The Good Life-- indeed it is

Life is not so much about where you live, but how you live. This outstanding timeless comedy from Bob Larbey should enable generations of new western young people to enjoy exploring their opportunities in their own backyard ( however small) . Not that any of us really should slavishly follow either lifestyle choice outlined in the story - no rather the gift of sharing what little we have with our neighbours - whoever they are and whatever their jobs are in the new millenium .
The story is not so much about the wonders of self sufficiency, but the wonders of life ; discovering that more is less, and less is more - that what we have indeed been given is really enough. That greed is not only bad , but bad for you ! And how funny it all is trying - reminds me of Tevye in Fiddler on the roof - Tim and Barbara trying to play a little tune on the roof .
Love and adventure can and should be constrained by our backyards our callings and our footprints . Love and care for the world therein makes any backyard grow into a world big enough to house all our ambitions . Tom and Barbara prove that its not what you have, but how you use what you have, that matters. The world is not short of resources, but a willingness to share those resources. Full series on DVD is a must for your library.

As time goes by

You meet some horrible people don't you. Take that Lionel (Geoffrey Palmer)bloke from this series . Why would you ever invite such people to your living room again ? Let alone live with him ?
Perhaps the grumpy old men like the series because Judy Dench is so patient and kind.
But why would women enjoy the torture of living with that cynical old self centred sort .Maybe it reminds them that theirs is not so bad after all?
Maybe its like the gos mags and funniest home vidoes - we enjoy seeing someone else suffering?
No, I think whatever it is "As time goes by" is enjoyable because its realistic and its charm is because there is love there - the really tough kind .

While we have only just watched the first series ( we got the whole lot for nicks at Lifeline book sale in Canberra last week )its even got a bit of romance - how did I miss that first time around ; I wonder how long the romance will last? The lasting kind

What does that great comedy writer (Bob Larbey - The Good Life) think of whats happening now ?

Bob Larbey, the co-writer of The Good Life – voted not so long ago one of the nation’s top 10 sitcoms of all time – is more qualified than most to judge the state of television today.
His verdict is damning: a lot of the comedies he sees strike him as “deeply offensive” and he believes broadcasters are using them to try to attract younger viewers.

“They use words like edgy, but that is ----------, because they don’t know what edgy means. Till Death Us Do Part was edgy. Steptoe [and Son] was edgy.”From Tim walker of the Guardian last month