The Royle Family (TV Series) The Royle Family at Christmas (2000) User Reviews

The Royle Family Christmas Message.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 10/10 · 31 December 2018]

Nearing the end of Christmas TV specials,I started looking for British Comedy specials that have become overlooked. Whilst the later specials get plenty of deserved attention, this is the one which appears to get lost in the shuffle, which led to me spending Christmas with the Royle family.

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Featuring future star Sheridan Smith in her third, and final very good guest appearance as Emma Kavanagh, the ensemble cast continue to give superb performances, with them all showing restrain in knowing when an awkward silence and uncomfortable glances can be a winning punch-line. Joining the regulars, Sharon Duce and John Henshaw fit right in as visiting couple Roger and Valerie Kavanagh, with co-writer/(with Craig Cash)/co-star/ director Caroline Aherne keeping the camera lingering on the Kavanagh's realisation of how different they are to the Royle's. Making this a blissful family gathering, the script by Aherne and Craig Cash finely balance hilariously earthy humour of family members attempting difficult conversions, with a festive warmth over looking towards the new year during this Royle Christmas.

Finest episode

[colinprunty-1 · 17 April 2014]

I love this episode and consider it to be the finest one in the entire series.No other episode comes close to really bringing out the humour and pathos that the writers managed to create in the shows early years. The family are visited by their son Anthony's soon to be in laws and the differences between the two families soon become apparent.The father of Anthony' girlfriend is in his own words " a self made man" and makes sure everybody knows it and goes through a long tirade about his largess to a bemused Jim and son in law Dave. The episode draws out the real spirit of this fantastic comedy and also has a poignant moment at the end as JIm gives his opinion of the arrogant Roger and his life to baby David his grandson. many people have criticised the recent Christmas efforts and it is sometimes difficult to recreate comedy that is of its time. This episode reflects that reason perfectly as we have two superbly drawn characters Jim Royle the work shy and lazy man possible made redundant in the 80s and the wrong age to start again and Roger the self made millionaire a bi product if the Thatcherite era. Maybe the writers should have stopped it here because I cannot think of a better episode than this in the entire series and I never tire of watching it again and again. Superb performances from all the actors with special mentions to John Henshaw as Roger and Sharon Duce as his spoilt wife.