Topic: Sorry!

[Ptolemy Ptarmigan]

Like others here, I think Timothy Lumsden's spinelessness is a major sticking point in finding him likeable for very long. It's like a not particularly good Two Ronnies sketch, Barker as his father, stretched out for eternity.

The other problem for me is that I find Ronnie Corbett a bit too needy as a performer. That wasn't noticeable when he was with Barker, but in Sorry his gestures and delivery are exaggerated as if he's doing farce in a provincial theatre. Watch him when he's in Fierce Creatures, it's similar.

[gilbertharding]

I will happily defer to the groupthink on EDC

These things were somewhat of a mulch to my small child brain at the time, unlike say Only Fools and Horses or Porridge which were brash enough to get through

EDC was definitely one for the grown ups (in a good way for a change).

[gilbertharding]

There is also something sinister, not quite right, about Corbett's size. Perhaps it's also the way he moves. It's simian, somehow.

[poo]

my mum still says "language Timothy!" to me when I say fuck or cunt (but not shit!!?)

[idunnosomename]

Language Timothy!

[petrilTanaka]

my mum still says "language Timothy!" to me when I say fuck or cunt (but not shit!!?)

I want to see the discourse that follows that, where it's you and your mum having a reasonable discourse about the words "fuck", "cunt" and "shit"

[ian01604]

The opening credits are a bumsteer though. Why is Lumsden's mush depicted as a neon light display? He's a librarian, not a sales assistant at Prowler in Soho.

They recently did a tribute to Captain Tom on the side of a landmark where I live and it looked like they'd adapted the Sorry titles for him. All that was needed was the theme tune.

[Shameless Custard]

Two episodes into series two, and the dad has suddenly become an old letch

They've also introduced Timothy's brother in law, who exudes minus charisma.

Not great attempts to spice up the formula

[ajsmith2]

How often does Veronica Straddles appear?

[dr beat]

Can't believe this stretched to 7 series and ran up until autumn 1988, which is when I started senior school.  I was sure it ran no later than 1985, always had it down as early-to-mid 80s thing.  Memory is a weird thing.

[Ignatius_S]

…Has it just aged badly, or was it never that funny? Or are there big fans of it on here?…

I’ve meant to revisit the series sometime. It was one that I really liked as a child (largely because Corbett starred) and certain scenes and lines really stuck with. When I’ve caught parts of repeats, I’ve been surprised that it usually seems to be the bits I remember that are being shown.

From what I’ve seen, not a ground-breaking series by any stretch of the imagination, but solidly written and a good cast. Something that stuck in my mind that sometimes there were fantasy scenes when Timothy was dreaming and from the limited repeat viewing I’ve seen, that seemed to be the case. That and there was story progression makes the show of some note to me.

Also, when I last looked into the series, I noted that there was quite a significant gap between two of the series so was intrigued to see that that brought any changes.

From https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/bbc-motion-graphics-archive/sorry-1981 the designer of those opening credits, the prolific Liz Friedman, writes:

Thanks for posting that - really interesting.

I think this only has the prominence it has cos it was an absolute stalwart in the kinda 7:00-7:30pm slots way back when, it probably got you from local news to Eastenders and went on for years. It was never good, but it was just there, bit like Ever Decreasing Circles or No Place Like Home

Pretty sure that No Place Like Home has that kind of slot (for a while anyway) but they all had different scheduling. It’s an interesting point about scheduling all the same and my gut feeling there are a fair few shows that this could be applied to.

In the case of Sorry!, I suspect that it being a star vehicle for Corbett was a big reason for the prominence it had.

I would really recommend Ever Decreasing Circles - Esmonde and Larbey are one of the all-time great sitcom writing teams, it has a fantastic cast and there is so much one can see in it. Something that I found interesting is how I’ve viewed the characters differently with re-watching - for example, when I last saw it, I found Penelope Wilton’s character the most compelling.

There’s also fair bit of ambiguity to the series and feel it’s very open to interpretation (which I feel helps its rewatchability) and there’s a definite edge to it - it’s not a show that I always find a comfortable watch.

[monkfromhavana]

Like others here, I think Timothy Lumsden's spinelessness is a major sticking point in finding him likeable for very long. It's like a not particularly good Two Ronnies sketch, Barker as his father, stretched out for eternity.

Open All Hours then?

[Glebe]

From https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/bbc-motion-graphics-archive/sorry-1981 the designer of those opening credits, the prolific Liz Friedman, writes:

That's interesting. Yeah, it was on odd opening sequence, I think maybe I kind of felt that it was a bit 'starry' looking because it was like, "Ooh, look, it's Ronnie Corbett!" In any case you can't beat that eye sparkle!

[Brundle-Fly]

From https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/bbc-motion-graphics-archive/sorry-1981 the designer of those opening credits, the prolific Liz Friedman, writes:

That's one of the best replies I've ever received on CaB. Thanks Mark.

God, there's even an acid house (?)/ trance version out there.

https://soundcloud.com/john-rowe/john-rowe-sorry-theme-tune

[Tony Tony Tony]

From https://www.ravensbourne.ac.uk/bbc-motion-graphics-archive/sorry-1981 the designer of those opening credits, the prolific Liz Friedman, writes:

Top stuff. Just goes to show how much easier life is these days as you can do this sort of stuff with a few clicks of a mouse... what a time to be alive. I understand you can even find naked ladies and gents in some parts of the webernet?

As for the banging theme choon it does seem to lend itself to a remix or two. There a drum and bass version here https://youtu.be/wTCZIybSLq4

[famethrowa]

During episode 3 of the very first season, "Franklin Goes to School", when the children are walking out to the school bus one of the bushes near the sidewalk is rustling violently and the sound of rough male-on-male sex, including an explicit directive, can briefly be heard emanating from the shrub during a lull in the childrens' conversation.

[El Unicornio, mang]

One of those shows like Terry and June that my parents and I would watch every week just because in those days there was fuck all choice so you just got what you were given. I don't remember much about it but whenever I hear "Sheila Take a Bow" by The Smiths I'm reminded of it, they have a vaguely similar bit.

[dissolute ocelot]

I suspect that as a 7 year old boy I identified with Timothy to some extent.

Not sure why else I would watch it (other than the theme tune and the titles).

[Shameless Custard]

I've given up halfway through the second series. It's just baaaaad

[non capisco]

thought it was going to be this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhV9WeZRiy0

Love this!

[Ptolemy Ptarmigan]

I've given up halfway through the second series. It's just baaaaad

But you won't get to see the last episode where Timmy finally breaks free from his mother's chains https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JP6PR1ZbFsg

I think we're supposed to feel happy and cry at the end, but it's hardly 'Goodbye, Farewell and Amen'.

[Ptolemy Ptarmigan]

For trivia fans, this is the show's co-writer:

   "Can I just butt in at this point and say that this is in fact the very first time I've ever appeared in this thread?"