Customer Reviews

As Time Goes By - Series 4 [VHS]

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"As Time Goes By" stars Judi Dench & Geoffrey Palmer as Jean Pargetter and Lionel Hardcastle, who were once lovers in the early 1950s. Lionel went to fight in the Korean war, and the two lost touch. In the very first episode of the series, they meet again and slowly begin to rekindle their romance. The wonderful series that ensues is a pleasure to watch.

This DVD contains all 10 episodes of the 4th season of "As Time Goes By". This is quite an important, funny, and emotional season in the show's history. And, oh, how wonderful it looks on DVD!

Within the 4th season occurs the 25th wedding anniversary of Penny & Stephen (in-laws of Jean), a new "boy"friend for Jean's daughter Judith, Jean's secretary Sandy moving-in to the household, the completion of Lionel's script for a mini-series based on his & Jean's young love affair, and, most importantly, the wedding of Jean & Lionel.

And as for how it looks on DVD: WOW. Now, I have watched British television shows on DVD before, but never has one looked so stunning. The colors are brilliant, the lines are crisp, the picture comes alive. There is one scene in particular, in the episode where Jean & Lionel are on their honeymoon in the hills of Scotland. It looks STUNNING. I'm sorry to gush, but I was just *very* taken aback. By all means, if you are able to, I would recommend getting the 4th season on DVD.

Well, there you have it. If you want a nice, gentle, warm, romantic and funny series with sincere characters and an interesting, hilarious plotline, then by all means start watching "As Time Goes By" today.

...My first introduction to " As Time Goes By " was actually by way of my local PBS television station. Stumbling upon it about three years ago I found myself instantly hooked to it's marvelous, grown-up characters, witty style of dialogue ( thank-you Bob Larbey! ) and the warm intimate nature that filled every episode. ...I, at first, simply thought that because it's a "Britcom" than perhaps I was heaping undue praise for a program that just maybe was slightly unjustified.....but after giving that much thought I've come to a much different conclusion. That being " As Time Goes By " works due to one important ingredient. And that is simply due to the fact that, after watching several enticing episodes, you not only enjoy and like Jean Pargetter ( Judi Dench ) and Lionel Hardcastle ( Geoffrey Palmer ) and Co. but you truly do care about them as well. While I can easily rattle off a dozen different programs where I enjoy the cast of characters this is the only show where I, strangely enough, find myself truly wishing the entire cast, also featuring daughter Judith ( Moira Brooker ), Sandy ( Jenny Funnell ) and the ever jovial, man about-town Alastair ( Philip Bretherton ) all the best and really caring about what happens to them. Fully realizing that my concern for a fictional television family borders on bizarre but that's the effect this wonderful show has on me....and I must add it also shows how extremely well everyone is practicing their craft! Also, by pacing the program at a nice, leisurely rate they have wisely decided to let the viewers 'slowly but assuredly' get to know each cast member in their own time, without the need to force the viewer to accept the character immediately. That's an important aspect of this wonderful program and one that I truly wish we would see more often.

Wisely, the producer of this remarkable series, Stuart Lotterby, has decided, instead of 'chopping-up every half-hour episode with a nice tidy ending ( which would simply take away the honesty that is the cornerstone of ATGB! ),he's allows the series a feeling of true continuity by letting past situations and concerns rise up in future programs. Thereby awarding the show with a sense of how true life does tend to actually be, instead giving the viewer the unrealistic sense that 'all's well that end's well!' after 30 odd minutes.' It's an important part of a show that, instead of relying on calculated, over-the-top situations feels much more like the viewer actually being given the luxury of being with Jean and Lionel as they go about their lives, and we are priviledged enough to be able to sit back and enjoy them and their everyday routines. Not contrived....just a program with so much true heart and warm honesty...

As for content, read the other reviews, stunning cast, believably done, acolades all around. The production values are what caught my attention. If only all DVDs from TV were this GREAT. I've watched the series at least 4 times on my local [tv] station. I will be watching it many more times now that the DVD has been released. I've seen details in the DVD that simply blended into the background before (you can even see the pattern of the wall paper in the room that Jean wants to make into a study for Lionel). The set decorators deserve kudos for their work in making the set so believable. After you've enjoyed the story look again at the settings. Thank you for a magnificent story in a magnificent setting, with magnificent production values. ... Go out and buy this one!!!

Why can't American T.V. be like this? I ask myself this question alot. A lovely and funny story about people. No in-your-face sexuality or violence or stupid 12-year old boy humor.
A show for adults that's intelligent and just wonderful. And the stars of the show aren't 24, they are in their fifties, and they actually look like real people in their fifties (well, Judy Dench does her best, but it's hard to turn a silk purse into a sow's ear, not that fifty year old people should be equated with a sow's ear, just an expression!)
It's just a show about life with the quirky turns, ups and downs that occur. It makes you want to pack your bags and move across the water, or at least find a neighborhood pub for a pint of beer.

One of the best TV series of all time. Well written, wonderful cast and great direction. The humor is universal. No snappy one-liners or sophmoric slapstick. Just a show that humorously and realistically deals with a heart-warming love story. The entire series is uniformly excellent. Most other shows have an occasional episode in the series that's not up to par, but not hthis one. Start watching it from Series One and I guarantee you will be hooked!

Series 4, Jean and Lionel move forward on two fronts - the miniseries and their relationship.

Episode 1 - Sandy has broken up with her livein boyfriend and Jean and Judy offer the extra room. Lionel now has three women to contend with.

Episode 2 - Lionel has to make rewrites on the teleplay and Jean has her second branch send a secretary to help. Unfortunately, Daisy to adequate for Jean's taste.

Episode 3 - Lionel's new secretary is driving him up a wall with her stories about her late husband.

Episode 4 - Penny returns and wants to move in when she suspects that her husband, Stephen, is having an affair.

Episode 5 - The American producers want to use Rocky's house for the miniseries. But the producers want to make it more "British".

Episode 6 - Lionel proposes to Alister. Judy and Alister hit the rocks. Stephen's surprise aniversary party hits the skids when the invitations have the wrong date!

Episode 7 - Lionel has rewrites for the miniseries.

Episode 8 - The wedding day arrives and of course nothing goes right.

Episode 9 - Judy has a new dull love interest. Sandy has feels there is one too many women in the house.

Episode 10 - The miniseries starts production and continues to run amok.

Make the commitment and buy all nine series of this. This is one of the best written shows of the 90's.

This is the most enjoyable, refreshing and delightful series I've had the pleasure of watching in a long time.

Love the series. Great acting...feels like slipping into a comfortable pair of shoes watching this show!

One of the best sers every to come on tv, Well written and great acting.

I've owned the full "As Time Goes By" series for over a year now and play it over and over again. The dialogue, the characters, and highly able actors make this series one of the best I've ever seen. Up late at night doing ironing? Slip in a disk. Need to spend time sorting through papers for taxes? Pop one in. Just want to sit back after a long day and enjoy something pleasant and funny? Pick one. Bedridden for a time and out of your mind with boredom? Start at the beginning and play right through.

So why only a 4? The disks themselves are a bit unreliable. I bought the series through an Amazon affiliate. I had to exchange the first disk, which wouldn't play, and the supplier promptly provided a working one. As time went by (yes, I know),the last disk in the series became unusable. By then, I had no information for the affiliate, so I bought series 11 directly from Amazon. As Alistair would say, no probs.

For anyone who values upbeat, intelligently funny and occasionally silly, well-executed programming, I can't recommend this series highly enough.