absolutely hysterical!

Episode 3 - Another night in front of the box, starts with Jim and Barbara discussing the finer points of "changing rooms" and how Jim says that Lawrence Llewellen-Bowen would love nothing better than to "stencil his arse". This episode also addresses the subject of Anthonys new girlfriend "Emma", and how the family not satisfied with calling him gayboy, are now insistent on ripping it out of him for going out with such an attractive young lady! (They tell him she's too good for him, as she is from a weel off family..... Mean!)

Another cracking episode, especially watching the family discussing adverts and there theme tunes, even down to Barbara singing the theme tune to a club biscuit advert, whilst trying to eat one!!

Episode 4 - This episode starts with "Nanna" sitting on the settee, with an eye patch on. She stays with them for a week after having a cataract operation, much to Jims annoyance.

Another great episode especially the scene were Jim and Dave concoct a plan to get out to the "feathers" for a pint, and how Jim backs down when Denise tells Dave he can't go, so he doesn't get into trouble with Barbara!!

Episode 5 - This episode starts with the daily and inevitable visit from Dave and Denise, and Barbara flouncing about.
Most of this episode is spent with Denise and Barbara in the kitchen , them calling Jim black and blue. He's lazy, he's smelly and Barbara is considering leaving.............
Jim and Dave are in the front room trying to work out when Barbara, will finally "change" as Jim is indignent about her menopause and the fact it made her do the unthinkable....... She switch of the telly!!

Another amusing episode, where after a few minutes it becomes a boys versus girls slanging match, bloody brilliant!

Episode 6 - It's Anthony's 18th birthday and finally the family are to be introduced to Emma, the look on Denise's face when Ant finally brings her home, visibly looking her up and down to see what she's wearing, such a girl thing!!

A funny and somewhat cringe worthy episode, I find myself laughing uncontrollably but feeling so sorry for Emma, as she trys to explain that just because the ham is "wafer thin", she still can't eat it, what with her being vegetarian!

The bonus episode on the dvd is the Christmas special, which in my opinion is one of the best Christmas specials of any series........ever!!

This episode starts just after the Royles have finished their Christmas dinner, Barbara is talking to Denise on the phone, asking if she feels better. Then she asks if she's coming down from upstairs!!
You see Denise struggling to get of her mum's bed, as she is now as big as a house and due any moment, I think you can guess where this episode is heading!!

This episode makes me laugh and cry every time I watch it, there is a scene towards the end, where Dave has just took Nanna home on the back of his moped, and Denise has gone into labour. The scene where she is sitting on the bathroom floor talking with Jim, is the most moving scene in the entire series. She questions her ability to be a mother, and "what if the baby doesn't like her?", to which Jim replies " the first time I saw you and Ant I new I loved you", makes me cry. Of course the music playing in the background helps,(requiem sang by Charlotte Church), adds a whole new layer to the scene...... Perfect!

~~~~~~ RUNNING TIME AND EXTRAS ~~~~~~

The running time for the entire dvd is 214 minutes.

There are unfortunately no extras, but then again how can you improve on perfection!

~~~~~~ PRICE AND AVAILABILITY ~~~~~~

This dvd only cost £9.99, although I shouldn't actually know this as my little brother has been getting them for me as Christmas presents, it's a no brainer present and he at least knows what to get me, I am still waiting for series three!!

~~~~~~ CONCLUSION ~~~~~~

Bloody brilliant, I would recommend to everyone and anyone, although in my family I don't need too, my dad is Jim, my mum is Barb', my bro' Ian is Ant and my dad is adamant I am, or at least when pregnant with my eldest child, was Denise.......... Well I was with child you know!!!

Thanks for reading!

Summary: A superb comedy.