Outside Edge

Rating:
Summary: Holds Up Well Under Scrutiny
Review: First review. Never before have I been excited enough about a "comedy" to bother commenting. Although we very rarely watch that ad sandwich holding pieces of bull-ony with smelly non-meat by-products anymore, my wife and I have viewed these episodes perhaps ten times, each time leaving shaking our heads in amazement. The absence of a laugh track and pre-chewed script undoubtedly will put off people who like many of the truly ghastly bits of flotsam that somehow drift across "The Pond" in defiance of current and sense. But viewers who watch closely will be amply rewarded as everything fits together so well, the sophisticated tone is consistent (not banana-peel falls followed by batheticlly emotive scenes), and the actors are as good as the writer (which is saying a lot since he is a playwright, not a former My Mother The Car writer). I should add that we're very picky English-teacher types who judge ambitious films and even TV shows by literary standards and almost always find a problem with tone. If we had a lot of money, we would commission Richard Harris to write as many plays/programs as possible--to fulfill his enormous talent and our equally large desire to be entertained at a level that comes as close to the lofty realm of art as anything flickering on the idiot box. (Best title of book on TV: "Turn That Damn Thing Off!") Remember that not only is most TV written for ten-year-olds; it's written for ten year olds who aren't even paying attention. In stark contrast, this program rewards those who are over that age (and have used much of that time to read) and are ready, willing, and able to pay informed attention. Over all, "Outside Edge" is the most carefully crafted TV show we've ever seen. Thus, we'd be happy to reach into the firament and collect at least six stars in order to distinguish the magnitude of this one from the surrounding comparative dwarf stars that sometimes get five stars as grade inflation proves universal. Martin Seim

Rating:
Summary: Outside Edge, horses for courses.
Review: I found the 1994-1996 British comedy series "Outside Edge" to be fair. It has a brilliant cast of actors (Brenda Blethyn, Robert Daws, Josie Lawrence, Timothy Spall). The DVD 2 discs series mixes cheeky satire with a bit of dramatic moments. I found myself while watching the series laughing only a few times. This surprised me as I am a fan of British comedy as well as Brenda Blethyn. If you are a fan of cricket you jolly well might find more laughs as the series revolves around two couples and the game of cricket. I give "Outside Edge" a 3 out of 5 stars, because I do not feel it was awful but I definitely do not feel it gets what a 4 or 5 star rating is worth. Nonetheless, I'd say horses for courses (each to his own).

Rating:
Summary: Outside Edge, horses for courses.
Review: I found the 1994-1996 British comedy series "Outside Edge" to be fair. It has a brilliant cast of actors (Brenda Blethyn, Robert Daws, Josie Lawrence, Timothy Spall). The DVD 2 discs series mixes cheeky satire with a bit of dramatic moments. I found myself while watching the series laughing only a few times. This surprised me as I am a fan of British comedy as well as Brenda Blethyn. If you are a fan of cricket you jolly well might find more laughs as the series revolves around two couples and the game of cricket. I give "Outside Edge" a 3 out of 5 stars, because I do not feel it was awful but I definitely do not feel it gets what a 4 or 5 star rating is worth. Nonetheless, I'd say horses for courses (each to his own).

Rating:
Summary: Very Very English....For Dedicated Anglophiles Only!
Review: Outside Edge is one of the most English comedy series you will find - it's amusing rather than hilarious, with characters that first appear to be stereotypes but who gradually reveal very recognisable and genuine layers of humanity. Originally a play (which was televised in the early 1980's with Prunella Scales and Maureen Lipman) the series develops the characters and situations at what could be described as a gentle and leisurely pace.

The theme and focal point of Outside Edge is cricket (the title being a cricket term) but knowledge of the game is not, as Brenda Blethyn might say, compulsory for enjoying the antics. I'm an American who has lived in the UK for twenty years and cricket remains largely a mystery to me, except to agree with the definition that cricket is baseball on valium. Cricket is merely the device that brings the characters together. It is a common British metaphor for life, the universe and everything. The characters have plenty of other hangups and obsessions to keep things interesting.

The original version aired before I arrive in the UK but people kept telling me about it because the character of Maggie (Maureen Lipman in the original, Josie Lawrence in the series) was supposedly an uncanny representation of my English bride. When I finally saw this series, I could understand why people thought that.

The acting is virtually faultless throughout and the writing always an expert mix of comedy and reality. This is a portrait of a white suburban England that is fast disappearing, but these characters are still everywhere to be found. If you enjoy a fine comedy of manners that produces smiles rather than belly laughs, Outside Edge is for you.