One Foot In The Grave is my favorite ever sitcom. I can't think of another UK sitcom that ran for as many episodes and remained consistently of a high quality all the way through in the same way OFITG did.Fawlty Towers was consistently great throughout but only ran for 12 episodes, most other sitcoms that stay great from start to finish usually have 2 or 3 series at most.One foot ran for over 40 episodes and 6 series and remained great throughout, that's quite an achievement that no other sitcom has managed with that many episodes, If they do run that long than most begin to decline after Series 2 or 3, or at best become hit and miss.
Only fools and Horses was brilliant at times but imho opinion the quality was inconsistent throughout, there were often a couple of substandard episodes in every series and some of the later Christmas specials were far too long and short on laughs. It was a hit and miss, patchy sitcom. One Foot on the other hand never had a single bad episode and the Specials were all wonderful ( especially the excellent One Foot In The Algarve)While i do enjoy some episodes less than others, even the ones i enjoy less are of high standard and always have something funny in them.
I have seen some people suggest that the quality dipped in Series 6, the final series. I don't really see that, i think it was just as great as all the others. The last episode is very sad but a powerful ending for the series. Series 1 i might say was maybe not as good as the others, but again that doesn't make it bad, its still high quality but i didn't like the house they lived in as much as the one from Series 2 onwards.
Another thing i like is writer David Renwick's ability to keep it fresh and bring different elements and scenarios into it to avoid repetition. Sometimes i get bored watching the same things being repeated over and over in other sitcoms, it gets where the episode is a different episode but its basically the same episode you already saw the other week but they changed the name. This doesn't happen with One Foot In The Grave and while Victor does of course have his famous catchphrase i wouldn't say its overused to the point of tedium like the catchphrases often are in other sitcoms.
Another thing i like is the depth and pathos this show has, its like a comedy-drama at times with some incredibly poignant and moving moments. Its also very surreal often and even brutal on occasion. There are times when David Renwick takes us to places we weren't expecting to go to and places the characters in unnerving or even scary situations where you really do think they are in danger. Other times you are in fits of laughter one minute and the next you feel emotional without warning because what was very funny suddenly turned into something incredibly sad and emotional (like the sublime moment when Victor is buried up to his neck in the ground and Margaret gets a phone call to tell her that her mother has died, you're roaring with laughter one second and the next you're in tears)This darker side is part of the appeal to me, it really makes the show interesting and adds extra layers to it. If i wanted something cosy and safe i'd watch The Good Life.
Rihard Wilson gives a superb performance as Meldrew, a role i feel he was born to play. While he is very much the star and the main focus i would say that Margaret is crucial as well and she appears in all but one of the episodes. Also worth mentioning are the supporting cast, all of whom play their part also and i can't imagine it without them in it either. Doreen Mantle at times steals the show as the well meaning but annoying Mrs Warboys and Owen Brenman gives some moving performances as Victors oddball neighbour Mr Swainey. Angus Deayton and Janine Duvitski were also very good as Victor's other neighbours Patrick and Pippa. I liked the feuds between Victor and Patrick while the two wives shared a friendship and tried hard to keep the peace between the two men. Patrick was like a younger (and much more spiteful) version of Victor.
Victor himself is actually a very likable character, he is a kind hearted person who basically means well but gets mad at the world around him, at the insanity, cruelty and injustice. I often find myself agreeing with him and siding with him to be fair. He is on the side of whats good and decent. Margaret is the one who can be quite mean and insufferable at times (along with Patrick),but you realize she puts up with a lot and the show wouldn't be the same without her there. Annette Crosbie is very natural in the part.
Favourite episode is probably ''Warm Champagne'' but every episode is great so its hard to pick just one, but the moment when Margaret finds Victor in bed with the old woman is just priceless ''Its not every day you arrive home to find that your husband has taken up necrophilia!'' I never tire of watching repeats of this and i have the complete boxset. Even just talking about it now makes me want to watch them all again!
Only fools and Horses was brilliant at times but imho opinion the quality was inconsistent throughout, there were often a couple of substandard episodes in every series and some of the later Christmas specials were far too long and short on laughs. It was a hit and miss, patchy sitcom. One Foot on the other hand never had a single bad episode and the Specials were all wonderful ( especially the excellent One Foot In The Algarve)While i do enjoy some episodes less than others, even the ones i enjoy less are of high standard and always have something funny in them.
I have seen some people suggest that the quality dipped in Series 6, the final series. I don't really see that, i think it was just as great as all the others. The last episode is very sad but a powerful ending for the series. Series 1 i might say was maybe not as good as the others, but again that doesn't make it bad, its still high quality but i didn't like the house they lived in as much as the one from Series 2 onwards.
Another thing i like is writer David Renwick's ability to keep it fresh and bring different elements and scenarios into it to avoid repetition. Sometimes i get bored watching the same things being repeated over and over in other sitcoms, it gets where the episode is a different episode but its basically the same episode you already saw the other week but they changed the name. This doesn't happen with One Foot In The Grave and while Victor does of course have his famous catchphrase i wouldn't say its overused to the point of tedium like the catchphrases often are in other sitcoms.
Another thing i like is the depth and pathos this show has, its like a comedy-drama at times with some incredibly poignant and moving moments. Its also very surreal often and even brutal on occasion. There are times when David Renwick takes us to places we weren't expecting to go to and places the characters in unnerving or even scary situations where you really do think they are in danger. Other times you are in fits of laughter one minute and the next you feel emotional without warning because what was very funny suddenly turned into something incredibly sad and emotional (like the sublime moment when Victor is buried up to his neck in the ground and Margaret gets a phone call to tell her that her mother has died, you're roaring with laughter one second and the next you're in tears)This darker side is part of the appeal to me, it really makes the show interesting and adds extra layers to it. If i wanted something cosy and safe i'd watch The Good Life.
Rihard Wilson gives a superb performance as Meldrew, a role i feel he was born to play. While he is very much the star and the main focus i would say that Margaret is crucial as well and she appears in all but one of the episodes. Also worth mentioning are the supporting cast, all of whom play their part also and i can't imagine it without them in it either. Doreen Mantle at times steals the show as the well meaning but annoying Mrs Warboys and Owen Brenman gives some moving performances as Victors oddball neighbour Mr Swainey. Angus Deayton and Janine Duvitski were also very good as Victor's other neighbours Patrick and Pippa. I liked the feuds between Victor and Patrick while the two wives shared a friendship and tried hard to keep the peace between the two men. Patrick was like a younger (and much more spiteful) version of Victor.
Victor himself is actually a very likable character, he is a kind hearted person who basically means well but gets mad at the world around him, at the insanity, cruelty and injustice. I often find myself agreeing with him and siding with him to be fair. He is on the side of whats good and decent. Margaret is the one who can be quite mean and insufferable at times (along with Patrick),but you realize she puts up with a lot and the show wouldn't be the same without her there. Annette Crosbie is very natural in the part.
Favourite episode is probably ''Warm Champagne'' but every episode is great so its hard to pick just one, but the moment when Margaret finds Victor in bed with the old woman is just priceless ''Its not every day you arrive home to find that your husband has taken up necrophilia!'' I never tire of watching repeats of this and i have the complete boxset. Even just talking about it now makes me want to watch them all again!