Post by rhort on Sept 7, 2012 3:03:02 GMT -5
The development of Ron’s character is brought to the fore immediately in this episode, as we see what has happened to him during the apparent few weeks that he and Stella have been apart. Very much taking on board the ‘New Man’ philosophy that was prevalent during the mid-90s, Ron’s outward appearance has changed dramatically, along with his projected persona, and this has prompted Gary to cast derision and ridicule upon him with a certain degree of uncaring abandon.
As has often been the case in the past, Gary fails to take Ron seriously, however, here we see that he appears to have stepped up a gear, launching a veritable tirade of unkind comments and barbed witticisms all at the expense of his friend, who has clearly taken a new directional approach to overcoming his depression. I feel this only serves to highlight what a poor friend Gary can be at times, as he seems to have completely overlooked the positive aspects of Ron’s changes, and instead chooses to focus only on the negatives that this is having on his own life, which appear to me to be trivial by comparison. In contrast, we find that Yvonne seems to be coming around to Ron even more, however, this is tainted by her abhorrence of his apparent closeness to her.
As we move on to the 40s, we are shown Gary passing off yet another classic song as his own work, but on this occasion, it’s actually woven into the story as a key element of the main plot for this episode. Everyone’s reaction to the appearance of Sidney Wix shows us that they all know just what sort of a man he’s perceived as and the part of the sleazy promoter is played very well in what is a small but crucial role. The uncomplicated character of Reg’s personality is shown as he clearly likes George Formby’s simple-natured style of entertainment, but Gary is the polar opposite, hating him with a passion. I always enjoyed the nod to Ivor Novello in this scene, counter-pointing Reg’s enjoyment of Formby, and serving to point out even more of the basic nature he has, not needing the fancier things in life in order to get anything out of it. As the scene develops, we see that Phoebe is clearly looking to the future, and considering how she might move on in life, whereas Gary is looking only to how he might dig himself out of the hole he’s created.
The next scene is almost entirely filler, simply setting up the notion that Formby never played the Hackney Empire, but it does set the stage for Ron to deliver the excellent “Are you going?” line. It always made me wonder why the customer in the shop didn’t instantly suspect that the poster was a fake, given that it’s apparently brand new (despite allegedly being 53 years old), and also advertises events that he knows for a fact never occurred. As things move on, we once again see Gary’s jealous reaction to Ron’s relationship with Yvonne, which seems supremely hypocritical given the nature of his own adulterous activities.
Back to the main part of the plot, and we are introduced to George Formby’s formidable wife, Beryl, who is clearly very protective of her husband, providing as he does, the means to live extremely well in a time of national austerity. As Beryl and Sidney hash out the details of their business, Gary’s charm with George allows him to strike up quite a friendship with him. I’ve always enjoyed the “old fashioned” comment about ‘When I’m 64’, giving a certain amount of insight into how tastes ebb and flow over the years. Gary then shows his sneaky side as he slopes off with George for a drink or two, in order to try and get him to forget the song he’s just learned.
The chat between Yvonne and Stella in the café is very telling; it shows Stella’s obvious regret for things she’s done of late, as well as Yvonne’s concern and sympathy for her friend, which in turn helps to point out how poorly Gary often treats other people (especially Yvonne and Ron) when it comes to showing any sort of support. Stella’s frank admission of the reality of events not only gives a good insight into the level of friendship the two have, but also echoes some of the times when the two guys have had a similar level of discussion, usually whilst Gary is recounting some problem he’s had and is seeking counsel from Ron, which then goes on to highlight the disparity between the two when Ron is looking for advice from Gary. The “I think he lives in the past” line provides a great in-joke for the viewer, perhaps prompting many to think ‘If only you knew how close to the mark you are!’.
Whilst Gary’s afternoon of entertainment from his least favourite entertainer has provided a certain level of distraction for both of them, not least of all George’s desire to get away from his wife, albeit for a short time, like all good things it eventually comes to an end, however, much to Gary’s relief, things have worked out for him, more or less exactly as planned.
Briefly back to the 90s, and we get the payoff for putting up with Ron’s depression over recent episodes, as he is reunited with Stella. The two of them are clearly both happy with this, and his call for his beloved food and drink is almost a battle cry as the two of them set off into the sunset
The final scene in the 40s, and we can see the subtle signs of the snobbery that Beryl projects, as her occasional use of an upper class accent cuts in on certain words, but not others (returning to her native Lancashire accent), and Gary picks up on this, resolving his main issue by playing very cleverly on her snobbishness, allowing him to back out of having to give her the song lyrics. I wondered at first is this issue was glossed over for timing purposes, but it seems to me to have been played out quite cunningly to give a rushed appearance so that it makes it so subtle, and I think this gives a great effect.
