'Me and My Girl' is one of those rare sitcoms that manages to be quite ordinary, yet funny. While it doesn't have the wackiness of most of the best British sitcoms, it is incredibly charming in it's own humble way. Unlike most shows of its genre, which have bratty children and over-indulgent parents, 'Me and My Girl' depicts an average family and is all the better for it. Richard O'Sullivan (Simon) and Joanne Ridley (Sam) work so well together, you'd swear they were a real father and daughter. Tim Brooke-Taylor as the hen-pecked Derek is hilarious and rather poignant. You want him to escape from under the jackboot of the never-seen Muriel, but it never happens! And Joan Sanderson plays the wonderfully strong mother-in-law Nell beautifully. This show is an under-appreciated gem, so if you're lucky enough to be able to catch repeats, do.
Reviews
16 Reviews
Homeboys in Outer Space
(1996–1997)
Awful!
15 November 2001
This crummy load of Yank rubbish is just a bad ripoff of the cult British comedy 'Red Dwarf'. While the adventures of Rimmer, Lister, the Cat and Kryten have kept millions laughing for over a decade, the only laughs this show could provide would be directed at the morons who created this show and who actually believed someone might enjoy it. Save yourself the bother and watch the real thing!
Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot
(2001 TV Movie)
A waste of a good opportunity
21 May 2001
Television mini-series are usually poor quality, and this is no exception. The acting is below average and therefore unconvincing. The domestic dramas are played out like 'Young and the Restless' without any understanding of the complexities of such events. Worst of all, the pacing is so frantic that it's difficult to feel involved in the potentially riveting story.
Perhaps part of the problem is in the very nature of the set-up - the Kennedy women simply aren't as interesting as their husbands as they were only bit players in the most interesting events in history. The Cuban missile crisis, for example, must have been a fascinating and horrifying event to live through. Yet seen through Jackie's eyes, it barely sustains interest and is over in five minutes because she barely had anything to do with it.
'The Women of Camelot' is only tolerable because the Kennedys were such an interesting family who played such a significant role in American history in the sixties. No doubt there is a better film to be made of their experiences, one that doesn't turn the story into a cheap and dull soap opera.
Perhaps part of the problem is in the very nature of the set-up - the Kennedy women simply aren't as interesting as their husbands as they were only bit players in the most interesting events in history. The Cuban missile crisis, for example, must have been a fascinating and horrifying event to live through. Yet seen through Jackie's eyes, it barely sustains interest and is over in five minutes because she barely had anything to do with it.
'The Women of Camelot' is only tolerable because the Kennedys were such an interesting family who played such a significant role in American history in the sixties. No doubt there is a better film to be made of their experiences, one that doesn't turn the story into a cheap and dull soap opera.
Blake's 7: The Beginning
(1985 Video)
Awful edit of excellent series.
23 September 2000
'Blake's 7' is a wonderful sci-fi classic that is rightfully compared to Doctor Who, Star Trek and Babylon 5. So why did the BBC feel the need to hack half the story out of four episodes and edit them together into this mess? Clearly, someone at the Beeb has seen the light, as all episodes of 'Blake's 7' have now been reissued uncut. Viewers should save their money for the videos 'The Way Back'/'Spacefall' and 'Cygnus Alpha'/'Time Squad' and enjoy the stories in full.
Undercover Gang
(1986)
Maurcie Gee's dark children's novel is brought to life.
25 May 2000
As a child I remember being thoroughly chilled by this story of mysterious cases of arson in a nineteenth century town. Unfortunately, TVNZ seems loath to repeat it, presumably because it will make their present offerings look truly awful.
The Great Kiwi Video Show
(1996– )
As Homer Simpson put it, "Dog on fire! Dog on fire!"
25 May 2000
This awful compilation of "funniest home videos" is as epoch-makingly bad as you imagine. And the most irritating thing is, THEY AREN'T EVEN KIWI! Yes folks, they're not only drivel, they're AMERICAN drivel. Talk about adding insult to injury.
Gloss
(1987–1990)
Ahh...memories!
25 May 2000
The hair! The shoulder pads! The dialogue! And most important of all, the opportunity to see previously respected actors make fools of themselves because our television/film/theatre industry is so small. I only wish TVNZ will dust off this sub-Dynasty piece of 80s kitsch in honour of the millennium.
