"The Likely Lads" (1964) TV series 1964-1966

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

16 December 1964 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

The adventures of two "likely lads" ostensibly set in the North East of England (but filmed in Willesden Junction...

Plot Keywords:

Working Class | Friendship | Electrician | Dysfunctional Relationship | Sitcom

Cast

James Bolam	...	Terry Collier (20 episodes, 1964-1966)
Rodney Bewes	...	Bob Ferris (20 episodes, 1964-1966)
Bartlett Mullins	...	Mr. Clough (11 episodes, 1964-1966)
Don McKillop	...	Jack (11 episodes, 1964-1966)
Sheila Fearn	...	Audrey Collier (9 episodes, 1964-1966)

Runtime:

30 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Certification:

Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Willesden Junction, Willesden, London, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Although 20 episodes were filmed in total, only 8 survive today. The rest were wiped by the BBC during the 1970s.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "QI: Film (#6.11)" (2009)

Bit disappointed

I got the DVD of the surviving episodes from series one to three and was a bit disappointed, in truth.

I am a great fan of "Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?", which I would rank alongside "Steptoe & Son" and "Till Death Us Do Part" as the best British situation comedies, so I was curious to see whether the forerunner to "Whatever Happened ..." was any good.

The good news is that even at this stage of Clement & La Frenais's career, their ear for realistic dialogue was clearly well developed. You can watch the programmes as light drama and enjoy them without worrying about the fact that the scripts aren't that funny, although modern audiences might find the shows a bit slow.

As hinted above, however, the scripts aren't that funny, though the later episodes are better than the early ones, which suggests that the writers were getting to know their characters better and exploit the tension that exists between sensible, open-minded Bob and wild, bigoted Terry.

Even more surprisingly, the acting is only middling to good, whereas in "Whatever Happened ..." it was top notch. I was resigned to Rodney Bewes being a bit wooden (in fact he's not bad, if one assumes he is deliberately underplaying) but James Bolam was a bit disappointing, doing a bit too much mugging for the camera and fake laughing.

Worth renting but not buying if only for the shock of seeing Wendy Richard in her dolly-bird days (also Wanda Ventham).