I have always remembered this series so it is great to have it available on DVD. Looking at it again has confirmed that, yes it is dated, but it is also wonderful. I have read the books and thought they were great. The TV series is different but I think even better. I have seen a comment elsewhere that they were slow which I think is a recommendation. As an evocation of a different time, albeit a bit off off the wall, I think it is great. The humour is dark but gentle and the lines from series 1 programme 5 in the conversation about having "relations" with an ugly woman are priceless. I think it benefits from only having had 4 series - it is said that it was badly affected by having Last of the summer wine being similar and in competition with it but I think that LOSW is a good example of what can happen when a series goes on too long. Thankfully Tinniswood's efforts ended at the right time.
7 Reviews
Best of British Humour
lndjm118 August 2006
I loved this when it was first broadcast and now it is being released on DVD find it even funnier.
Although not a Northerner myself, the northern sense of humour, dour and morbidly cynical, is brilliant. I think it is only equalled by The Royle Family and Early Doors.
Although the later series lose some of the original cast, it never drops in quality or funniness.
It seems strange that the books that the series was based on are no longer available, but the series seems to follow them so closely that they stand as a grand epitaph to the great author, Peter Tinniswood.
Although not a Northerner myself, the northern sense of humour, dour and morbidly cynical, is brilliant. I think it is only equalled by The Royle Family and Early Doors.
Although the later series lose some of the original cast, it never drops in quality or funniness.
It seems strange that the books that the series was based on are no longer available, but the series seems to follow them so closely that they stand as a grand epitaph to the great author, Peter Tinniswood.
TV version of wonderful books
geffers8 April 2002
One series of this show has been released to TV, and it's pretty good, but a little slow.
It is a poor cousin of a marvellous series of books. The first novel, A Touch of Daniel introduces us to a family, the Brandons, which becomes more and more extended as aunts and uncles move in. There's a huge sense of reality in the dialogue and characters. In "A Touch of Daniel", a baby born to the household seems to have a miracle power... Hugely funny - books that you will read and re-read.
The other books in the series develop the characters, and focuses mostly on Carter Brandon, his girlfriend Pat, and his Uncle Mort. The reading order is: Touch of Daniel, I Didn't Know You Cared, Except You're a bird and Call it a Canary.
Hopefully they will release more of the series, but I'd really recommend you read at least the first book, if not all four.
It is a poor cousin of a marvellous series of books. The first novel, A Touch of Daniel introduces us to a family, the Brandons, which becomes more and more extended as aunts and uncles move in. There's a huge sense of reality in the dialogue and characters. In "A Touch of Daniel", a baby born to the household seems to have a miracle power... Hugely funny - books that you will read and re-read.
The other books in the series develop the characters, and focuses mostly on Carter Brandon, his girlfriend Pat, and his Uncle Mort. The reading order is: Touch of Daniel, I Didn't Know You Cared, Except You're a bird and Call it a Canary.
Hopefully they will release more of the series, but I'd really recommend you read at least the first book, if not all four.
Its grim up North!
ShadeGrenade20 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
'I Didn't Know You Cared' crept unheralded into the B.B.C.-1 schedules in August 1975, occupying a 9.25 slot on Wednesday nights. In no time at all it was No.1 in the ratings, elbowing out 'Coronation Street'. This superbly funny show was based on a trilogy of books by the brilliant ( and sadly deceased ) Peter Tinniswood: 'I Didn't Know You Cared', 'Except You're A Bird' and 'Stirk Of Stirk'. He wrote the series too. It focused on the lives of the Brandons, a dour Yorkshire family whose number included old age pensioner 'Uncle Mort' ( Robin Bailey ), an unbelievably gloomy widower who wore his flat cap at all times ( when he found out he was terminally ill, he left the surgery dancing for joy ) and kept saying "I served all through first world war...", and 'Les' ( John Comer ), the henpecked husband of hatchet-faced 'Annie' ( Liz Smith ). Despite her best efforts, Les was never interested in rekindling the fires of their romantic youth, preferring instead to smoke his pipe and read the paper. When she suggested a second honeymoon, he responded curtly: "Didn't think much of the first one! Breakfast were a disgrace!". Their son was the thick-as-two-planks Carter ( Stephen Rea, later Keith Drinkel ) whose only intelligent utterance was "Aye Well Um!". Carter's fiancée, Pat Partington ( Anita Carey, later Liz Goulding ), was a would-be social climber who fantasised about a 'young executive' lifestyle and who could not wait to get Carter up the aisle. But Pat has a rival - the sexy blonde bombshell Linda Preston ( Deidre Costello ).
The women were the dominant characters in this show alright. The men could do nothing except sup pints and reflect on their tragic plight. Oh yes, there was also Uncle Stavely ( Bert Palmer, then Leslie Sarony ), a senile ex-soldier who wore a box containing the ashes of his late commanding officer round his neck and usually replied to questions with: "I heard that. Pardon?". Vanda Godsell played Pat's stuck-up mother in a number of episodes.
The show mixed comedy with lovely poetic observations of life. It was full of wonderful one-liners, such as Annie boasting about her son: "There's not many men round here who've still got their Meccano sets, you know!". The first two seasons rank with the best B.B.C. comedy the '70's produced. The last two were unfortunately marred by cast changes, in particular Keith Drinkel's 'Carter' lacked the marvellous gormless quality of Stephen Rea's.