The New Zealand Wars
(1998– )
Excellent documentary about New Zealand's forgotten past.
25 May 2000
Professor James Belich's insight into the history of the New Zealand Wars was somewhat controvertial, if only with the oldies who were brought up on myths of "Queen and Country". New Zealanders flexible enough to cope with the notion that the Victorian English and Maori peoples were not dearest chums will enjoy learning about a period of history that the New Zealand Qualifications Authority seems loathe to have taught in schools.
2 People
(1997– )
Utter rubbish
25 May 2000
TVNZ's absurd attempt at a magazine show pitched at "the kids" and starring two washed-up ex-Shortland Street actors failed miserably and folded quickly.
Thank God for PeopleMeters, or this load of excrement might have run for months before anyone realised no-one was watching.
Thank God for PeopleMeters, or this load of excrement might have run for months before anyone realised no-one was watching.
Shortland Street
(1992– )
Slowly Devolving
25 May 2000
In it's original form, "Shortland Street" had a certain naive charm. It was cheesy, it was bad, but it was a soap opera, it was filmed locally (about two minutes from my house, to be exact) and we were young so we forgave it's flaws.
Over the eight years it's been on, however, there's been a definite drop in quality. The early writers of "Shortland Street" knew it was drivel, so nothing was taken very seriously. Minnie's devotion to American soap "Tides of the Heart" was an opportunity for SS to poke fun at itself. Unfortunately, the self-depreciative remarks have gone, as have the enjoyably silly story lines. Current writers seem to believe they're writing Montana Sunday Theatre...only without the talent. Consequently, storylines are now delivered in deadly ernest, and those over the age (and IQ) of 15 are beginning to turn off.
Over the eight years it's been on, however, there's been a definite drop in quality. The early writers of "Shortland Street" knew it was drivel, so nothing was taken very seriously. Minnie's devotion to American soap "Tides of the Heart" was an opportunity for SS to poke fun at itself. Unfortunately, the self-depreciative remarks have gone, as have the enjoyably silly story lines. Current writers seem to believe they're writing Montana Sunday Theatre...only without the talent. Consequently, storylines are now delivered in deadly ernest, and those over the age (and IQ) of 15 are beginning to turn off.
Space: 1999
(1975–1977)
Or, "Flares 1999", as my brother calls it!
14 September 1999
"Space 1999" could not really be considered a classic. It's premise seems too close to "Star Trek" to be original, and some of the acting and many of the episodes are, quite simply, terrible.
That said, it does have a certain charm to it. As other reviewers have mentioned, the sound-track is nicely done (love that theme song) and the sets are excellent, as are the model shots. The Eagle scout ship design is probably one of the most sensible and realistic designs of any spaceship on a sci-fi show. And some of the shows were very enjoyable, even if the writers did have a fondness for leaving us wondering what the !!!! was going on!
Women seemed to have better roles than were given to them on "Star Trek", which is appropriate for a show made several years later. Gerry Anderson made a conscious effort to give black actors intelligent roles, which is far more than could be said of most other directors of the time. And, not being American, I also appreciate the fact that, for once, Earth is not represented as just being America. It's nice to hear English, European, Caribbean accents amongst others, coming from actors that aren't Americans putting on bad accents.
Spooky: I'm writing this on "the" day - yes, September 13th, 1999...I wondered why the moon looked so strange tonight!
That said, it does have a certain charm to it. As other reviewers have mentioned, the sound-track is nicely done (love that theme song) and the sets are excellent, as are the model shots. The Eagle scout ship design is probably one of the most sensible and realistic designs of any spaceship on a sci-fi show. And some of the shows were very enjoyable, even if the writers did have a fondness for leaving us wondering what the !!!! was going on!
Women seemed to have better roles than were given to them on "Star Trek", which is appropriate for a show made several years later. Gerry Anderson made a conscious effort to give black actors intelligent roles, which is far more than could be said of most other directors of the time. And, not being American, I also appreciate the fact that, for once, Earth is not represented as just being America. It's nice to hear English, European, Caribbean accents amongst others, coming from actors that aren't Americans putting on bad accents.
