I have many favourite comedy shows I enjoy watching but for this contest, I want to review an old but popular British sitcom that I watched as a teenager in the early 90s. Whenever it was to air on TV, I never, never missed it. It was an opportunity to laugh at the main actor's silliness. A little introduction to this sitcom before I get ahead of myself.
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em is a very entertaining and hilarious show fit for a family (adults and children). In fact, it is one of my fondest memories of family time in front of the TV. This 70s British sitcom created by Raymond Allen ran from 1973 to 1978 with a special release in 2016.
One of the Christmas episode - Source: YouTube
It is about a young man named Frank Spencer (superbly played by Michael Crawford) who is clumsy and gets into awkward situations every time. Due to his clumsiness, he's often involved in accidents and people do not take him seriously even when he tries to be.
He's married to Betty (played by Michelle Dotrice) and later on in the show, he has a baby girl, Jessica. Most of the scenes I watched were focused on his desire to get a job. Every attempt he makes results in disaster and leaves his would-be employer or colleagues in confusion or tears.
What I Love About Frank Spencer
His Tenacity And Innocent Look - Frank Spencer stands out in his beret and mackintosh and his voice, though kind of irritating, makes me laugh. His tenacity to take on the world in every episode in which he usually lost is inspiring and admirable. In reality, such a person would have given up but Spencer tries again and again. The innocent look on his face especially after making a complete disaster of a situation makes my side ache from laughing.
His love for his patient wife, Betty, is beautiful and this made me wonder as a teenager why Betty married a klutz. But this side of the slapstick show portrays that indeed opposites attract. One episode I enjoyed the most was when Betty was in labour and ready to give birth. It was quite a hilarious commotion getting Betty to the hospital and standing by her through the delivery.
In the end, Frank Spencer is like a hero who battles impossible odds brought about by his inadequacies. He tries to do his best for his wife and daughter, Jessica, and I find myself rooting for him to succeed at the end of each episode despite his clumsiness and silliness.
I think Frank Spencer is a character that appeals to most people because we see a little of ourselves in him. Some mistakes we make due to our carelessness do not make us better than this funny character.
Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em is one of the better comedies and incomparable to most modern comedies. I hope to get a DVD of the complete series so I can watch it again.
This is my entry to the Cine TV Contest #34 - Favorite Television Comedy. To participate, just click on the link and it will take you straight to the post. The deadline is 18th October, 2022, 11:59 PM, UTC.
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Images are screenshots from the sitcom and cover was edited with Canva