Monarch of the BBC (Monarch of the Glen)

Member Name: Caewan

Product:	Monarch of the Glen
Date:	18/07/09 (27 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: perfect for those who wish they were in that fresh highland air tomorrow instead of AC'd office

Disadvantages: May be a bit slow for some, and outdated, as the first series were in the 90s

I grew up with Monarch of the Glen, or as I called it when I was younger, Monica of the Glen.

Monarch of the Glen is set in the stunningly rugged Scottish highlands, and revolves around the McDonalds - Archie, the youngest boy, who moved away to start a restaurant in London after the death of his older brother, Jamie; Hector, his eccentric elderly father who loves nothing more than messing up his plans, whiskey, and gallivanting with his best friend Killwilly; Archie's darling and incredibly funny mother, Molly - a clan who, for several hundred years, ruled like kings over their land, but in the modern day, conditions are bleak. Financial troubles, and the reality of living in an old castle mean Archie must come back to his family home reluctantly to take over his father's lairdship - for tax purposes, of course.

We all know what happened next - he fell in love with the place and ended up staying, and you will too! The characters are funny and twee, the landscape is beautiful, and the stories are the typical Sunday night fodder - gentle, sloping, and pleasing on the eye, much like the place its set in (don't you wish all of Scotland was like this?). The stories aren't taxing on the brain at all, and are often quite odd and funny, but there's always a happy ending...eventually. Like a panto, its a comforting ritual, family friendly and you'll boo the bad guys and cheer for the McDonalds all the way through.

The characters of Lexy, Gilly and Duncan (also the only characters with Scottish accents) are very funny and quirky. Molly is my favourite character, I think the way she and Hector bounce off of each other verbally is hilarious, and much like any couple who've been together a long time.

Unfortunately Monarch has been decommissioned for several years now, and most likely it will stay that way, but its probably for the best. A series can only go so long before naturally petering out - but we still have the DVDs, the repeats on ITV3, and the memories.

Summary: Sunday-night Scottish programming.