h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I was just reading a piece about Alan Cumming, which made me think of The High Life - a sitcom he and Forbes Masson made in the 1990s. There was only one series of, I think six episodes, one of which was a remake of the pilot episode. The High Life is one of those forgotten gems of television comedy down the years. Cumming and Masson effectively reprising their stage act in the form of a pair of camp flight attendants working for Air Scotia, with Siobhan Redmond as the bossy senior attendant, and Patrick Ryecart as the pilot who thinks he's in Star Trek.

Series Catchphrase: "Oh deary me".

There's also I Didn't Know You Cared, which I've probably mentioned often, it being one of my favourite sitcoms. It might not be up there with Porridge, Open All Hours or Royle Family, but I can watch the first two (of four) series back to back. I don't watch the second two series as often because Stephen Rea and Anita Carey left it and were replaced by Keith Drinkel and Liz Goulding, who really didn't pull it off as Carter and Pat, at least for me, and Leslie Sarony replaced Bert Palmer as Uncle Stavely in the final series. Bert Palmer's Uncle Stavely was one of the best (and strangest) things about the series.

It could never be made today. Far too un-PC. Series catchphrase: Well, there were so many. Uncle Stavely's "I 'eard that... pardon?", "Don't talk empty", "Am I right? I am", "I served all through't first world war", "Aye, well, mmm". Well, it did come from the pen of Peter Tinniswood.

Big Jim and The Figaro Club was another one of those sitcoms that only got as far as a pilot and five or six episodes. Made around 1979/80, it featured Norman Rossington, Gordon Rollings and Sylvester McCoy (when he was still calling himself Sylveste) plus a few other actors whose names never reached the same heights, as a gang of builders working for the council building new homes in the early 50s, always battling with their stuck-up boss, clerk of the works Harold Perkins. Each week he'd need bringing down a peg or two, and being builders they'd come up with some kind of contraption to bring that about, except for the last episode. The theme of the series was standing up to authority and being self-reliant. Sticking together and sticking up for your mates.

One of the more interesting things about it was the voiceover intro to each episode by Bob Hoskins. This would have been around the time he was making The Long Good Friday. Series cathphrase: "One bugger call on Figaro, every bugger call on Figaro!"

And then was Nightingales. Robert Lindsay, James Ellis and David Threlfall as three security guards working the night shift at an office block somewhere in a big city (which turned out to be Birmingham - I managed to find the building used in the opening and closing shots on Google Maps once). Very, very weird and surreal. It ran to two series of six episodes in the early 90s. Ellis (Sarge) had been in the job for years and was just waiting for retirement. Lindsay (Carter) had pretensions of being something better, of being an intellectual. Threlfall (Bell) had a mullet and once raped a horse.

It took forever for them to come out on DVD, but when they did, about five years ago, someone here was kind enough to send them to me. I'm embarrassed to say that I can't remember who that was. It might have been Geggs, it might have been McKay, it might have been Deke. Either way, thank you - those DVDs have given me hours of entertainment. Series catchphrase: "There ain't nobody here but us chickens".

Big Jim has never been put out on DVD as far as I know, nor even been shown again since its first broadcast, although there was also a radio series which was repeated on Radio Four Extra recently.

World of Pub was a television remake of one of those late night Radio 4 comedies, again from the 90s. Phil Cornwell and Peter Serafinowcz as two brothers (Barry and Garry) running a pub in the east end of London, always in need of a new scheme to bring more punters in, said scheme always provided by Dodgy Phil (Kevin Eldon). Regulars at the pub included Martin Freeman, and their rival, who owned another pub nearby, was a certain Geoffrey McGivern who should be well known to everyone here. Various parts were played by all members of the cast, and Phil Cornwell got plenty of opportunity to do some of his very excellent impersonations. Especially in the Michael Caine story. At the end of each episode the pub either burnt down or blew up. And they set Her Maj on fire too.

