Customer Reviews

Good Neighbors: The Complete Series 1-3

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I can't review this specific DVD set, as it has not been released yet at this time. But I own all of these episodes on VHS, and so had to write something to encourage anyone looking at this item to purchase it.
"The Good Life" is at its base the story of Tom and Barbara Good, a happily married couple living in Surbiton, a London suburb. Tom designs toy prizes for cereal boxes until the night he decides that he and Barbara should try something new: living in an entirely self-sufficient manner. What this translates to is transforming their suburban home into a smallholding (farm).
How this happens, and the Good's adventures in farming, are only part of the humor. Tom and Barbara are funny, but it's their neighbor, Margot Leadbetter, who makes tis show really stand out. Margot's husband Jerry used to be Tom's boss, and they've all been friends for a long time. Margot is a dreadful snob, even thought deep down she truly is a good and caring friend. It's an indication of the writing quality (and the quality of Penelope Keith's performance) that while Margot could have become a caricature, she never does. Instead she is slowly revealed as a fascinating and affectionate woman who, although she thinks Tom and Barbara are crazy, nonetheless loves them and wants to be their friend.
The actors are all solid, and soldily funny, the concept cute and fertile ground for jokes, but it's the timelessness and non-gimicky friendship of the show's characters, and the solid cast, that makes "The Good Life" a classic, not just in British comedy, but all comedy. The fact that this show was selected to do a Royal Command Performance will give some indication of how enormously popular and funny it was.
If you like "Fawlty Towers," "The Office," "Father Ted," etc., you will love The Good Life. If you like American shows like "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Friends", "Arrested Development", you will also love The Good Life.
I can't say enough good things! I am thrilled to see this will be released on DVD soon!

I've had the new DVD set for about ten days now (my local retailer had it out on the shelves a week before the official release date, I grabbed it the moment I spotted it), so I guess I will be the first to give the rundown on the set.

This is a high-quality release from BBC Video, on par with the "Fawlty Towers" and "Yes, Minister" sets. There are four single-sided discs in an attractive, colorful fold-out case -- one series (or season) per disc, plus a fourth for the 1977 Christmas special plus a few extras. I have watched about half the episodes and they are bright and clear, no problems with picture or sound quality. One odd thing: although the package is labeled "Good Neighbors", the titles on the episodes themselves say "The Good Life", the original name of the series (the music and graphics are the same).

The set is light on special features, the main feature being an interview with "cast, crew, and celebrity fans" that runs about a half hour. It is basically a highlight reel from the series, with running commentary from Richard Briers, Penelope Keith, and some other British television personalities who will probably only be familiar to residents of the UK. Nothing too profound here, just a lot of people going on about how wonderful the show was, sort of like a long promo (but still fun to watch). The only disappointment is that Felicity Kendal does not make an appearance.

Still, the most important thing is that all the episodes from series 1-3 are included, in their original broadcast order. Another reviewer mentioned that the series finale is "missing" from the set, and that is true -- none of the episodes from the fourth and final series are included, presumably because they were previously released as part of a DVD set from Acorn Media. Apart from that one flaw, this is a terrific set, and a must-have.

As for the show itself, what can I say? This is without doubt the sweetest television program ever made. And by "sweet", I do not mean sickly sweet like some Disney-esque treacle that makes you want to vomit, I mean four immensely appealing actors, playing truly lovable characters (yes, even Margo Leadbetter is lovable in her own insecure, wannabe snob sort of way). The Goods enjoy a warm, happy marriage, and genuine friendship with their neighbors, the Leadbetters, and you cannot help but smile and cheer for them, as they stand by each other through thick and thin. "The Good Life" is an ideal program for a family to watch together, or for anyone who is feeling down on a rainy day.

The contents of the set:

Disc 1, Series 1

1. Plough Your Own Furrow
Tom and Barbara Good decide to leave the rat race of every day life and become as near to self-sufficient as possible without leaving their Surbiton home. Penelope Keith is not seen in this episode, however, her voice is heard right at the very end.

2. Say Little Hen
The Goods continue to acquire animals but their next door neighbors Jerry and Margo Leadbetter try to save the Goods from themselves.

3. The Weaker Sex?
A cast iron stove nearly puts Barbara's fire out on the whole idea.

4. Pig's Lib
When the Goods get some pigs, Margo finally draws the line.

5. The Thing in the Cellar
The Goods search for alternative sources of food and Tom puts dung to good use in the cellar.

6. The Pagan Rite
Bills pile up, the Goods need a holiday, and Tom weighs his moral ideals against accepting a job to help pay for it all.

7. Backs to the Wall
On the day before harvest, Tom hurts his back and the weather goes bad, leaving Barbara three days to bring in the harvest or it will rot.

Disc 2, Series 2

1. Just My Bill
Tom and Barbara have proved their mettle in the Garden, but they are challenged with making money off the surplus to pay their bills.

