This thread inspired me to rewatch, and upon seeing episode one I honestly don't know why I don't rewatch more often. The best thing Elton has written solo by a long chalk (I never did get on with The Thin Blue Line) there's meta humour in here way ahead of its time. Eddie speaks with an eloquence that belies the stupidity of the character (the same rhythms in fact Elton still uses in dialogue for Upstart Crow). And crucially, it's bloody funny. Hard to believe this is the same man that excreted The Wright Way into the world a few years back.

Quote: Sitcomfan64 @ 8th June 2019, 1:25 PM

The best thing Elton has written solo by a long chalk

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Happy Families?

Quote: chipolata @ 7th June 2019, 9:56 PM

Is this the show that Mayall had his name removed from the writing credits? If it is, he was right too as it's quite poor. And time hasn't been kind to it.

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It was meant to be a two-hander, so Ben wrote it quickly and expected to rework it with Rik later. But by the time Mayall found out, it was time to start filming. Best of a bad job. Worst thing they'd done thus far by a c**ty mile.

Quote: Sitcomfan64 @ 8th June 2019, 1:25 PM

Hard to believe this is the same man that excreted The Wright Way into the world a few years back.

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Not to mention Blessed and Get A Grip, painful stuff.

Quote: Michael Monkhouse @ 9th June 2019, 11:56 AM

Happy Families?

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Haven't seen it but heard good things. Isn't on DVD for some strange reason!

RIP https://twitter.com/Remembering_Rik

Quote: Sitcomfan64 @ 9th June 2019, 6:50 PM

Haven't seen it but heard good things. Isn't on DVD for some strange reason!

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Well worth digging out on Youtube, but sadly edited. Light years ahead of this forced, unfocussed, formulaic f**ker.

Quote: lofthouse @ 1st June 2019, 10:56 AM

Wow surprised at all the love for this show

I think it stunk!

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As I said in the last post, the revistors are quite positive, which is weird cos at the time it was considered a failure. The reviewers couldn't find much to praise, and the Young Ones fans were shocked at the sudden decline - the first real clanger from the team. I'm amazed this got released on vid, DVD and even ''''''Anniversary'''''' DVD - what's to celebrate? - while Happy Families continues to be ignored.
Years ago I recorded a Ben Elton retro with Helen Lederer. He was remarkably self-confident (i.e. smug) until he got to this one: he immediately felt the need to defend it, but then admitted the writing was undisciplined, with too many fart gags and confusion over how far Rik would be involved. Not his best.

Quote: Michael Monkhouse @ 23rd June 2019, 9:28 AM

the Young Ones fans were shocked at the sudden decline

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They were shocked at what they saw (subjectively) as a sudden decline.

What they saw (objectively) was a sudden change.

The two shows are significantly different and I can well imagine people loving one of them and hating the other.

For me, both shows were great but I enjoyed "Filthy, Rich & Catflap" more.

The way I look at it is it was better than nothing and every episode had guest appearances coming out of its arse.

Quote: Definitely Tarby @ 23rd June 2019, 10:14 PM

The way I look at it is it was better than nothing.

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Hmm... Not really praise.

Quote: Definitely Tarby @ 23rd June 2019, 10:14 PM

Tguest appearances coming out of its arse.

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That's not Catflap, it's Freddie Mercury.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 23rd June 2019, 12:38 PM

What they saw (objectively) was a sudden change.

The two shows are significantly different.

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Couldn't agree less. The main prob with C**tflap is they were trying to recreate the fun and energy of TYO and failing. Elton himself practically said so in the interview I quoted.

Quote: Michael Monkhouse @ 24th June 2019, 5:02 PM

Hmm... Not really praise.

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What if I add that they all have massive nobs?

That's better.

One of the things I think about is whether Filthy Rich & Catflap suffered due to the huge success of The Young Ones and its freshness at the time. The second series of The Young Ones was 1984, and then both series were repeated on the BBC in 1985. Then 1986 saw them team up with Cliff Richard for the Living Doll song. And so, The Young Ones was still very much alive when Filthy Rich & Catflap arrived on our screens in early 1987.

I was excited to watch this as I was a huge Young Ones fan. On first viewing though I did not know what to make of it. It seemed similar to The Young Ones, but at the same time it felt quite different. I watched the six episodes and felt that I sort of liked it, but I remained quite unsure overall. Looking back on things now, I was so into The Young Ones that I struggled to come to terms that it was over, and that the guys had moved on to something new. Years later I bought the Filthy Rich & Catflap dvd, and It took a further 2 complete viewings of the series until it finally clicked with me and I then found it funny in its own right.

Now when I think of this show, I feel it is the place where The Young Ones came to an end and we saw the beginning of Bottom. In a number of the episodes you can see both of them phase in and out of being Rik & Viv then Richie & Eddie. I felt it is almost like watching a comedy metamorphosis take place before your eyes.

There's fun to be had, especially in the Noles and Whiffy episodes, but overall, it's just not a very accomplished piece of work. Even the main author thought so... The humour is forced, the plots are weak, and the Young Ones comparison can only do it harm. If it led to Bottom, that's another crime to humanity it can take responsibility for.
FRC is now like Melanie C. Something I want to put to bed forever.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 1st June 2019, 12:22 PM

I love the way Ben Elton uses the characters to slag off celebrities he, himself, doesn't particularly care for.

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There's a hilarious theory that this was why it wasn't renewed - biting the hand that feeds you and all that. I think the reason is more prosaic: it just wasn't that good.