Oh joy Butterflies is back

For those of you with no access to the Drama channel or the uktvplay app, you can also watch online on the website. I often watch programmes on here on my laptop if my other half is watching a boring sport of some kind

uktvplay.uktv.co.uk/shows/butterflies/watch-online

Had to come on to say that I'm thoroughly enjoying the re-run of Ever Decreasing Circles, my very favourite sit-com. Think Richard Briers is brilliant in this, much more so than in The Good Life. In fact all the characters are superb.

Just caught some of last night’s episode.

Sorry, all you fans, but it came across after nearly 45 years as a load of twaddle.

Are you still allowed to capture butterflies? Surely not!

BlueSapphire

Had to come on to say that I'm thoroughly enjoying the re-run of Ever Decreasing Circles, my very favourite sit-com. Think Richard Briers is brilliant in this, much more so than in The Good Life. In fact all the characters are superb.

Richard Briers and Felicity Kendall were utterly unbearable in The Good Life.
Whereas Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington were glorious.

yggdrasil

Beechnut

I’ll have a look in on Butterflies again and see what locations I can spot. DD used to live in Cheltenham.

I lived in Cheltenham all the time Butterflies was showing, and it used to really annoy me the way they messed with the geography of the town. They'd walk into Sandford park from one end and exit on to the far side of the town. Mind you , I did see the mini around the town at times.

One of the places DD lived was Sanford Street just down from the playhouse by that shop that has the sort of mosaic front.

Sandford

Penelope Keith was brilliant in To the Manor Born too.

eazybee

Butterflies irritated me intensely.
I have a great deal of respect for Wendy Craig as an actress but her character Ria, wafting about in her modern house, lovely kitchen, new Mini and beautiful clothes whilst moaning all the time about her problems, deserved a good slap. Why not focus her extremely comfortable but aimless existence on taking a cookery course, doing voluntary work or even, perish the thought, getting a job? I had a great deal of sympathy for the long-suffering Geoffrey Palmer.
I don't think this series showed Carla Lane as a brilliant writer for women at all, just mocked perceived middle-class angst.

But then you’ve solved all her problems and you wouldn’t have a TV series would you ? And a modern home, car and a cleaner, doesn’t automatically mean happiness. I think if the series underwent a facelift now, there would probably be therapy sessions depicted to deal with the melancholy that was obviously prevalent in her life. I thought Butterflies was a lovely, sensitive handling of a difficult subject - the ‘emotional affair’. It provoked lively debate in our house at the time with various family members taking different sides.

Well I loved watching it. It's not particularly funny (in my opinion) but I find it nostalgic and quite comforting.

I enjoyed watching an episode or two recently for the nostalgic element but didn't really find it funny. I also found the ‘boyfriend’ rather ‘creepy’- did anyone else?

I watched an episode the other evening didn't find it funny it was even less entertaining than I'd remembered it however it made me appreciate that women are no longer just portrayed as needy irritating housewives .

I used to love this but watch it now and not funny in this day and age!

Having watched both Butterflies and Ever Decreasing Circles for several days now, there is no doubt that I prefer EDC. It's brilliant. And I now see why some people found Ria in Butterflies irritating. I didn't back then but do now, just a bit.
It's slightly disturbing that several people over the years have said I remind them of Ria! Oh dear

Maureen Lipman was saying in an interview the other day that she was disappointed that 'Agony' wasn't being repeated. She said it was trailblazing!

I had forgotten all about it but do remember enjoying it at the time.

Kate1949

Yes indeed Chestnut. The poor man has been unwell for years.

I think Richard O'Sullivan dies a couple of years ago. He was living in a care home

* died !!

PinkCosmos

* died !!

No. Richard OSullivan is still very much alive.
He is 77 and lives at Brinsworth House.
It’s a famous place for elderly and frail show biz types. I’d love it there!

FannyCornforth

PinkCosmos

* died !!

No. Richard OSullivan is still very much alive.
He is 77 and lives at Brinsworth House.
It’s a famous place for elderly and frail show biz types. I’d love it there!

Please accept my apologies. I could have sworn I heard he had died.

Should check out my facts before I type.

I think I might have confused it with a visit a couple of years ago that Meghan (DOS) made to the home he was in. Obviously, she didn't recognise him but it was highlighted that he was a resident in the papers at the time

That’s ok Pink, I’m forever doing the same. We’re just in ‘chat mode’; which is nice (no one jumping down anyone else’s throat )

I saw that Maureen Lipman interview too (the dreaded Daily Mail! )

She’s wonderful isn’t she.
A real National Treasure ♥️

I read that Richard O'Sullivan had a stroke about 17 years ago and that's why he's in a home .

I think that he had a stroke much, much earlier than that; possibly in his forties.

Sorry Esmay yes, he had a stroke in 2003

I , also thought that
Richard O'Sullivan was ill for far longer .
His relationship with Tessa Wyatt finished and his career deteriorated .
Poor guy .

Yes, it was a real tragedy that his life was shortened by poor health. He was an absolute darling when he was young, I think everybody loved him. The first film I remember him in was 'Carry on Teacher' where he played one of the schoolchildren. A very funny and heartwarming film, look out for him when it's on again.

Esmay

I , also thought that
Richard O'Sullivan was ill for far longer .
His relationship with Tessa Wyatt finished and his career deteriorated .
Poor guy .

Yes, I’m certain that OSullivan suffered from very ill health when he was middle aged.
I’m also pretty certain that it wasn’t Tessa Wyatt (she was married to Tony Blackburn who had a bit of an on-air ‘breakdown’ about their break up).
I think that it was Sally Tomlinson who he had a relationship with.
He did marry another lady though afterwards though.