Birds of a Feather returns on January 2nd

Luner13Luner13 Posts: 2,968
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At 8.30pm on ITV1 according to Linda Robson on twitter.

Who is excited? I love the original series so much and I am weary of how it will be received in 2014 but I will hope its just as good writing wise as the 1989 - 98 series.
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  • pburke90pburke90 Posts: 14,754
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    What's ITV1? All I can see on the EPG is ITV, ITV 2, ITV 3 and ITV 4.... :confused:
















    :p:D
  • Luner13Luner13 Posts: 2,968
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    Paddy C wrote: »
    What's ITV1? All I can see on the EPG is ITV, ITV 2, ITV 3 and ITV 4.... :confused:
















    :p:D

    lol I am still used to calling it ITV1
  • Rich Tea.Rich Tea. Posts: 22,048
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    I don't know about anyone else who may have been watching the Birds Of A Feather repeats on the Drama channel recently, on Freeview Channel 20, but seeing them again suddenly and rather brutally made me shudder and realise just how long ago the 1990's infact are now, which was a bit sobering to say the least. One moment it was a primetime fixture on BBC1, the next moment it hasn't been made for 15 years. :o
  • aquasplash3aquasplash3 Posts: 764
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    I'll be watching. I wish they were doing a Christmas special first though, even if it was just a televised version of the stage show.
  • danyelldanyell Posts: 10,855
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    Rich Tea. wrote: »
    I don't know about anyone else who may have been watching the Birds Of A Feather repeats on the Drama channel recently, on Freeview Channel 20, but seeing them again suddenly and rather brutally made me shudder and realise just how long ago the 1990's infact are now, which was a bit sobering to say the least. One moment it was a primetime fixture on BBC1, the next moment it hasn't been made for 15 years. :o

    Yes I've been watching it recently. I really like that channel.
  • China GirlChina Girl Posts: 2,747
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    Dorian doesn't look that much older, she was my favourite character, although all 3 girls worked well together. Really looking forward to the new shows.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 107
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    I didn't know it was coming back. I loved the original series. I hope it is good and they have good writers
  • Jimmy ConnorsJimmy Connors Posts: 117,524
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    Luner13 wrote: »
    At 8.30pm on ITV1 according to Linda Robson on twitter.

    Who is excited? I love the original series so much and I am weary of how it will be received in 2014 but I will hope its just as good writing wise as the 1989 - 98 series.

    Thanks for the date and time. I shall be watching. :)
  • quirkyquirkquirkyquirk Posts: 7,160
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    I really don't have high expectations.I have the old series on DVD and I enjoy rewatching them.Especially series 1-6 which were just fantastic IMO.I thought the show's quality started to diminish slightly once Sharon and Tracy moved house and they replaced the actors who played Darryl and Chris (even though strangely it was the original actor that played Chris that returned I preferred the Chris in series 2 -6)

    Whenever these old shows return they're never the same.That said I will still check it out.Whether it's good or not it won't ruin my enjoyment of the old ones.The chemistry between the three leads was great and the writing brilliant.
  • Molly BloomMolly Bloom Posts: 2,318
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    I'm afraid I don't share your excitement, OP. I think the original series was very much of it's time and I feel bringing back classic shows almost never works. I might tune in if enough people say it's good but otherwise I'm going to avoid it and just enjoy the version I grew up with and that is so special to me I don't want to risk tainting it.
  • SJ_MentalSJ_Mental Posts: 16,138
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    My parents used to watch it, I'll tune in for nostalgia, Thanks for letting me know :)
  • JEFF62JEFF62 Posts: 5,093
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    Looks like they are ignoring the events of the stage show. In that Doreen and Sharon end up in prison for five years. From the write up it sounds like they have all been leading separate lives for years.
  • ursula321ursula321 Posts: 1,430
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    I liked the earlier ones, but not so much when they had garthy? in them more and the husbands were released. It worked best for me with just the 3 leads. I may watch to see what its like though , i've heard good things about the stage show.
  • be more pacificbe more pacific Posts: 19,061
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  • Bus Stop2012Bus Stop2012 Posts: 5,624
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    I'm afraid I don't share your excitement, OP. I think the original series was very much of it's time and I feel bringing back classic shows almost never works. I might tune in if enough people say it's good but otherwise I'm going to avoid it and just enjoy the version I grew up with and that is so special to me I don't want to risk tainting it.

