* timeless classic * Ruth Cracknell is brilliant as Maggie, ageing mother to Arthur (Garry McDonald) who says he is 35 and still living with his mother. Sad? not when his grey haired widowed mother can't look after herself by herself. It's only sad if Arthur does NOT help his mum.
* basic synopsis * Arthur gives up almost everything including a social life since his divorce to take care of his mum, with minimal thanks from her. Meanwhile his selfish, manipulative brother Robert (Henri Szeps), tries to get him offside with his mother, while making himself look stupid in front of his wife Liz (Judy Morris). Liz doesn't believe the stories Robert spins her about his dental nurse and so-called affairs, sparking marital rows between them, as well as implying he's a lousy husband and a bad influence on their kids.
Deep down, Arthur loves his mother, but he soon loses patience with her dementia, mainly because he truly believes there's nothing wrong with her, that she's just putting on an act to gain sympathy. He tries to put her in a nursing home, but she won't go, she won't leave her deceased husband, Leo (his ashes are mentioned being buried under a rose bush in the front garden).
* general opinion * All in all, a classic Aussie series for its time, well written, and I still like it today. It was released as a complete DVD set in 2007 on ABC DVD. It predates widescreen productions, back when studios used high-grade digital videotape on super high grade commercial Beta video decks, and worth keeping in your DVD library. Worth seeing time and time again.
My rating: 8/10 (excellent)
* basic synopsis * Arthur gives up almost everything including a social life since his divorce to take care of his mum, with minimal thanks from her. Meanwhile his selfish, manipulative brother Robert (Henri Szeps), tries to get him offside with his mother, while making himself look stupid in front of his wife Liz (Judy Morris). Liz doesn't believe the stories Robert spins her about his dental nurse and so-called affairs, sparking marital rows between them, as well as implying he's a lousy husband and a bad influence on their kids.
Deep down, Arthur loves his mother, but he soon loses patience with her dementia, mainly because he truly believes there's nothing wrong with her, that she's just putting on an act to gain sympathy. He tries to put her in a nursing home, but she won't go, she won't leave her deceased husband, Leo (his ashes are mentioned being buried under a rose bush in the front garden).
* general opinion * All in all, a classic Aussie series for its time, well written, and I still like it today. It was released as a complete DVD set in 2007 on ABC DVD. It predates widescreen productions, back when studios used high-grade digital videotape on super high grade commercial Beta video decks, and worth keeping in your DVD library. Worth seeing time and time again.
My rating: 8/10 (excellent)