At Home with the Braithwaites (2000–2003) User Reviews

You can choose your friends, but your families are inflicted on you.

[ygwerin1 · 7/10 · 16 December 2022]

This is a television show that I was totally unaware, when it screened originally and I am, just catching up with it on ITV X iPlayer.

To call the Braithwaites dysfunctional is a monumental understatement, it appears to me that it's written from Alison Braithwaites perspective, of her as the sane sensible one, the calm centre of the tumult that is her family.

The principle Braithwaites father David and brother Graham, are really cut from the same cloth, regardless of what they claim to the contrary, they are both parasites through and through.

The three Braithwaites daughters, Charlotte, Sarah, and Virginia, are all in their own ways, selfish self centred and egotistical, traits that certainly stem from the family gene pool.

The Braithwaites clan are far from being, the only dysfunctional family in this show, their neighbours the Hartnoll's, with pompous pedantic bore Mike, and bored and wayward spouse Megan.

David Braithwaites secretary Elaine Fishwick, is part of yet another dysfunctional unit, with kids of her own and I don't recall, seeing hide nor hair of a spouse.

These are but the main players in this, extended spousal farrago of unhappy families, it's not something that I expected much from, but it's actually not that bad, it's overall well acted, and at times hilarious if mostly highly implausible.

Fascinating offbeat drama that continues to surprise throughout!

[E-un · 24 February 2000]

Alison Braithwaite is married to David. Together they live with their three daughters. Alison's life is turned upside down when she discovers that the Eurolottery ticket her youngest daughter got her for her birthday has landed her £38,000,000! In a bid to be responsible she decides to use the money for charitable purposes... but in doing so she keeps it a secret from her family.

And that's just the start of it all. The whole family are having their own particular crises, and somehow they all end up crashing in the middle. There are so many secrets being hidden away and the eventual outing of the truth is enthralling and unpredictable.

Light-hearted and heart-warming, this production makes being a fly on the wall such an enjoyable experience. It never fails to deliver while never being too serious. If there is a message in there somewhere then it is that life never goes as planned.

Thoroughly enjoyable... I hope there is more in the pipeline!

Equal Parts Comedy and Tragedy

[silkandskin-632-390499 · 10/10 · 13 March 2013]

I really love this series, in which winning the lottery magnifies all the existing problems of a dysfunctional family. It's hilarious but ultimately very sad. While many over-the-top things happen, the writer is faithful to underlying truths about human frailties. The characters are three dimensional, even the real assholes, and the acting is uniformly good. Peter Davison is especially stellar in a performance that exemplifies his strengths as an actor. His comic timing is spot-on and he makes the weak, petulant philandering husband a sympathetic character without pulling any punches to blunt his shortcomings. You want to kick him in the face one minute and hug him the next. The desperate, hopeful way he looks at his estranged wife any time she gives him the tiniest glimmer of encouragement broke my heart. If you are a fan of Davison's, this series alone is worth buying a region-free DVD player for. While it's definitely British in both setting and tone, there is nothing in it that is at all difficult for Americans to "get."

Mind-boggling stuff!

[MEG-40 · 9/10 · 9 September 2001]

I couldn't believe my eyes and ears seeing and hearing this over-the-top completely dysfunctional family and all of their weird friends and relations. Susan Wainright, the writer should be given top marks for the storyline which each week delivers more surprises than the previous week's episode. The first series was almost what one would expect from a family as weird and mixed-up as this one is but the second series excelled and I almost cringed at the antics of each and every character. Talk about behaving badly, well, this is the ultimate in "bad behaviour" and I'm sad that there is only one more episode to go before the end of the second series on Australian TV because I'll really miss my Saturday night dose of great British black comedy.

Very funny, very original.

[liam281 · 9/10 · 11 February 2000]

With this series, ITV can be proud that it has produced a show that can stand alongside the best of the recent crop of programmes on all four major networks. It features a wonderfully disfunctional family , and their unusual circumstances. The humour, unusually for ITV, is refreshingly bitter. The filming, the characters, the casting, the acting are all superb. Best of all, the addictive storyline started well, and sustains itself equally well. Surely one of the shows of the year.

