Like Steptoe And Son, Whatever Happened To... had an air of melancholy that elevated it above other sitcoms. Loved the public bar soliloquies. Also remembered Bewes in the film Billy Liar.
It does exist! Well sort of. Ian La Frenais was a local lad and there was (still is I believe) a pub in Whitley Bay of that name. Another pub that got mentioned in the series, The Drift Inn, was one of my locals when I was up there. Sadly now demolished.
Like Steptoe And Son, Whatever Happened To... had an air of melancholy that elevated it above other sitcoms. Loved the public bar soliloquies. Also remembered Bewes in the film Billy Liar.
100%. Rare for comedy to achieve real pathos and as you say both of these really did.
Such a shame that the two of them were estranged for all those years.
Rodney, in his one man show in Edinburgh I was at many years ago, claimed Jimi Hendrix played on the theme tune to the LLads, as he was recording in an adjacent studio
Rodney, in his one man show in Edinburgh I was at many years ago, claimed Jimi Hendrix played on the theme tune to the LLads, as he was recording in an adjacent studio
agree with hawksmoor it had a certain quality in the writing that made it more than just another sitcom. its social commentary, its use of subtle humour and its feeling of regret ("what's happened to us?") gave it an air very few sitcoms have ever achieved. and of course it could be damn funny. its in my top 5 of all time comedies.
I was very sad to hear this news. I always list WEHTTLL in my top sitcom lists and the film version in sitcom spin-off versions. The theme music to WEHTTLL is so evocative and always brings back memories of being a young lad in the 70's. Every Christmas Night for at least the past 20 years I watch the Christmas Special before play starts at the MCG, I will again this year but with a hint of sadness.
The 1974 Christmas Special will be shown on BBC4 on Christmas Eve, 43 years to the day of its first broadcast.
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Another pub that got mentioned in the series, The Drift Inn, was one of my locals when I was up there. Sadly now demolished.
The likely lads had not spoken to one another in over 40 years!
Loved The Likely Lads and sequel.
Such a shame that the two of them were estranged for all those years.
http://metro.co.uk/2012/08/24/richard-herring-jimi-hendrix-on-a-british-sitcom-quite-likely-550135/
agree with hawksmoor it had a certain quality in the writing that made it more than just another sitcom. its social commentary, its use of subtle humour and its feeling of regret ("what's happened to us?") gave it an air very few sitcoms have ever achieved. and of course it could be damn funny.
its in my top 5 of all time comedies.
Used to fancy Thelma in those days, and her sister
who briefly went out with Terry!
As I frequently remind my wife - "A man's entitled to linger on the lav - especially on a Saturday".
RIP