Under the Weather Viewing

There's nothing like a cold to make one appreciate a good Britcom even more.  Diverting, comforting, not unintelligent, funny without being too silly. What more can one ask when one just wants relax and feel better?


This week, since I've been mostly bed-ridden with one nasty, nasty cold, I indulged in some Britcom viewing, specifically As Time Goes By . . . all of the episodes I could get my hands on. I hadn't thought about As Time Goes By for years.  I only saw a few episodes (on PBS) several years ago, but the chemistry between Dame Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer made it stand out (and just listening to Palmer talk is comforting all on its own). 


I don't know whether you've ever seen any episodes, but it centres on the romance between middle-aged Jean (Dench) and Lionel (Palmer).  They'd met and fell in love when young (thirty-eight years before), but a series of circumstances separated them.  When, by chance, they meet up again, it's an opportunity for a happy ending (with many misunderstandings and much hilarty).  Further complications involve, for Lionel, sharing a house with three women (Jean, her daughter, and her secretary).  Romantic (without being unrealistic), funny, and sometimes just plain old sweet, I found it a lovely way to spend some time waiting for the cold-related symptoms to abate (and they've just started to this evening . . . at last!).


Anyway, here's a little clip of Palmer reading poetry (see what I mean about his voice?):