Series catchphrases: "Yes mate, no mate, cheers mate", "Barry Barry Barry Barry Barry Barry Barry Barry Barry Barry", "Garry Garry Garry Garry Garry Garry Garry Garry Garry Garry ".

I believe both The High Life and I Didn't Know You Cared have been released on DVD, but by the time I left the UK they weren't getting any airplay and were as good as forgotten. Which is a pity. I'd like to think World of Pub is being shown somewhere.

Ha, found it! http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=52.478546,-1.905259&spn=0.004316,0.008256&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=52.478546,-1.905259&panoid=uvp73OAtA5p3OKBG6e-3QA&cbp=12,82.97,,0,-2.46
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5emR9uqpj4c

I know, it's covered in green sheeting, but trust me, that's the one.

I have the High Life on DVD. And yes, I can sing all the words to "Scotia, Air Scotia"

ah Alan Cumming. I really want a copy of Bernard and the Genie on DVD but it's not to be had (and I really want to use the 'wah' there but I won't so... )

Well done, Bea Much classier than Pif Paf Pof

I should have mentioned that Liz Smith (Mrs Brandon), John Comer (Mr Brandon) and Robin Bailey (Uncle Mort) were in I Didn't Know You Cared. If Uncle Mort was originally meant to be the central character, it didn't come out that way because there were so many fine performances, especially from Liz Smith. It was very early on in her acting career, her first major role in a prominent sitcom, and she did a superb job of it. When the BBC made a documentary recently about her taking a Mediterranean cruise there were plenty of instances of people recognising her and banging on about Vicar of Dibley and Royle Family, but not one mention of I Didn't Know You Cared. I suppose it's to be expected.

The series was developed from a handful of radio plays Peter Tinniswood had written a few years earlier (A Touch of Daniel, Call it a Canary and I Didn't Know You Cared) and they were very different. Nothing like the sitcom at all.

Uncle Mort (a retired, thoroughly northern, working class character) was something of a departure for Robin Bailey, I think. I remember him more for upper crust, posh, irascible and supercilious types such as Judge Graves in Rumpole of the Bailey, and Charters in Charters and Caldicott (and he went to play The Brigadier in Peter Tinniswood's radio series Tales From a Long Room, describing, for instance, how Queen Victoria could have been the best opening bowler England ever had).

And then there was Linda Preston

I remember "Nightingales". I couldn't remember the name, but it was starting to seem like a strange dream, because the show itself was a bit surreal, and I've never heard anyone else mention it since.

I didn't know Stephen Rea was in "I Didn't Know You Cared". I might try to track that down, because I love watching him. He's a very subtle, understated actor. I've never seen him ham it up, but he can do so much with a little gesture, flick of an eyebrow or mannerism.

Back before it turned into the Gordon Ramsey/Star Trek: TNG channel, BBC America ran The High Life. I really enjoyed it. I've said "oh dear me" a few times even though I know no one who'd be familiar with it.

They did? Fantastic

Incidentally, as one or two of you may already know, I have a penchant for finding filming locations on Google Maps, and I've found almost all of the main ones for I Didn't Know You Cared, most of which are in Sheffield.

The house used for all exterior shots of the one where the Brandon family lived is here:
http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.370509,-1.502134&spn=0.005953,0.016512&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.370583,-1.50224&panoid=PmWFBKj5EDNvTisyuOR2cg&cbp=12,33.54,,0,-8.07
http://i.imgur.com/3BXuSJR.png

The house where Pat's mother lived is here:
http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.357941,-1.518345&spn=0.011961,0.033023&t=h&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.35792,-1.518481&panoid=ROeeQ69rXtUFFOWVp_ncvw&cbp=12,151.64,,0,8.13
http://i.imgur.com/aQa1pZE.png

