One Foot In The Grave – The Complete
Series (1990 – 2000/BBC DVD Set)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Episodes: B
One of the funniest TV shows in recent years has been One Foot In The Grave, running six
seasons over ten years, including many Christmas Specials. Not just a U.K. response to The Golden Girls, but a further
reflection of Thatcherism gone wrong, the show rings as true today as
ever. I was able to review the first two
seasons some time ago and this is what I said:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/5287/One+Foot+In+The+Grave
The show remained as funny to the end, came up with
changes that heightened the humor, challenged the audience and continued the
insanity, but it could not last forever, yet it is a show that holds up very
well in the relatively short time it has been off the air. Now, BBC has gathered all the shows in a 12-DVD
set that is one of the best Complete
Series collections they have issued to date.
The jokes about old age and death with dignified,
victimized, likable characters works beyond any mere formula and lead actors Richard
Wilson and Annette Crosbie are terrific as The Meldrews, the elderly and
married characters here, are now one of the all-time classic British TV
couples. The show succeeds where many
similar films and TV shows failed on the same subject matter, particularly Mike
Newell’s High Hopes (1989) and
honesty is one of the reasons.
The one motif that keeps surfacing is that of animals and
how they are mistreated or ill-fated.
They actually become metaphor for how people on this show are being
treated as such by society and that they share the same space in ironic ways
through the show is no accident. The
supporting cast and hilarious scripts are a big plus and if you have never seen
the show, start with the first season or take the plunge and get this whole
set. You won’t be sorry, especially when
you are laughing.
The 1.33 X 1 image varies throughout the set, with older
episodes softer than other later ones, as expected, but the analog PAL tapings
are not in actual bad shape, while the Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo is good for its
age and usually a little better overall.
The combination is about as good as can be expected. Extras include all those Christmas shows,
audio commentary on select episodes and I
Don’t Believe It, a featurette on the series.
- Nicholas Sheffo
