Thursday 15 September 2016

Lost Sitcoms: Steptoe and Son - TV Review

The final offering in the BBC’s Sitcom remakes season last night with Steptoe and Son. The BBC have tried in this celebration of the sitcom to show classic TV but not a patch on the originals. They have been a bit of a hit and miss with just about everyone, including me. I have to say of the four shown on BBC 4 the one that worked for me was ‘Hancock’s Half Hour’.

Watching it last night, I just couldn’t get the original out of my head being a major fan and I remembered the ‘A Winter’s Tale’, which originally ran in 1970 and watching it in black and white.

Harold wants to go on a skiing holiday in Austria on the slopes of Obergurgl, but he doesn't want Albert with him. A battle of wills begins with Albert trying to get an invite for the holiday and weasel himself onto the trip. He enjoys thwarting any attempts of Harold ambition to climb the social ladder and when Harold announces he can’t go all the tickets have gone, Albert is resign to staying home.

‘What’s wrong with Bognor!’ growls Albert, naturally furious he couldn’t go on the holiday. For those who know the past series it was a running theme Harold desperate to break away from is dad. He never does because anytime he puts any distance between the two he is always dragged back.

I was entertained which was important and Jeff Rawle (Albert) and Ed Coleman (Harold) did ok but it was difficult to live up to the comedy icons. Social media was more or less favourable for this remake with the script the same as the original.

There was one thing that got my back up big time was Harold’s chair and writing desk, yes I am nit picking now. Harold would always plonk himself down there while his dad would sit at the table has they would verbally spar with each other. It was like a spare piece of furniture in the remake.

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