Gradma ????????? (The Good Life)

Member Name: sandypip

Product:	The Good Life
Date:	28/09/02 (115 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great story lines

Disadvantages: Not on anymore

The Goodlife is one of those good old fashioned sitcoms . It was recorded in the 1970's . The story revolves around two couples who are neighbours living totally opposite lives . Which is strange as they are really the only people in the episodes .
Tom and Barbara Goode (played by Richard Briers and Felicity Kendal) are the people i would like to have live next door to me . Tom used to work in an office , only one day tired of the rat race , he quit his job and told his wife that they would become self-sufficient .Which meant they would never buy anything again . WHAT A NIGHTMARE !!!!!

In several of the episodes you see Tom and Barbara bartaring for things they cannot afford to buy . They grow their own fruit and vegetables , recycle their clothes and even rent out there spare room to students who help them look after their property as part of their education .

Tom has loads of wonderful ideas which usually ends up with Barbara having to sort out their finances to pay for Tom's mistakes .

Their neighbours Jerry and Margo (played by Paul Eddington and Penelope Keith) live a totally opposite lifestyle . Margo is very materialistic and such a snob her day revolves around the amateur dramatics society and several other clubs .Jerry works in the city , has a highly paid job but dies a little everytime Margo goes shopping . Jerry is extremely hen pecked and you very rarely hear him answer Margo back . She constantly nags him . She is also very worried every time Tom and Barbara come up with a new scheme , she thinks that house prices will fall . In one episode she called a meeting as an undesirable couple wanted to buy a house in their street . Poor Margo was devastated .

It does sound like a very boring programme but the dynamics of the relationships are amazing . The comedy lines flow so freely it's hard to tell they are working from a script .

Margo although a snob really does care about Tom and Barbara'
s welfare . There is also a great deal of natural chemistry between the characters .

The programme now runs on UK Gold and in the winter you can usually catch re-runs on BBC2 so keep your eyes peeled it's worth a view .

The only thing that has put me off is Margo reminds me of my grandmother (i use that word loosely only to describe the official relashionship) . I would rather be related to Margo though cos at least she has a heart .

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