Promising idea but let down by the characters.

[smokewriting · 4/10 · 22 July 2022]

I am halfway through Series 3 on ITV Hub (can't think why I missed it at the time) and quite frankly it's more through morbid curiosity than any actual enjoyment that I am still persevering with this now.

The plot certainly has merit and promised great things but it is so severely let down by its ridiculous characters. The writer, Sally Wainwright, by indulging her obvious bitterness against men has ensured that none of the male characters - yes none - have any redeeming qualities whatsoever. Now, as a woman I know full well that there are plenty of utter b**tards out there but there are also plenty of good, decent men too and by portraying all men in such a one-dimensional, negative way only serves to display the writer's warped sense of reality.

Strangely, because the acting is so good by all concerned, I did find myself hating the male characters (as we are supposed to, of course) for their over-emotional, irrational and absurd behaviour - that is until I remembered that they were all just the rabid creation of a bitter, angry woman. And it occurred to me that I had never actually seen men act that way - screaming in spitting fury, full of jealousy and rage and intent on revenge. I have seen plenty of women behave that way but never men. Yes men can be complete jerks sometimes but not all men and not all the time, as Ms Wainwright would have us believe.

It really does not help the cause of women to put out this sort of thing. Beyond fishing for cheers from militant feminists and appealing to the lowest common denominator of those vile, men-hating harridans, the series only serves to illustrate its creator's sad self-indulgence and poor understanding of human nature. Women are better than this, Ms Wainwright...at least most of us are and we are not all at war with men.

The best British TV Show Ever

[pavlin-63663 · 10/10 · 12 February 2021]

I watched this TV Show many times and never got tired or bored of it. Very talented cast and script writers. Many thanks to them for making this lovely series.

Modern day Shakespeare that's meticulously perfect!

[Merang0 · 22 May 2005]

At Home with the Braithwaites would make Shakespeare stand up and cheer! Every story line truly intertwines with the other. The best example of how the subplot should support the main plot. Braithwaites has it all comedy, murder-?, passion, and love of the family. Often, you will find characters delightfully twisted with an ethos that you actually end up identifying with and you realize that you have friends and family that are just like them - or just like you. Perhaps that is why the show is so successful.

Series one begins with Alison Braithwait winning the lottery at 38 million pounds due to the fact that her youngest daughter Charlotte bought her a ticket as a birthday present. Realizing that husband David, who is having an affair, daughter Virginia, who fixes cars and loves women, daughter Sarah, who's sleeping with the neighbors kid "Phil", and Charlotte, who's always plotting revenge, can be as greedy as they get, she hides her winnings and creates the Jane Crowther Trust.

Deception and mistrust lead to fantastic tails that will have you on pins and needles waiting for the next episode!

Top-notch soap opera parody

[ladamson1918 · 9/10 · 24 January 2015]

I've been binge-watching this since I found it; it's almost like an obsession. The Braithwaites seem to be a normal middle-class family, mom and dad and three girls, and then Allison Braithwaite wins a huge amount of money in a lottery and all hell breaks loose. Allison is a very nice, decent woman who just wants to do some good with the money, but the same cannot be said of her husband and daughters. Conflict necessarily ensues. In an unusual move, the writers haven't made the huge cash windfall the source of the family's problems, which were there all along--the money just brings all the turmoil to the surface. The cast is excellent. Peter Davison, long a staple of British comedy, goes above and beyond as David Braithwaite, Allison's obnoxious, greedy, self-centered husband. If you like satire, parody, and black humor, you should be entertained by the Braithwaites.

The most underrated British TV Series

[janbi-87650 · 10/10 · 19 February 2021]

When you type in ''the best british tv series ever'' in google search, AHWTB doesn't appear in any list. Most of the Shows that do appear, are just pathetic and boring. ''At Home'' is a Great Show, and in my opinion it should be present in a list of 10 best British TV shows at least.

