So the last episode in our box set is in fact the season 2 Christmas special (just 50 minutes) broadcast at the end of 1992 (Boxing Day, in fact). Despite the chronological disoderliness, it's a nice way to go out, as Pa and Ma's trip to Paris turns into one in Berkshire, with a load of fellow travellers, including a young Andy Serkis.
Why is this series so popular? Well. Two answers to that are David Jason and Pam Ferris. Another is the same kind of humorous, plucky, anti-establishment characters you get in Ealing, particularly Passport to Pimlico. It's classless, in a way, and something rather sweet generally happens. Reality doesn't intrude much (the episode where Pop finds a flick-knife wielding ton-up girl in his barn always seems like an aberration.) Unusually, it celebrates drinking and eating too much, something we're not supposed to be allowed to do - so it's vicariously enjoyable. The last Larkin novella, 'A Little of What You Fancy' (1970) involved Pop having to give up booze and nice food under doctor's orders - yes, I don't think any of us wanted to see that episode...
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