    I agree. When I saw this thread my immediate thought was, oh god, the actors need some money.
  • EllieGEllieG Posts: 108,065
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    I loved them at the time but not sure about them coming back, often doesn't work. Similar misgivings about Open all hours. But I'll certainly watch it and hope it's good, maybe the relationship between them will be enough.
  • Luner13Luner13 Posts: 2,968
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    I really don't have high expectations.I have the old series on DVD and I enjoy rewatching them.Especially series 1-6 which were just fantastic IMO.I thought the show's quality started to diminish slightly once Sharon and Tracy moved house and they replaced the actors who played Darryl and Chris (even though strangely it was the original actor that played Chris that returned I preferred the Chris in series 2 -6)

    You think? I thought Series 7 was more or less flawless I adored the revelation that Marcus had a secret other wife. The new Darryl was a terrible actor true but then Alun Lewis wasn't that great either imo

    Even the last two series had their golden moments "Sunday" when the three leads get trapped in a carpark is definetly in the top 10 best episodes for me.
  • performingmonkperformingmonk Posts: 20,086
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    EllieG wrote: »
    I loved them at the time but not sure about them coming back, often doesn't work. Similar misgivings about Open all hours. But I'll certainly watch it and hope it's good, maybe the relationship between them will be enough.

    I think it's successful return on stage last year will help this new TV series. It's not like it's coming back out of the blue. Open All Hours should be good fun too because many of the original people are involved. Both shows are definitely worth revisiting.
  • Rich Tea.Rich Tea. Posts: 22,048
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    I think it's successful return on stage last year will help this new TV series. It's not like it's coming back out of the blue. Open All Hours should be good fun too because many of the original people are involved. Both shows are definitely worth revisiting.

    Except Ark..Ark..Ark..Arkwright of course, the most important character. Reminds me a bit of the resurrected Reggie Perrin in the 90's with everyone but Leonard Rossiter. I think Birds Of A Feather will fit back in quite seamlessly actually, but whether being ITV rather than BBC will prove crucial is a point worth considering. ITV do not have a great track record anymore with sitcoms, although Vicious earlier this year was great.
  • Kenny MacleanKenny Maclean Posts: 1,318
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    I was in the audience at the first studio recording session (which apparently is the 3rd episode going out - I presume to allow them to get back into character (and Matt Wilis to find his) - you don't want ep. 1 looking a bit rough and people critisising it and turning off, so you record some others first then go back). It certainly looked very promising, couldn't really get into the episode though because of all the stops (as I said, it was their first time back in the studio with an audience) and they were certainly taking their time to make sure everything was perfect (took over 2 hours to record the episode, which, with with the vt inserts, was probably only 20mins of studio time - assuming a 23min ish rinning time.
  • Fred E StarFred E Star Posts: 1,693
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    That's my 2014 off to a bad start then.

    This show has always been utter shite. One of the worst sitcoms ever to appear on TV, even worse than "Bottle Boys" and "Take a letter Mr Jones".
  • TributeTribute Posts: 820
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    This is gonna be a train wreck.
  • Kenny MacleanKenny Maclean Posts: 1,318
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    "Birds of a Feather is back! Fifteen years after the show last appeared on UK screens, ending a run of 105 episodes, we catch up once more with working-class Essex sisters and rivals Sharon (Pauline Quirke Broadchurch, Emmerdale) and Tracey (Linda Robson I’m A Celebrity, Loose Women) and their eternal frenemy, man-eater Dorien (Lesley Joseph). In the first episode of our brand new revival, commissioned by ITV, the girls are back together under the same roof again, having met at a book signing not the usual place you’d find them, but now Dorien’s writing “Fifty Shades of Grey” cash-ins, they thought they’d take a look! So what’s changed for the girls? And how will they cope when more of Tracey’s chicks unexpectedly return to the nest? A revival of one of the most well-loved and popular of British sitcoms, featuring the three original cast leads and written by the original creators and writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, along with original series writers Gary Lawson and John Phelps."
  • chloebchloeb Posts: 6,501
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    I'm guessing it will be awful...
  • Luner13Luner13 Posts: 2,968
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    "Birds of a Feather is back! Fifteen years after the show last appeared on UK screens, ending a run of 105 episodes, we catch up once more with working-class Essex sisters and rivals Sharon (Pauline Quirke Broadchurch, Emmerdale) and Tracey (Linda Robson I’m A Celebrity, Loose Women) and their eternal frenemy, man-eater Dorien (Lesley Joseph). In the first episode of our brand new revival, commissioned by ITV, the girls are back together under the same roof again, having met at a book signing not the usual place you’d find them, but now Dorien’s writing “Fifty Shades of Grey” cash-ins, they thought they’d take a look! So what’s changed for the girls? And how will they cope when more of Tracey’s chicks unexpectedly return to the nest? A revival of one of the most well-loved and popular of British sitcoms, featuring the three original cast leads and written by the original creators and writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, along with original series writers Gary Lawson and John Phelps."

    Thx for posting

    Does that mean Sharon & Tracey have been estranged from Dorien for the last 15 years? if so I do not like that would prefer to think they had remained close during that time.
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