Customer Reviews

Fortysomething

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am a long time fan of Hugh Laurie, and in my endeavors to try and collect everything I can possibly find that he's been in, I stumbled across this 2 DVD set. I am so happy I bought it! It is absolutely brilliant; Hugh's character, Paul, is somewhat of a cross between House and Wooster. I simply adore this show; the first episode in particular is truly hilarious: one of the many high points is when two of Paul's adult sons are fighting over a girl and Paul orders them to go to their rooms. Sex is a major theme throughout the series; one of the running jokes is that Paul can't remember the last time he and his wife have made love while his sons spend most of their time fighting over a pair of sisters. In spite of the sexual elements, I found the show to be refreshingly tasteful, especially compared to the majority of American shows. Further more, its obvious, at least in my opinion, that in spite of their problems, Paul and his wife were still quite devoted to one another. I'm sorry to say that I'm probably not explaining this show very well, but I can assure you that this is one of the best dvd purchases I've made in a very long time. If you like Hugh Laurie even a little, this is a must own.

If you love Hugh Laurie in "House" then check him out in this British series he did right before becoming the grumpy old doctor we adore. In "Fortysomething," he plays another grumpy, but a little less old, doctor and a family man facing a midlife crisis. It's hysterical and real and Hugh Laurie doing what he does best.

I bought this because I'm a fan of both Hugh Laurie and Anna Chancellor and thought it might be fun to see them in something together. The series wasn't *bad*, exactly, but it was at best average, and I'm not surprised it wasn't renewed. The cast did a good job trying to make the characters three-dimensional, but, unfortunately, most of the show's running themes were somewhat juvenile and cliched. All in all a mixed bag.

I had seen some episodes of this British sitcom on a local PBS station and found them funny enough to want to see more, hence my purchase of the DVDs. (At the time I didn't know that the series was short-lived.)

The gifted actor, Hugh Laurie, has proven his skill at playing diverse roles over the years, whether in comedy or drama - (Blackadder; Wooster & Jeeves; Sense and Sensibility; Cousin Bette - to name just a few titles you can research) but his portrayal of the insecure, offspring-overwhelmed English GP,Dr. Slippery, might surprise American devotees of the taciturn, sarcastic but brilliant Dr. House. However, take a look if you enjoy British humor (some of which made me laugh out loud) and if you'd welcome the opportunity of seeing just how talented Laurie is in playing vastly different characters.

Personally, I could have done without the sexual exploits of Slippery's sons and had the focus remain on his relationship with his wife, played by the fascinating Anna Chancellor (look her up: Duckface in Four Weddings and a Funeral), who makes an excellent foil to the anxiety-plagued doctor.

Laurie, who directed the series, is comfortable enough in his own skin to put himself 'out there,' - literally, in one hilarious scene, where he stands naked on the street.

If you're a Hugh Laurie devotee, this six-DVD set is good value for money. If not, give it a pass.

This was very entertaining all the way through.

Besides the superb acting by the main characters (FAMILY MEMBERS) the
supporting cast was excellent as well.

Purchased this mainly because of Hugh Laurie but was very pleased with
the entire package.

Highly recommend this for all.

This is one of those shows that people seem to either love or hate. I loved it. The humor is offbeat with lots of laugh-out-loud moments. It's sweet in its own way. I'm usually not much for British comedy but this one worked for me.

I've read reviews complaining about the behavior of some of the people in the family, but what you have to remember is that this was intended to be a series. Character development takes time, and not everything needs to be revealed all at once. It's a shame that it was canceled before there was time to give more insight about the family.

I knew going in that this was a canceled series and was worried that it would end on a cliffhanger with no good resolution. It doesn't. Everything wraps up nicely in the sixth (and last) episode, in a way that almost makes this more like a miniseries.

So excited to find this earlier series from Hugh Laurie. Just a really fun show to watch. Anna Chancellor is really nice and I was so excited to see Stephen Fry. This is certainly worth buying!

I happened on this on public television last week and my stomach hurt from laughing. (It was Episode 2, which was probably the best.) I had to immediately order the DVD's. The supporting cast is excellent. I am a huge Hugh Laurie and House fan, but he is incredibly engaging in this. Also becoming a big Benedict Cumberbatch fan. I felt smitten with him in this as the oldest son. Just in scenes where he is smiling at his family, he is marvelous. (Recently enjoyed his starmarking turn in Sherlock from the BBC.) This comedy is very modern and could have had a long run, I think. But then we never would have had House.

I'm a huge fan of House & of course, Hugh Laurie. I was so happy to come across this pre-House British series. It was a great find & truly showcases Hugh's hilarity!

This series started off very average, but I wound up liking it more than I thought I would, especially episodes 4 and 5. There's lots of average sitcom elements, but on occasion, Hugh Laurie and the lovely Anna Chancellor get this to work. Keep in mind, however, that my review is perhaps biased by my own fortysomething status, so I identify more strongly than I probably should with Paul Slippery.