I’d give this episode a 75% rating. Some great laughs, and a good amount of character development, with some on-going issues resolved.
As has often been the case in the past, Gary fails to take Ron seriously, however, here we see that he appears to have stepped up a gear, launching a veritable tirade of unkind comments and barbed witticisms all at the expense of his friend, who has clearly taken a new directional approach to overcoming his depression. I feel this only serves to highlight what a poor friend Gary can be at times, as he seems to have completely overlooked the positive aspects of Ron’s changes, and instead chooses to focus only on the negatives that this is having on his own life, which appear to me to be trivial by comparison. In contrast, we find that Yvonne seems to be coming around to Ron even more, however, this is tainted by her abhorrence of his apparent closeness to her.
As we move on to the 40s, we are shown Gary passing off yet another classic song as his own work, but on this occasion, it’s actually woven into the story as a key element of the main plot for this episode. Everyone’s reaction to the appearance of Sidney Wix shows us that they all know just what sort of a man he’s perceived as and the part of the sleazy promoter is played very well in what is a small but crucial role. The uncomplicated character of Reg’s personality is shown as he clearly likes George Formby’s simple-natured style of entertainment, but Gary is the polar opposite, hating him with a passion. I always enjoyed the nod to Ivor Novello in this scene, counter-pointing Reg’s enjoyment of Formby, and serving to point out even more of the basic nature he has, not needing the fancier things in life in order to get anything out of it. As the scene develops, we see that Phoebe is clearly looking to the future, and considering how she might move on in life, whereas Gary is looking only to how he might dig himself out of the hole he’s created.
The next scene is almost entirely filler, simply setting up the notion that Formby never played the Hackney Empire, but it does set the stage for Ron to deliver the excellent “Are you going?” line. It always made me wonder why the customer in the shop didn’t instantly suspect that the poster was a fake, given that it’s apparently brand new (despite allegedly being 53 years old), and also advertises events that he knows for a fact never occurred. As things move on, we once again see Gary’s jealous reaction to Ron’s relationship with Yvonne, which seems supremely hypocritical given the nature of his own adulterous activities.
Back to the main part of the plot, and we are introduced to George Formby’s formidable wife, Beryl, who is clearly very protective of her husband, providing as he does, the means to live extremely well in a time of national austerity. As Beryl and Sidney hash out the details of their business, Gary’s charm with George allows him to strike up quite a friendship with him. I’ve always enjoyed the “old fashioned” comment about ‘When I’m 64’, giving a certain amount of insight into how tastes ebb and flow over the years. Gary then shows his sneaky side as he slopes off with George for a drink or two, in order to try and get him to forget the song he’s just learned.
The chat between Yvonne and Stella in the café is very telling; it shows Stella’s obvious regret for things she’s done of late, as well as Yvonne’s concern and sympathy for her friend, which in turn helps to point out how poorly Gary often treats other people (especially Yvonne and Ron) when it comes to showing any sort of support. Stella’s frank admission of the reality of events not only gives a good insight into the level of friendship the two have, but also echoes some of the times when the two guys have had a similar level of discussion, usually whilst Gary is recounting some problem he’s had and is seeking counsel from Ron, which then goes on to highlight the disparity between the two when Ron is looking for advice from Gary. The “I think he lives in the past” line provides a great in-joke for the viewer, perhaps prompting many to think ‘If only you knew how close to the mark you are!’.
Whilst Gary’s afternoon of entertainment from his least favourite entertainer has provided a certain level of distraction for both of them, not least of all George’s desire to get away from his wife, albeit for a short time, like all good things it eventually comes to an end, however, much to Gary’s relief, things have worked out for him, more or less exactly as planned.
Briefly back to the 90s, and we get the payoff for putting up with Ron’s depression over recent episodes, as he is reunited with Stella. The two of them are clearly both happy with this, and his call for his beloved food and drink is almost a battle cry as the two of them set off into the sunset
The final scene in the 40s, and we can see the subtle signs of the snobbery that Beryl projects, as her occasional use of an upper class accent cuts in on certain words, but not others (returning to her native Lancashire accent), and Gary picks up on this, resolving his main issue by playing very cleverly on her snobbishness, allowing him to back out of having to give her the song lyrics. I wondered at first is this issue was glossed over for timing purposes, but it seems to me to have been played out quite cunningly to give a rushed appearance so that it makes it so subtle, and I think this gives a great effect.
I’d give this episode a 75% rating. Some great laughs, and a good amount of character development, with some on-going issues resolved.