Our happy 'family' of Judi Dench, Geoffrey Palmer, Moira Brooker and Jenny Funnell now includes Frank Middlemiss and Joan Sims (who sadly died 2001), and even extends to Philip Bretherton... and almost to housekeeper Mrs Bale, Janet Henfrey. You note that both the Alistair and Sandy characters don't seem to have parents or families of their own and thus fit into the 'family' that much more easily.
It wasn't until Season Five that we finally took in that the house was four storeys. We thought at that time that the kitchen was in the sub-basement but that seems only if it serves that episode's purpose, same as the desk that magically converts to a dining table when needed.
Ruth Jones has a cameo. So does Mark Benton.
Did Larbey enjoy that Fawlty Towers episode where Palmer is the doctor who wants his sausages? He's often given the word 'sausages' in his lines and does say it so well. It wasn't until the last season that I realised that Larbey writes happy couples so well - The Good Life - but also does that counterpoint - the unhappy couple - in that it's the Jerry-Margo one, and here it's sister-in-law Penny and Steven (Moyra Fraser and Paul Chapman).
Will miss Alistair calling Lionel 'Li' and pulling strings to get last minute airline passage, Mrs Bale's shipping forecasts, Lionel and Jeans' sarcastic sniping at each other or her throwing carrots at him.
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