All four seasons came out on D.V.D. a while back. Sadly missing was 'Tinniswood Country', a 1989 programme in which the author revisited childhood haunts and the Brandons appeared in new sketches ( minus Les, as John Comer had died by then ), with singer Peter Skellern as 'Carter'. It would have made a nice extra.
The women were the dominant characters in this show alright. The men could do nothing except sup pints and reflect on their tragic plight. Oh yes, there was also Uncle Stavely ( Bert Palmer, then Leslie Sarony ), a senile ex-soldier who wore a box containing the ashes of his late commanding officer round his neck and usually replied to questions with: "I heard that. Pardon?". Vanda Godsell played Pat's stuck-up mother in a number of episodes.
The show mixed comedy with lovely poetic observations of life. It was full of wonderful one-liners, such as Annie boasting about her son: "There's not many men round here who've still got their Meccano sets, you know!". The first two seasons rank with the best B.B.C. comedy the '70's produced. The last two were unfortunately marred by cast changes, in particular Keith Drinkel's 'Carter' lacked the marvellous gormless quality of Stephen Rea's.
All four seasons came out on D.V.D. a while back. Sadly missing was 'Tinniswood Country', a 1989 programme in which the author revisited childhood haunts and the Brandons appeared in new sketches ( minus Les, as John Comer had died by then ), with singer Peter Skellern as 'Carter'. It would have made a nice extra.
In a comedy class of its own at the time.
larry-485-1615831 August 2013
Well, what can I write about a comedy that I haven't seen for almost forty years. I remember watching it with my brother when we were late teens. Without being elitist in any way I believe that it was a thinking person's comedy. It dealt with dry, cerebral issues of working class family life. Fussy, PC types of today would object to the stereotyping but that's their short sighted problem. My favourite character was the dad played by John Comer, a very gifted comedy actor who deserved more than bit parts in Summer Wine. The dreary Carter made Summer Wine's Barry seem lively by comparison. I had the hots for the dreamy Anita Carey, and still do. We see endless repeats of Summer Wine and Fools and Horses. Why is this mini classic never shown anymore?
I don't!
Rabical-9125 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Peter Tiniswood's 1975 sitcom 'I Didn't Know You Cared' was a television adaption of his novel of the same name - the other novels being 'A Touch Of Daniel', 'Except You're A Bird' and 'Stirk Of Stirk'.
It focused on the trials and tribulations of the dour Yorkshire family, The Brandons. Glum flat-capped Uncle Mort ( played by Robin Bailey ) is the head of this dysfunctional family whose mundane life is filled with nothing but dread. The rest of the Brandon clan include pipe smoking Les ( John Comer ) who is married to the frightful Annie ( the underrated and much missed Liz Smith ), gormless idiot Carter ( Stephen Rea, then Keith Drinkel ) who is engaged ( albeit reluctantly ) to the social climbing Pat ( Anita Carey first, then Liz Goulding ), who when not trying to steer Brandon down the aisle is trying to steer him away from the leering eyes of local blonde sex-pot Linda Preston ( Deidre Costrello ) and irritating Uncle Stavely ( Bert Palmer, then Leslie Sarony ), whose less than hilarious catchphrase was ''I heard that! Pardon?''.
I had for many years wanted very much to like this show but I just found it unbearably depressing to watch. I realise, before anyone remarks, that the grimness of the whole thing was intentional but it sadly just did not cut the ice with me, which was a great shame given the talent involved.
It focused on the trials and tribulations of the dour Yorkshire family, The Brandons. Glum flat-capped Uncle Mort ( played by Robin Bailey ) is the head of this dysfunctional family whose mundane life is filled with nothing but dread. The rest of the Brandon clan include pipe smoking Les ( John Comer ) who is married to the frightful Annie ( the underrated and much missed Liz Smith ), gormless idiot Carter ( Stephen Rea, then Keith Drinkel ) who is engaged ( albeit reluctantly ) to the social climbing Pat ( Anita Carey first, then Liz Goulding ), who when not trying to steer Brandon down the aisle is trying to steer him away from the leering eyes of local blonde sex-pot Linda Preston ( Deidre Costrello ) and irritating Uncle Stavely ( Bert Palmer, then Leslie Sarony ), whose less than hilarious catchphrase was ''I heard that! Pardon?''.
I had for many years wanted very much to like this show but I just found it unbearably depressing to watch. I realise, before anyone remarks, that the grimness of the whole thing was intentional but it sadly just did not cut the ice with me, which was a great shame given the talent involved.
Well past the sell by date.
crumpytv12 August 2022
I enjoyed this when it first aired. The humour is very dry and regional, but somewhat samey.
I don't think many people from outside the UK would find anything in it at all.
Nowadays, even with the UK, I think current generations would be lost as to the appeal.
We watched the first series again in 2022, and it did seem very repetitive. The same jokes and rhetoric over and over again, so much so that they became annoying ... pardon? Dementia isn't funny.
The first episode of the second series was so bad we turned it off.
Too summarise, it is all a bit Aye, well, mmm.
I don't think many people from outside the UK would find anything in it at all.
Nowadays, even with the UK, I think current generations would be lost as to the appeal.
We watched the first series again in 2022, and it did seem very repetitive. The same jokes and rhetoric over and over again, so much so that they became annoying ... pardon? Dementia isn't funny.
The first episode of the second series was so bad we turned it off.
Too summarise, it is all a bit Aye, well, mmm.
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