2. The Guru of Surbiton
Two students arrive to help the Goods out, but in Tom they find their new messiah!

3. Mr. Fix-It
A reporter arrives to do a story on the Goods and Margo schemes of ways to bask in some of their fame.

4. The Day Peace Broke Out
When a mysterious thief begins to steal the Goods' leeks, Tom declares war!

5. Mutiny
Jerry must choose between obeying Sir or trying to please Margo by attending her musical The Sound of Music.

6. Home Sweet Home
After hearing about an ideal farm from a farmer, Tom is all ready to leave Surbiton. But Barbara doesn't want to go, and she isn't the only one.

7. Going to Pot
The Goods decide to attend night classes to learn valuable skills. While Margo schemes to outwit a new neighbor adept at painting by taking up pottery.

Disc 3, Series 3

1. The Early Birds
After the Leadbetter's have enough of the Goods' crack-of-dawn activities, the Goods search for new ways to design their schedule.

2. The Happy Event
Efficiency is the name of the game, until Pinky the Pig has her litter.

3. A Tug Of The Forelock
After Tom brainstorms an idea for revamping the rotary cultivator into a transport vehicle, the Goods' try their hand at becoming a housekeeping service to the Leadbetters to earn cash.

4. I Talk To The Trees
The Goods decide to experiment with talking to their plants to see if they'll grow more as Margo plans to run for Music Society President.

5. The Wind-Break War
Miscommunication deteriorates into family feud when Margo's windbreak puts the Goods' fruits in the shade.

6. Whose Fleas Are These?
The Goods struggle to contain a flea outbreak and the search for the source is on!

7. The Last Posh Frock
When Barbara rips her last fancy dress, Tom can't understand how much she has sacrificed.

Disc 4

1977 Christmas Special

Special features:
- Interviews with cast, crew, and celebrity fans
- Cast biographies
- Trailers

Seasons 1-3 are owned by a difference production company than Season 4. So the company that owns Season 4 decided to release it on dvd in 2002. The company that owns seasons 1-3 just recently decided to release those episodes. So...yes, in order to have the complete series you will also need to purchase The Final Season (aka series 4.)

As previous reviewers have already demonstrated, this is a beloved Britcom. Blessed with a uniformly superb cast & exceptionally sharp writing, these episodes are thoroughly rewatchable; and if I have any complaint, it's only that there aren't more of them. But perhaps that's just as well: better to have a few A+ episodes than too many sub-par ones.

The ideal of self-sufficiency ... haven't we all considered it at some point or another, if only for a fleeting moment? Getting out of the rat race, making a life that's far more meaningful? OK, few of us will ever actually manage that! But we can certainly enjoy this comedic depiction of such an attempt. It does make clear just how hard a life it would be, even within the cozy confines of a TV sitcom!

And the characters themselves! I especially like that the writers didn't settle for one-dimensional cutouts. Tom Good can be a bit pushy & irritating at times, but he'd need such qualities to make the leap from vague wish to grimy reality in the first place. And his deep love for wife Barbara is plain to see, as is hers for her determined husband. Of course, Barbara herself may look like a lovely waif, but she's got plenty of backbone & fire -- Tom doesn't push her around!

Neighbors Jerry & Margot could easily have been flat characters, existing as negative foils for the Goods; instead, we get two real people, generally happy with their own way of life, genuinely puzzled by Tom & Barbara's rejection of that life -- but ultimately supportive of their friends. Margot is a special delight: not the mere snob she first appears, she's honest, loyal, and a force to be reckoned with. Despite their squabbling, it's clear that she & Jerry do love one another, and treasure their eccentric best friends.

So treat yourself to many evenings of viewing pleasure with this fine collection! The elusive fourth season will be released shortly, and then the series will be complete. You'll return to it again & again -- most highly recommended!

Like the title says, it's the best of the Britcoms. The cast is great, the writing is great, and the whole thing is utterly charming.

There's not a whole lot more to say, except, in response to one of the previous reviewers questions, that it's going to contain all those episodes that didn't make it to VHS. The three seasons on these DVDs each had seven episodes. At about 28 minutes each, that's 588 minutes, which doesn't even come close to the 640 minute runtime advertised for this set.

Before I bought this series on DVD, I'd seen parts of it on VHS over and over again. I'm thrilled to finally have the whole thing. All of the characters are brilliantly done, my personal favorites being the very sophisticated neighbors that act as the foyle for the Goods and their self-sufficiency lifestyle. The situation is hillarious. The neighbors, the Leadbetters, are a stitch because they take take their sophistication and position in society so seriously (Margo is a little bit of a Hyacinth Bucket). Barbara Good is so cute you just can't help loving her. Tom Good is a nutcase, but his determination to live an alternative lifestyle fuels the humor of the show. The cast members are all very distinguished British actors; Richard Briars, Penelope Keith, Paul Eddington, and Felicity Kendal are all well known from other very popular British shows. This series is a classic you'll watch over and over again. I've been watching episodes for the last 20 years and have never tired of them. There is nothing trite or cheap about the humor; the laughs all flow from character, not gag lines. So, in my opinion, it is much more sophisticated and clever than American TV. I highly recommend this program!!