Brilliant

[Clarey_girl · 10/10 · 4 March 2001]

I have never missed an eppisode of this as i think it is absolutely brilliant and i hope it goes a long way. It is a suberb, down-to-earth, real life drama which portrays reality. I really admire Sarah Smart (Virginia) and would love to meet her but i cant really see that happening! She is such a great actress and is very good at her job and the scenes she is in are VERY realistic!

Dysfunctional rich family lose their perspective fast!

[ratcat0 · 9/10 · 28 June 2014]

This is one very enjoyable series, if not for the voyeur in us all wanting to see what happens once a family wins 3.8 Million in the Euro lottery. An amazing example of a Lesbian defective is the Virginia character trouncing around in her Lotus Elise - at first one finds that she is just morbid but as time (and episodes) go by you gradually develop an empathy for her embattled status. And who could not love the Matriarch of the family Allison Braithwaite played by Amanda Redman who having won chooses not to disclose her multi-millionaire status to the rest of the family and instead decides to start a charity intending to give away funds to well-deserving people. The characters are all well developed, some quite cringe-worthy such as the nefarious Megan who quite rightly gets her just deserts in the end. Don't miss this fabulous series if you haven't already seen it.

Still a good watch after all these years

[extremecraigfan · 28 February 2017]

I know the series is getting old now as it appeared between the years 2000-2003 but it is still worth the watch. I came across the show while doing a search for Amanda Redman's work. She now plays in The Good Karma Hospital and I was wondering what else she may have performed in.

At Home with the Braithwaites is a typical family, the more children more the range in personalities...a studious child, a quirky child and one that is just always finding trouble. Thrown into the mix is a husband who is there but not totally...and a huge win in the lottery. Some odd decisions are made, I would not do the same, but it all adds to the plot.

The Show is Lovely

[cathj-53991 · 10/10 · 25 February 2021]

I love this Show, watched it several times and enjoyed it every time. When you win millions your life changes, for better or worse it depends very much on a person. Brilliant acting and story line. Many thanks to everyone who made this very underrated TV Series.

The most brilliant British Serial EVER!!!

[gonzonz · 10/10 · 28 August 2000]

I never saw the first part of this, but watched the next 5 parts avidly!!!!

Never have I seen such a brilliant mix of comedy and drama, with NO weak performances whatsoever. Peter Davison and Amanda Redman were FANTASTIC!!!!

I'll definitely be watching this again! So good!!!!

Just to say something

[kev6185 · 10/10 · 1 March 2000]

This was in my mind, the best damn show I have seen on British TV in Years. Amanda Redman is a very talented actress as are the rest. I watched every episode and i was entertained everytime I watched it. Thanx

IT'S GREAT!

[Lauren 21 · 10/10 · 23 March 2002]

I so love 'AT HOME WITH THE BRAITHWAITES'. It brightens up my week when i watch it. Its good to see all the troubles that they get themselves into.

Virginia is my favourite character as i think she's great and funny and she kind of resembles myself.

I THINK THE SHOW IS GREAT AND REALLY FUNNY AND IT SHOULD NEVER END!!!

DEFINATELY A 10/10 PROGRAMME!!!!!!!

Very lighthearted and extremely well acted

[wayne foster · 16 February 2001]

It's really nice to see a good old northen comedy, just when your getting sick of the likes of Eastenders (everybody's always depressed) along comes something uplifting. It's interesting to see what happens to a normal everyday surburban family who's path in life suddenly takes a dramatic turn. I think Amanda Redman carries it off extremely well as the women who has just won 38 millon quid (sterling). I must admit when I first seen Peter Davison in it I thought "Oh no...that man from all creatures great and small (boring)", but then I remember his role as Dr Who, in which he was quite hatstand in that so..... I was quite amazed at his performace...well done Peter. As for Virginia, she puts Phil Cool (He's a comedian from Rochdale who has an amazingly rubber face)in the shade for some of the expressions she pulls, but it's all in character and she does a great job. All in all an extremely good production. I hope to see more light hearted entertainment on terrestrial TV. Keep up the good work chaps and chappessis!!:)

This is what you call BRITISH TV GOLD!

