The Likely Lads Page 9

How do you mean "compared"?

Quote: Gordon Bennett @ April 19 2013, 1:38 PM BST

How do you mean "compared"?

Oh, just that Bolam seems to put in a really good performance, Bewes isn't as natural. To me.

I'd second that completely.

Bolam could have been a drama actor imo (maybe he was, I don't know).

I disagree about Rodney Bewes.

I think he's super as Bob. Indeed, he IS Bob.
As James Bolam IS Terry.

They're two very different individuals who clicked as kids and remained friends (Terry's 5 years in the army notwithstanding).

It's that chemistry (on screen obviously) that makes it for me.

I'm pretty sure if I had any friends they would be old school chums.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ April 19 2013, 1:36 PM BST

They are repeating Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads on BBC4, watched the first one last night. It always irks me a bit how poor Rodney Bewes is compared to James Bolam.

It was great, I will watch them all again as my DVD got lost/stolen. Cracking restart, the writing is a lesson to all stand-ups struggling to write sitcom, like they do. The ending was a joy.

Quote: garyd @ April 19 2013, 2:17 PM BST

I disagree about Rodney Bewes.

I think he's super as Bob. Indeed, he IS Bob.
As James Bolam IS Terry.

IMO his acting is wooden at times and his way of speaking is a bit monotonous, as he's trying to remember his lines. But I don't know...maybe there are real life people that behave like that.
The chemistry is good, I give you that. Lookswise they're perfect too. Although I think Bob is not believable as a womanizer (I wrote that earlier). Unless "pity-shags" are his forté...but I'm no woman, so how do I know?

Bolam is the better actor, but you can't be too hard on Bewes really. The standard of acting on UK TV back then was pretty abysmal, so Bewes is not the worst actor of the era. Personally, I think he plays the apprehensive character decently enough.

Quote: Gordon Bennett @ April 19 2013, 1:47 PM BST

I'd second that completely.

Bolam could have been a drama actor imo (maybe he was, I don't know).

Bolam has been in several things including When The Boat Comes In and New Tricks to name a couple. I don't think he likes being a certain character for too long.

Bought the DVD of surviving episodes from charity shop today and watching Entente Cordial.

Watching Double Date now. I thought the 2 girls looked familiar. I reckon one was the one Bolam married who appears in New Tricks.

That's it.

Coral Atkins...Deirdre
Susan Jameson...Pat

From BCG info.

She wasin Survivors - one of my fave ever TV shows.

"By the cringe - I spent nearly three quid tonight. Pressurised beer at 2/4 a pint."

Sorry to hog this thread but watching an episode with Wanda Ventham (mother of Sherlock) and Wendy Richard as the love interests.

Halfway through the complete series about The Likely Lads. And they are very likely.

I'm suprised about how big a change Terry and Bob undergo from the first series to Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?.

It's like seeing the life of young men become disillusioned older men.

But the later series are more fun and real.

Nice sitcom.

Apparently Clement/La Frenais wanted to revisit them thirty years later, where serious-minded Bob would have be a failed businessman but loafer Terry would have been hit by a bus and coined it in with compensation.

No chance.

James Bolam talks about The Likely Lads like it's nothing.

He wouldn't entertain the idea of a comeback.

Quote: lofthouse @ September 5 2013, 7:38 PM BST

No chance.

James Bolam talks about The Likely Lads like it's nothing.

He wouldn't entertain the idea of a comeback.

Bolam and Bewes had a major falling out after WHTLL finished in the mid-1970s and haven't spoken to each other since, I seem to recall reading. A shame as the concept Clement and La Frenais mentioned would have more legs than a lot of other sitcom returns decades later.