This is one of the greatest not only of British, but of American TV shows as well. Such a great group of actors and some of the greatest acting and writing as well. I fell in love with this show when it ran on PBS in the late 1970's as "The Good Neighbors", and since the early 1980's it hasn't been shown on tv at all. Many times while watching I laughed so hard that I hurt myself. It's very rare to find a show that makes you laugh and at the same time makes you feel good. It has very funny moments but also some very touching moments as well. Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, Penelope Keith, and Paul Eddington are some of the most professional actors around and they were perfectly cast in this show. And what a great premise for a show. Briers plays Tom Good, a middle class suburban draftsman who at 40 is sick and tired of the rat race and wants something fulfulling in his life. Most people can agree with that. Thats one reason that his character is so loved. He decides to become self sufficient. Kendal is his loving wife who goes along with his dream. She is 100 percent supportive of him. Briers decides to get rid of most material things. No electricity(he builds his own generator for light), no phone, tv, stove to cook (he finds an old wood burning one), etc. He turns to farming and in no time rips up his back lawn, and starts to grow vegetables on it. He trades in his car for a cultivator. He wants to live off the land. It is very hard work but Tom and Barbara(his wife) feel it will be fulfulling. Keith and Eddington play Margot and Jerry Ledbetter, his next door neighbors. Jerry worked with Tom, and was stunned to learn of Toms new undertaking. Jerry is quite similar to Tom. Middle class and easy going and is willing to help Tom if he needs it. At times you almost feel that Jerry would want to give up his chaise lounge chair, and his daily cocktails to join up with Tom. Margot,on the other hand, is the primadonna of the snobs. She can't stand what Tom and Barbara are doing, bringing in pigs, goats, and chickens which Tom and Barbara are raising right next door to her garden which she loves and cherishes. She is constantly trying to make Tom feel guilty for dragging "Poor Barbara" into all of this. She is always ordering henpecked husband Jerry into answering the door or phone, or lighting her cigarette or any of her other little whims.They all perform brilliantly.This Dvd set contains the first 3 seasons (7 shows each) from 1975-1977, along with a 1977 Christmas episode. A fourth season was done in 1977-78, but those episodes are not included here. They were included on a earlier Dvd set that is now out of print. Hopefully BBC video (or Acorn video which originally issued the Dvd) will rerelease it so all four seasons will be available. The very last episode was filmed as a Royal Command Performance and this is also available with the final 7 episodes on the same Dvd. The Queen of England was a huge fan of this show and it was performed especially for her. The quality of Series 1-3 is very good considering the 30 years ago of filming or videotaping. The Dvd also contains interviews of cast, and crew, and fans of the show. In closing I'm so happy that the first 3 seasons of the show are now available, and hopefully the last season will be reissued soon so I have the complete collection. This is a must 4 dvd set for anyone interested in good, clean comedy that they just don't make anymore. It's British and sometimes the dialogue can be a little hard to understand, but with listening a little more closely and with repeated viewings, this show will grow on you in a very short time.

The Good Neighbours is not the original title for this excellent comedy series, it is called in england the Good Life, and I remember watching this when I was younger, still makes me laugh today, if anyone wants a good brit comedy collection definitely get this one, it outshines anything in america.

And no I am not biased because I am english, I do like some american comedy shows, but they are far and few between.

I won't comment on the great material, but just want to add that this set contains all but the last season, which is available separately.

I was impressed with the quality of the video and audio on the DVD set. It was a much clearer picture than my VHS tapes.

The DVD menu does not allow selection of the Closed Captioning, however if your TV or DVD player supports it separately, then it's available via the TV or player.

If you enjoyed this series as much as I did, your only disappointment with this DVD set will be the fact that the last series (season 4) is not included.

Basically, I agree with the excellent review posted by J.M.Ambrosio.

I loved this stuff when I was a child. It tells the tale of Tom and Barbara Goode and their attempts to live the self sufficient life, turning their backs on the rat race, and doing it in London surburbia; under the watchful eye of their freinds and snobby neighbours, Jerry and Margot Ledbetter.
In my country the series is know as, "The Good Life" and the gentle hilarity that ensues as the mini farm grows,is outstanding. Richard Briers is energetic and naughty as Tom while Felicity Kendall, as Barbara, is sweet and cute (Felicity Kendall was huge British pin up in her time and you can see why in this series).
The late Paul Eddington is very funny as the long suffering Jerry but for me the show is always about the insufferably snobby Margot, Penelope Keith, who is forever on the look out to keep up middle class standards; her accent makes the Queen sound a little common! Fabulous nostalgic stuff!