With Mrs Macclesfield's house next door:
http://i.imgur.com/2w4yaKp.png

The place where Les and Carter worked is the old Rabone Chesterman works on Pomona Street:
http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.371319,-1.486917&spn=0.002989,0.008256&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=53.371319,-1.486917&panoid=nnOEsrl3TOpJcKSqEot9IA&cbp=12,79.56,,1,4.68
http://i.imgur.com/s8G6bjT.png

Uncle Mort's allotment, where the railway carriage was, is here, because this shed with the white tarpaulin on the roof
http://i.imgur.com/TpkVfYW.png
is the red shed in the middle
http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.356233,-1.499097&spn=0.000529,0.001032&t=h&z=21

Which means the bow-fronted house in the background and to the right
http://i.imgur.com/pc8gaHB.png
is this one
http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.355062,-1.496978&spn=0.004229,0.008256&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=53.355062,-1.496978&panoid=T5qEDNw5OcdX4xxWfhxluw&cbp=12,122.83,,0,6.49
because Les and Uncle Mort were on the way to Mort's allotment.

This is where the temperance bar was
http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.36871,-1.479217&spn=0.005979,0.016512&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=53.368805,-1.479208&panoid=nH1DRwsfYVM3fK-AMz-TVQ&cbp=12,126.46,,1,3.57
http://i.imgur.com/kqKyjO2.png

And finally, Olive Scrimshaw's pub, The Bargeman's Comfort, one of only two locations I know of outside Sheffield (it's in Swinton - the other one is the old Rotherham Masborough railway station):
http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.487139,-1.304208&spn=0.001491,0.004128&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=53.487095,-1.304373&panoid=lapzuZYYQl6H3c5TY7Yegg&cbp=12,19.42,,1,-3.13
http://i.imgur.com/XE8OwZg.png

And the pub next door, The Ship:
http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=53.487307,-1.304229&spn=0.001491,0.004128&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=53.487354,-1.304303&panoid=5kkOZkUZcNw20vQ-7YKnLQ&cbp=12,145.88,,1,4.68
http://i.imgur.com/MtVKqwD.png

You're welcome

homesick now...

I had a feeling you might comment on this one, Sho.

I've never seen the programme though

Aye, but all those pictures of Yorkshire in the 70s.

I get the same feelings of nostalgia/homesickness for Manchester when I watch Strangers (largely because they shot much of it when I was there and in several places near where I was living), or London when I watch Minder.

I get all nostalgic watching the bit at the beginning of The Full Monty with the milk floats using the streets in the sky.

The High Lie sound a lot like this:

http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/radio/cabin_pressure/ which I assume you've picked up on ?

It wasn't me who sent the CD's

Ah, Cabin Pressure Roger Allam's so good in that It's time for another series I reckon. Bleak Expectations too.

I think it was Deke who sent the High Life DVDs.

It was me that sent you that Nightingales DVD set. Slipped it into the food parcel with Tunnocks teacakes and Marmite as far as I remember.

B

Oh really. That's interesting. My mind is convinced it came in a package by itself after some discussion about its imminent release that didn't involve talk about food at the same time. It was Tunnocks Caramels, not Teacakes, btw, and there were Sharps Extra Strong Mints in the package too. I still have one roll of those left. I wonder how minty they still are.

They retain their mintiness for ever. I believe I've had a packet in my golf bag for the last 20 years.

So, what you're saying is that Sharp's Extra Strong Mints have a half-life similar to that of certain radioactive elements?

Something else with a similarly extended half-life - the leftover syrup from a box of gulab jamun. I had some which I poured into in a pint glass, covered with clingfilm and put in the fridge. Silly me, I forgot to label it, and a month or two later (last week) I found it at the back, couldn't remember what it was, couldn't detect a smell (and didn't want to to taste it) so I poured it down the sink thinking that if I have no idea what it is, how can I use it?

A few moments later, literally, I realised it was the syrup and said lots of sweary words. Thing is, I've washed that glass four times now and I'm still finding sticky patches on it from the syrup.