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Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?
Glenn A
Posts: 23,877 Forum Member
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Could this be the greatest sitcom of all time as the humour is timeless- one character is broke and down on his luck and the other is moving up in the world- and the scriptwriting is first rate. There wasn't a single bad episode and the acting was first class and also gave Christopher Biggins and Bill Owen their big break.
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A fantastic series that is still great to watch, Bob and Terry's friendship was both funny and very touching at times.
Why can't they make 'em like this anymore.
The feud is still ongoing. 34 years now
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1252389/Whatever-happened-likely-lad.html
I was reading that while I was eating my pizza. Surely Bolam must know Bewes isn't very well off and could retire if he allows the BBC to repeat WHTTLL.
Actually back to the series, when you look at some episodes, the cast is small- often averaging out at six actors- so the emphasis was more on the two lads, which made it work better.
While Bolam can block repeats on BBC1 or BBC2 he cannot stop them being shown on cable/satellite channels like UK Gold or even BBC4 as Equity removed the actors power of veto on these in the late 90's.
Granted , the royalties from a UKG broadcast would be peanuts compared to a BBC1/2 showing but Bolam won't be the reason it's not shown on there.
It is funny - but it's also dated.
Who bought the separate dvd release of The Likely Lads only to find that when they released the combined boxset with WHTTLL aswell that another B&W episode had turned up that had not been included on the first set?
WHTTLL has been shown loads of times on GOLD recently. They've also shown some of the original black and white Likely Lads series of the 1960s. (Not too many of those episodes remain in the archives.)
WHTTLL truly is a brilliantly written, very funny sitcom. Just like the writers' other big sitcom success, Porridge.
It's only dated because of the fashions and the cars, the scripts are still brilliant and it hasn't aged in the way The Young Ones has, so early eighties and alternative now. Two men- one broke with few prospects and the other doing OK in the middle class- is a timeless concept.
Agreed.
But it's dated look maybe why UK Gold don't seem to want to show it anymore.
Most of those real classic sitcoms don't appear to be their thing these days unless it's set in Torquay
Yes but thats not quite the same era
Obviously it was made in 1973 so it will look old, but the writing is fantastic. The original series has dated more due to being made in black and white and being confined to a studio, but the sequel still does the job.
I'm not arguing with you.
I agree and I have the series on dvd myself.
I'm merely pointing out why UK Gold may not be interested in showing it at the moment.
There are shedloads of BBC comedies from the 60's and 70's that wipe the floor with much of todays trash thanks to outstanding writing but that makes no difference to UKG where all sitcoms must take place in Torquay,Peckham or Dibley
Oh no I'm not suggesting that as you obviously agree with me over the quality of the writing and I know as a teen seeing it for the first time in the 80s I laughed at the flares and the kipper ties- as the seventies was so uncool by then.
Also another poster has mentioned Bolam being a miserable, remote person in real life. I do know from reading online he hates being approached in the street and has been very agressive to people asking about the show. On the other hand Rodney Bewes would happily talk to anyone in the pub about it.
"Oh, what happened to you, whatever happened to me? What became of the people we used to be? Tomorrow’s almost over, today went by so fast. Is the only thing to look forward to....the past?"
Says everything about everything really.
It was released as a single by a group called Highly Likely. The theme tune to the film was similar, called 'Remember When' that should have been released as well
Exactly. So poignant.