The Gaffer – The Complete First Series (1981 – 82/Network U.K./Region Two/2/PAL DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: D Episodes: C+
PLEASE
NOTE: This
DVD set can only be operated on machines capable of playing back DVDs that can
handle Region Two/2/PAL format software and can be ordered from our friends at
Network U.K. at the website address provided at the end of the review or at
finer retailers.
Bill Maynard
plays Fred Moffatt, one of the great ornery TV cheapskates in the hit BritCom The Gaffer, juggling a new Recession,
the beginning of The Thatcher Era and unions as he tries to keep his
light-engineering firm alive and profitable in this surprisingly good comedy
series. Russell Hunter (Callan, reviewed elsewhere on this
site) co-stars as the shop head in the debut season featured in this new DVD
set.
The show
remains relevant, though that the jobs that exist in this show ever existed may
sadly be nostalgia to some, but the performances are top rate here, as it’s the
writing and some of the jokes are funny.
You do not have to understand British humor (see how he handles traffic
tickets in the opening credits) to get much of this and the Pop/Rock theme song
is a howler all its own. If you like Sanford & Son or Mr. Roper on Three’s Company, plus the likes of Absolutely Fabulous or The IT Crowd, you will find this hard
to resist.
The 1.33
X 1 PAL image is not bad for its age with only minor haloing and aliasing to
complain about, while the Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono has the expected distortion you
would expect for its age, but it is clear enough here. There are no extras.
As noted above, you can order this PAL DVD import
exclusively from Network U.K. at:
http://www.networkdvd.net/
or
www.networkdvd.co.uk
- Nicholas Sheffo
