Customer Reviews

Butterflies - Series 1

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Butterflies is the first British situation comedy to be a hit in the US. Most Britcoms were broad sketch comedies and not situation comedies. This show worked because the base story was something that the average American could relate to.

Twenty five years later, it still works. Actually, things have gone full circle and it is current again because of the revival of the stay at home moms.

Ria Parkinson was happily married but not ecstatically married woman in her late 30's. Her husband, Ben, is a dentist who just turned 48 and is trying to figure out his life. She has two grown sons that are still at home adding additional stress to her life.

While trying to work out her current problems, she meets Leonard. Leonard is a suave businessman who is divorced, his wife ran off with his best friend. He is 44 and is also going through his own life crisis. He is tired of his shallow existence of one young girl after another and would like a woman of substance, like Ria.

This is the basis of all 28 episodes. Series One is the first 6 episodes. The following is a summary of the episodes:

Episode 1 - We meet Ria and her family. Ria and Ben have been married for 19 years and he still cannot fathom her cooking. The current meal is potatoes, a chop, some green things and gravy. Ben and oldest son have not been speaking for a year. Ria meets Leonard in a restaurant. Ria realizes that she is still desirable and wants Ben to realize it. Again she runs into Leonard, or he almost runs over her with his car and he asks her out to lunch.

Episode 2 - After a number of nasty comments about her cooking, Ria previews tonight's apple sponge (which looks like a beige bowling ball) and gives the men an ultimatum "if any one of you dares to utter one word, I will splatter the walls with it and leave this house forever". Ria then runs into Leonard who pursues her but she learns even Leonard has his rejection limit. At dinner, the men unite.

Episode 3 - Leonard loses his license. Ria decides that now that the boys are grown, she wants more from life - a job. This is the first episode that shows the neighbors. Also, there is a great flub. Adam and Russell are busking. When the get into the car a woman walks up to give them coin. Based on Andrew Hall's reaction, this was probably a passerby who did not notice the filming going on.

Episode 4 - We are introduced to Leonard's driver. It is Leonard's birthday. He wants to have lunch with Ria but has a hard time inviting her.

Episode 5 - A statue is being sent to America and Russell tries to stop it by chaining himself to it.

Episode 6 - Ria is getting more confused by life and talks to God at the local church. Ria decides that she will get rid of everything that is not right in her life, including Leonard.

Wendy Craig is perfect as the harried Ria. She has a natural comic sense of timing. She knows when to just say the lines and when to put that little extra onto the line or action. Her Ria is the mother most people wanted. And the wife everyone wants. I know I fell in love with her when I first saw the show.

This was America's first real glimpse Geoffrey Palmer (Ben) who is most famous for As Time Goes By. Palmer is the perfect straight man. He is the perfect sounding board for Craig. He knows just when to react or to deadpan.

Bruce Montague plays Leonard as the exact opposite of Ben and Rhea. He is having problems but while Ben and Rhea repress their problems, Leonard is in your face with his.

Andrew Hall has captured the essence of Russell, a young man wanting to experience life before he is tied down.

This is the first major role for Nicholas Lyndhurst who has become a major UK star floating between TV and theatre.

DVD EXTRAS:

Interview with creator Clara Lane - This was the first time that I ever saw her and this interview was quite interesting. She talks about how she came up with the show, casting of the show and dealing with the celebrity that the show brought her.

Cast Filmographies - Bio's on Wendy Craig (Ria); Geoffrey Palmer (Ben); Bruce Montague (Leonard); Andrew Hall (Russell) and Nicholas Lyndhurst (Adam)

Production Notes - Brief history of the show and Clara Lane.

This is the definitive Britcom and you must see it from the beginning. Once you watch this disk, you will be looking for season two, three,....

Growing up, this is one of the first Brit-Coms that really stuck out to me and greatly impressed me. This show, along with other greats such as Ever Decreasing Circles and The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin were shows that, even though I was quite young, gave me hope for great TV. Butterflies is a series that has interesting characters, is rarely boring, and keeps you wanting to watch from episode to episode. If you have fond memories of this show from airings on PBS, this is a great chance to get reaquainted with a show that has only become better over the years. If you hae never seen this show, you need to check this show out.

And if this DVD is anything like the Region 2 release, the bonus features may not be stellar, but the quality of this series is alone reason enough to give the DVD five stars.

If sex, violence, and abomnible language, is your thing - this delightful comedy is not for you.
If, however, you like splendid acting; here provided by both Palmer and Craig, and a gently humorous view of married life, you will rave over this unusual (if not far from the truth) comedy series.
The series revolves around the happenings of a Mum, Dad and two son marriage. Marital harmony is always coming and going, while the sons do not make matters any easier.
The show is made even brighter, by the infrequent laconic laments of the couple's housekeeper.
This is, without doubt, a quality show - by all but the 'modern' thinkers.

My favorite series of all time. I love Britcoms. I've hoped and waited and searched. Now we need the rest of the episodes!

I was very pleased to see that Butterflies is getting a release on DVD over here. When it was out on VHS I hadn't been aware of it's availability & I found out after it'd been discontinued. I heard conflicting reports of the tape containing 1/3 episodes. BFS owned the distribution rights then. I'm delighted that after they fumbled the ball that Acorn had attained the licensing rights to release the show. I have pre-ordered & am hoping it sells well so subsequent seasons are available. I'm confident it will!

Wendy Craig, Geoffrey Palmer (As Time Goes By) & Nicholas Lyndhurst (Only Fools & Horses) are the stars of this sitcom.

If you're a fan of shows like As Time Goes By & Good Neighbors (Aka The Good Life (UK)), you'll love Butterflies, it's a sophisticated & refreshing comedy that you'll want in your collection.

I had seen this series many years ago, early '80's. I loved it then. At that time I really identified with Ria. Now I'm passed that time in my life, with teenagers in the house and all the frustrations of that time, but I still love this series. I will be purchasing the second series. I highly recommend it. It's wonderful!

This DVD is very professionally made and is certain to bring back memories of the original tv show. The trials and tribulations of Rea and Ben are fantastic entertainment. It has been a wonderful experience for us to revisit old friends and to relive their experiences.

I first watched this series on PBS in the early 80's. Re-watching the first three episode today, I realized that there are layers in this series that I couldn't appreciate as a 20-year old. It's poignant and funny and I fell in love with it all over again.

The characters are believable and understated. It does appear dated, especially the clothing, but, the themes of aging and marriage and lost opportunities are timeless and I like the vintage look of the series, it adds to the slow, gentle, lyrical feel of the writing and understated acting.

Unfortunately series 3 and 4 are not available in NTSC Region 1, an oversight I hope BBC soon remedies.

This is typical British humour, very quick-witted, CLEAN, and well written. There are a few innuendos, but I would say it is one of the funniest comedy shows that were produced years ago.
Geoffrey Palmer has appeared in many comedy series. You are selling "As Times goes By", another of his great shows.

If you like British Comedy this is for you. You won't be disappointed. Also, Butterflies, Series 2 is great.