The simpsons in London (My Family)

Member Name: blissman70

Product:	My Family
Date:	20/11/08 (65 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great comedy and very entertaining

Disadvantages: none for me

Creators: Fred Barron
Writers: James Hendrie, Ian Brown, Fred Barron, Shawn Schepps, Steve and Jim Armogida and Penny Croft.
Stars: Robert Lindsey, Zoe Wanamaker, Kris Marshall, Daniela Denby-Ashe and Gabriel Thomson

This family based comedy started in 2000 and spawned 90 episodes, split into 8 series of simple family entertainment.


* BRIEF IDEA *

The Harper family are your almost typical family, living in a beautiful home in Chiswick, London, just wanting an easy life...
They consist of...

* Ben Harper, (played by Robert Lindsey), the miserable father with a very laid back attitude and very dry sense of humour. He hates his job as a dentists and sometimes comes across as hating his kids as well, although his paternal instincts do need some improvement.

* Susan, (played by Zoe Wanamaker), is the poor lady who somehow ended up marrying Ben. She comes across as a doting mother, although deep down she too sometimes seems to regret having started a family...constantly trying to control there every move...?

* Nick, (played by Kris Marshall), the eldest son is a slightly different kind of person who will try anything for a quick buck, although his mind is a little bit behind his body, leding him into some rather unfortunate situations.

* Their daughter Janey, (played by Daniela Denby-Ashe), is the typical teenage girl, wanting everything her own way and disobeying her parents with such venom.

* And their youngest son Michael, (played by Gabriel Thomson) who is the clever thinker of the family, with high hopes for his future.


The families simple way through life is made much harder with constant obstacles placed in their way, With Ben usually making matters seem worse with his sometimes laid back attitude towards his families troubles.
Bens tries to find sanctuary at his dental surgery but is constantly being tormented by his annoying assistant Brigitte, (played by Daisy Donovan), who has one of them irritating attitudes.


There are several characters that pop in and out of the series, visiting the house or the surgery, each having a different dilemma with which they hopelessly think that the Harper family would be interested in...especially the next door neighbour, Roger Bailey (played by Keiron Self) who happens to work with Ben at the same surgery... adding to the poor mans woes both at work and at home.





* IN CONCLUSION

A great almost harmless comedy for all the family to enjoy.
The banter between Susan and Ben really does sometimes make you wish your relationship was as east and laid back as theirs, although you wouldn't want their kids as your own... especially Nick, who has an amazing ability to confuse even himself with so much ease...

The dysfunctional family idea works well, almost like episodes of the Simpson's only without the yellow skin and over used clothing... It is a simple fact of being able to laugh at another families troubles even though you're inundated with your own... realising that there is someone out there who is worse off than yourself, (albeit fictitious)

The episodes each have a different story to tell but all stories tend to lead to the planet Mayhem, rule by Lord Chaos, waiting for the Harpers to arrive through customs with there baggage in tow... creating some brilliant laughs throughout each episode as the family bonding is put to the test again and again...

The all round acting is simply superb, with Lindsey playing the 'couldn't care less' attitude to perfection... constantly battling minds with Susan, his controlling wife who loves nothing more than barking orders.
But the man of the match award has to go to Kris Marshall with his amazing creation which is Nick, capable of doing the most stupidest of things without batting an eyelid, putting his hand to anything from stripping to stunt riding and a lot more brain baffling plans to earn a living... His character is without doubt the clown in the family and what a job he does at it, with his silly expressions and spaced out mind.

In all, a great show for all ages, although much of the dry humour may be a little over the heads of younger kids... but they will love Nick and his rather silly ways




* Would I recommend this..?

Yes I certainly would...
It is worth viewing at least once, although I do feel the later series tend to go off the boil a little, but the first few series are simply perfect entertainment

These DVDs can be bought from amazon.co.uk for as little as little as £7.00 to as much as £12.98... Or the complete first 7 series for £34.98... Bargain indeed.

* Series rundown...

The Complete First Series, 8 episodes (2000)
The Complete Second Series, 13 episodes (2001)
The Complete Third Series, 13 episodes (2002)
2002 Christmas special
The Complete Fourth Series, 13 episodes (2003)
2003 Christmas special
My family reloaded (2004)
The Complete Fifth Series, 13 episodes (2004)
2004 The Christmas Specials
Comic relief special (2005)
2005 Christmas special
The Complete Sixth Series, 7 episodes (2006)
2006 Christmas special
The Complete Seventh Series, 9 episodes (2007)
2007 Christmas special
The Complete Eighth Series, 7 episodes (2008)

Summary: This could be my family in the future