Justin, I'm absolutely obsessed with everything about this. What a brilliantly warm and loving piece of writing, and so brill to see the Royles get some recognition for how groundbreaking they were! This was a firm fave of my family at the time, in part because of how fascinating it was to see a TV depiction of a house that looked like ours, with characters who spoke like us and our neighbours. Gonna have to do my own rewatch now I think!
The RF were/are marvellous. My last husband and I bonded over comedy like this and, like you, I still can't quite believe that Caroline Ahern is no longer with us.
Getting rid of the laugh track and letting us just watch and enjoy was completely radical at the time. Will definitely have to give this a rewatch soon!
Thanks for this - great read about a great show. I grew up in London but agree this was the first time I saw anyone like my family on telly, or anything that looked my home.
The catalogue thing has really stuck with me - used to love going through the catalogue with my Mum (she liked Littlewoods, I liked Freemans). I work in social research now and one of my colleagues wanted to use catalogue shopping as an indicator for people having poor budgeting skills - had to knock that on the head.
Speaking as a fat woman myself may I say that Cheryl is absolutely spot on as a character. The episode where they’re having fish and chips, we find out that Cheryl has had a bag of toffee and some fast food already, then is going to have fish and chips, help nana out with her chips, but because there’s no diet coke offers up the immortal line “I’ll have normal coke and start again (I.e. her diet) tomorrow “. Now that is sheer bloody genius, and so true. But it’s the way peoples actually are, and it’s all done with great warmth and no malice. Which is is the absolute genius of it; its reality.
The truth about 'The Royle Family'
Justin, I'm absolutely obsessed with everything about this. What a brilliantly warm and loving piece of writing, and so brill to see the Royles get some recognition for how groundbreaking they were! This was a firm fave of my family at the time, in part because of how fascinating it was to see a TV depiction of a house that looked like ours, with characters who spoke like us and our neighbours. Gonna have to do my own rewatch now I think!
The RF were/are marvellous. My last husband and I bonded over comedy like this and, like you, I still can't quite believe that Caroline Ahern is no longer with us.
Yay! Have missed the BD reviews! I know you are still on a break but come on! Give the people what they what (nay, need)....er, please
Getting rid of the laugh track and letting us just watch and enjoy was completely radical at the time. Will definitely have to give this a rewatch soon!
Thanks for this - great read about a great show. I grew up in London but agree this was the first time I saw anyone like my family on telly, or anything that looked my home.
The catalogue thing has really stuck with me - used to love going through the catalogue with my Mum (she liked Littlewoods, I liked Freemans). I work in social research now and one of my colleagues wanted to use catalogue shopping as an indicator for people having poor budgeting skills - had to knock that on the head.
Speaking as a fat woman myself may I say that Cheryl is absolutely spot on as a character. The episode where they’re having fish and chips, we find out that Cheryl has had a bag of toffee and some fast food already, then is going to have fish and chips, help nana out with her chips, but because there’s no diet coke offers up the immortal line “I’ll have normal coke and start again (I.e. her diet) tomorrow “. Now that is sheer bloody genius, and so true. But it’s the way peoples actually are, and it’s all done with great warmth and no malice. Which is is the absolute genius of it; its reality.
Great read about a great show.
great read, it's undoubtedly right up there as one of the best 30 minutes of sit com on tv...