Spooky: I'm writing this on "the" day - yes, September 13th, 1999...I wondered why the moon looked so strange tonight!
Cracker: Mind Over Murder
(1997–1998)
Boring
24 June 1999
This excruciating remake of the excellent British series is not worth wasting your time on.
The police in the original had skepticism coming out of their ears when it came to having a psychologist on the team, exactly as many real police officers would. The American version has them fawning after Fitz at every opportunity, which is not only unrealistic, it also set up little dramatic tension.
While the English version has quirky, interesting, believable characters, the American one has typical American pretty people. Particularly disappointing is the lack of characterisation of the police. The original has a range of people we came to know well: Penhaligon, the young officer trying to cope with an inept boss and pathetic "lad" culture. Beck, the old-fashioned copper whose unpleasant exterior barely covers his mental instability. Bilborough, a nice guy, but so soft he has to get Penhaligon to do the talking when visiting people with bad news. What do we get from the American version? A token black character whose name escapes me and a chicky-babe who looks like Pamela Anderson's cousin.
The actors who play Fitz and Penhaligon (renamed to something unmemorable) could easily be replaced by wooden blocks and no-one would have noticed the difference. There's no spark between them. You don't care about them and you aren't convinced by them. Same with the Fitz/Judith pairing - he says something soppy and she simpers "sentimentality becomes you, Fitz". The "real" Judith would have laughed or sneered.
I could go on, but it just isn't worth the bother. Take from me: if you don't want to see a great show trashed, avoid this load of drivel.
The police in the original had skepticism coming out of their ears when it came to having a psychologist on the team, exactly as many real police officers would. The American version has them fawning after Fitz at every opportunity, which is not only unrealistic, it also set up little dramatic tension.
While the English version has quirky, interesting, believable characters, the American one has typical American pretty people. Particularly disappointing is the lack of characterisation of the police. The original has a range of people we came to know well: Penhaligon, the young officer trying to cope with an inept boss and pathetic "lad" culture. Beck, the old-fashioned copper whose unpleasant exterior barely covers his mental instability. Bilborough, a nice guy, but so soft he has to get Penhaligon to do the talking when visiting people with bad news. What do we get from the American version? A token black character whose name escapes me and a chicky-babe who looks like Pamela Anderson's cousin.
The actors who play Fitz and Penhaligon (renamed to something unmemorable) could easily be replaced by wooden blocks and no-one would have noticed the difference. There's no spark between them. You don't care about them and you aren't convinced by them. Same with the Fitz/Judith pairing - he says something soppy and she simpers "sentimentality becomes you, Fitz". The "real" Judith would have laughed or sneered.
I could go on, but it just isn't worth the bother. Take from me: if you don't want to see a great show trashed, avoid this load of drivel.
Neverwhere
(1996)
Excellent!
14 June 1999
Neil Gaiman's fascinating adventure fantasy is in the same category of British classics as Doctor Who, Sapphire and Steel, Blake's 7 and the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy. In his bizarre world, all London's place names come alive: there are shepherds at Shepherd's Bush, monks at Blackfriars, a bridge at Knightsbridge and an angel called Islington! The characters are quirky (love the wicked-as-wicked-can-be Croup and Vandermar) and despite the somewhat economical special effects budget, the story never fails to entertain. Here's hoping there'll be a season two!
The Mask of Zorro
(1998)
Awful
7 December 1998
A very disappointing remake of an excellent series. Banderas' Zorro is rude and unpleasant and from Anthony Hopkins' performance you would assume he is only there because he has bills to pay. Zeta Jones is just moronic, but it's not really her fault becuase the script is so bad that she can't help but make a fool of herself. The sword-fighting is laughably excreble. If you want a real swashbuckler, check out the recent "The Three Musketeers".
The Man in the Iron Mask
(I) (1998)
Patchy
9 November 1998
Gabrille Byrne, Gerard Depardieu and Jeremy Irons were all excellent. But as other reviewers have pointed out, Leo De Caprio was appalling, and the script was nothing special. Viewers would be far better off to see the original "Man In The Iron Mask", or even the recent "Three Musketeers" for a real fix of swash-buckling.
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