[sarahloo-01175 · 9/10 · 9 March 2022]

After stumbling across this show on demand, I decided to give this series a go. I had previously watched it back in the good old days of the year 2000 however, in all honesty, could not remember too much about it. Boy, was I glad that I binged on this brilliant TV series again! This show really is a must watch in my opinion and even though it is now over 20 year's old, it really is TV gold and most definitely British TV at it's best. This series is filled with entertainment, humour and shock moment's, as well as twists and turns that will have you glued to your big screen. The storyline, characters and concept of the show are fantastic. Watching family life after a massive 38 million lottery win will never be more fun! Trust me, give this a watch. You will be far from disappointed!

Without a doubt the best English TV Series of the year 2000.

[CELLIOTT10 · 21 December 2001]

"At Home with the Braithwaites" is absolutely excellent. Sarah Smart who plays Virginia is the best character. She is a stunning actress I'm sure she'll defently go far and have a wonderful career. She's such a natural.

The TV Series is about the Braithwaite family. They arn't really that happy. The mum Alison is a housewife. The dad David is a bad tempered miserable money lender who is having an affair with his secretary. The eldest daughter Virginia is at university and is completly screwed up and is a lesbian who is also in love with the next door neighbour, the middle daughter, Sarah is at school and is a moaney old cow. The youngest is Charlotte and she's quite weird.

This is the situation they live in. Then Alison win's the lottery, 38 million but doesn't really know what to do with the money and she doesn't tell her family. Eventualy with the help of two other women she sets up a company that helps people (her family still don't know.) The next string of events are that Virginia is doing that badly at University she gets kicked out and is now living at home but all she thinks about is Megan the next door neighbour. So she comes out to her but also reveals that she knows that she (Megan) had sex with the window cleaner. Then Megan flips out and ignores her sending Virginia into depression. Sarah has made a fool of herself writing a love letter to a teacher and now has completely lost all self control and is having sex with the other next door neighbour, Phil.

Soon Virginia tells only her mum about the fact that she's gay and then Alison tells her about the money and the company. But then Virginia goes mad and stars to spend, spend, spend.

At the end the press find out that it is Alison that has won the money and cast it all over the news and the whole family finds out. Then Alison finds out about David's affair and she takes him back.

This TV Series is truely amazing. It's so good that it's the only series that I've remembered to tape every single week. Also if you like that series in the second one things really get interesting...

'The Twilight Zone' meets 'Eastenders'; unforgettable!

[opsbooks · 9 April 2003]

Peter Davison carries on here in much the same way as he did in the earlier masterpiece, 'A Very Peculiar Practice'. Instead of playing a doctor, not long after he'd played the ultimate doctor, 'Doctor Who', he plays a 'suit in an office, spending a lot of the time getting his leg over with his nympho secretary. Others have explained the story but be warned. Like most series which push an idea too far, this is running out of steam. The first 3 series are cutting edge television. What comes after is less so, though still great fun and better than most.

The love of money

[cdubsr · 5/10 · 1 May 2024]

It was a fun show. Most of the episodes were entertaining. Sometimes the plot twists were a little too unbelievable. There were 2 'surprise' babies in the show and the babies showed up at convenient times in different episodes. Especially with the second 'surprise' baby, anyone with a baby can tell you that the time required for infant care as portrayed was totally unrealistic. They should have just left out the second 'surprise' baby. A few of the characters were just caricatures and the prime example being the slutty neighbor. The last episode was funny, with plenty of plot twists, but I was really hoping for a better ending. In the end Dame Alison Braithwaite could have pulled her family back together but she decides to be selfish - "I want it all!" Including the millions of Quid!