Customer Reviews

As Time Goes By - You Must Remember This

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

 

 

"As Time Goes By" is the gentle, funny story of Jean Pargetter and Lionel Hardcastle, two people who used to be in love in the early fifties. When Lionel went off to fight in the Korean War, the two lost touch. They meet again 38 years later, quite by accident, and what is at first an awkward friendship slowly morphs into a warm romance.

"You Must Remember This" is a retrospective one hour episode which originally aired in the UK in August, 2002. The final season had just finished airing, and this 'look back' was thought of as a good way to send-off the series. It doesn't, for the most part, disappoint. Many of the series' highlights are shown, and it all makes for nice, sentimental viewing.

The set-up for "You Must Remember This" is that Jean & Lionel are now alone in their Holland Park house (daughter Judith has married and moved out, and lodger Sandy has left for Canada with her fiance). It is suggested that Lionel write a book about his life/romance since being re-introduced to Jean at the beginning of the series. We see the couple going about their day, discussing their life together, and this of course segues into flashbacks from previous episodes. A good cross-section of clips are used, and things are covered such as: Jean & Lionel's first tentative steps when they were re-starting their romance, their first adult kiss on the banks of a river, the moment when Lionel proposes to Jean, the time when they both decide to dance to a waltz in the kitchen of a meeting hall, and of course the marriage of Judith & Alistair. There were a few moments from the series which were not included, that I wish would have been, but overall I have no real qualms with the retrospective.

Bonus episodes are included on this DVD version of "You Must Remember This", including the one where Lionel finds the long-lost letter which he sent to Jean while he was in Korea. It is one of the best episodes of the series. I love "As Time Goes By". There are very few TV series that I can say that about - less than I can count on one hand - but this is one of them. The writing is always impeccable, the acting superb, and the stories warm and funny. This retrospective does a wonderful job of capturing everything that made this series such a viewing pleasure. It is a must for anyone's "As Time Goes By" collection.

If you have followed this series on your local PBS station from 1992-2002, or on DVD from 2002 to the present, you will enjoy this show. It's roughly an hour in length (most PBS stations show it for 90 minutes to 2 hours to milk the pledge drives) making it equal in length to 2 episodes, featuring Lionel (Geoffrey Palmer) and Jean (Judi Dench) now in an empty apartment deciding what's next (pardon my West Wing) while flashing back to some of there most memorable moments of the series. Also included are 3 episodes from other discs, the episode from Series 1 where Lionel and Jean spend their first weekend together and find the old inn where they first loved, the episode from Series 3 when Lionel's father Rocky and his long time love Madge get married, and Jean and Lionel are in the ceremony, and the last episode of Series 6 when Lionel surprises Jean with a trip to Barbados to help her recover from a dull week at the office (at the time this disc was released, this episode had NOT been released on DVD, as it came out between the releases of Series 5 and 6). The bad side is with the release of the Series 8&9 2 bagger on August 30th, this episode will be included with the Series 9 disc (According to "my spies" (sorry Jim Perry), series 9 only had 4 episodes not counting this one). So realistically (as of Labor Day) with the entire series available on 11 discs, in 4 2 disc sets and 3 single disc sets, or an attractive 11 piece megaset (coming out the same day as the last set), this disc becomes simply window dressing. Of course until the 8&9 2 bagger's picture was displayed (just today), there was no way to know, so many people (me included) bought this when it was first available. My advice, if you have none of the other discs, buy the 11 bagger. If you have some of the others, finish your colllection with the other "complete series" titles, and you will get this when you get the 8&9 2 bagger. This way you save duplicating 4 (counting this one) episodes.

Would that the producers would have spent their time and energy on season SIX, SEVEN, and EIGHT of this truly great Britcom series than to waste their time producing this overview of past glories. AS TIME GOES BY is by my way of thinking the BEST of all the Britcoms that have come across the pond. GIVE US THE REMAINING SEASONS rather that this "Best of . . ." abbreviation. It may be a good introduction for those who have not seen the series on TV but your money is better spent on buying one of the seasons already available on DVD or catching whatever you local PBS station may be using as a filler in its broadcasting schedule. Go for the full blown series, you won't be disappointed.

We avidly have viewed the first six seasons as they have been released on DVD - I was disappointed with this offering only because it covers series not yet released on DVD/VHS and eliminated any element of surprise regarding the forthcomng romances of Judy and Sandy. We started to view this DVD but decided to wait until they release the final three seasons to "Remember this"

This DVD is unnecessary.

All material on this DVD is found on others. The Series 8 & 9 DVD has the special and the three episodes are on other Series DVD.

This was released prior to the Series 8 & 9 DVD.

Don't waste your money. If you are a true fan but the complete set.

"As Time Goes By" is a wonderful show, but this video has very little new material. It is mostly a recap of other episodes, some of which have not been released, so some people will find parts confusing if they haven't seen the relevant episode. I was hoping for more new material, and an update on all the characters. It does, however, contain an episode (the one where Jean wants a surprise, and Lionel plans to take her to Barbados) which is particularly funny. Still, I was hoping for more. I couldn't give it less than three stars because this is still the best show from Britain ever.

I rented this first from Netflix to see if I wanted to buy it. I was delighted with it. It was fun to have them reminiscing with clips from the various seasons. The three bonus episodes are excellent choices to have included. I'm buying this for my father who has enjoyed all the episodes for years on PBS. I know he'll love this as one of his first DVDs.

This is a "catch up" special that highlights certian events from the show, done in a cute way of what might be in Lionel's next book.

I like it, but it's a bit lonely as a stand alone item. Also, don't buy this if you're buying the complete series collection because it's included with that on disc/season 9.

As others have noted, this retrospective episode of an outstanding series is essential for the collector, and 3 bonus episodes from earlier in the series are included to fill out the DVD. However, "You Must Remember This" itself is included in the DVD that comprises series 8 and 9, so watch to make sure you don't buy it twice, as I did.

When I got this, I immediately put in in the DVD player and started watching. As Time Goes By is quite possibly one of the greatest television shows of all time. I was extremely happy with this DVD, and I don't understand why other reviewers didn't like it. I thought it was worth the money.