Many popular sitcoms have at sometime or another acquired a spin-off, which more often than not is deemed inferior to the original. Everyone has heard of 'On The Buses' but how many people remember 'Don't Drink The Water'? Those who loved 'The Fall & Rise Of Reginald Perrin' were bitterly disappointed with 'The Legacy Of Reginald Perrin'. 'The Golden Palace' failed to replicate the success of 'The Golden Girls'. Unperturbed by the consequences, John Sullivan bravely created a sequel of his most famous creation, 'Only Fools & Horses'. A tough job, but one that Sullivan remarkably pulled off.
Second-hand car dealer Boycie and his wife Marlene, played by John Challis and Sue Holderness, became favourites with fans of 'Only Fools' so Sullivan felt they had potential to appear in their own show. 'The Green Green Grass' saw Boycie and Marlene's idyllic lifestyle being turned upside down when Boycie learns that local mobsters The Driscoll Brothers ( Roy Marsden and Christopher Ryan ) are due to be released from prison and want to exact revenge on him as he was the one responsible for getting them put behind bars. Terrified for his safety, Boycie decides to sell his business and, along with Marlene, their dim-witted son Tyler ( Jack Doolan ) and their rotweiller dog Earl, flee to the countryside. However, Boycie's new life on the farm isn't quite as simple as he thought it would be.
'The Green Green Grass' isn't a wonderful show, but it is certainly far from bad. There were many hilarious moments, such as when Boycie discovered that the prize bull he has just bought may be gay! Challis and Holderness were as brilliant as ever though I could not take to Jack Doolan as Tyler. The stereotypical country bumpkins weren't funny either, apart from David Ross as farm manager Elgin. June Whitfield made an appearance as Marlene's brassy mother Dora as did Paula Wilcox as her big-mouthed sister Petunia.
'The Green Green Grass' was compared unfairly by some to its predecessor, as was the case with the 'Porridge' sequel 'Going Straight', though unlike Ronnie Barker's sitcom ( which only ran one series ), 'The Green Green Grass' was sufficiently popular to run to a respectable four series.
For all its faults, it was superior to many other sitcoms that were around at that time such as 'The Office' and 'The I.T Crowd'. The best place for them was Boycie's compost heap!
Second-hand car dealer Boycie and his wife Marlene, played by John Challis and Sue Holderness, became favourites with fans of 'Only Fools' so Sullivan felt they had potential to appear in their own show. 'The Green Green Grass' saw Boycie and Marlene's idyllic lifestyle being turned upside down when Boycie learns that local mobsters The Driscoll Brothers ( Roy Marsden and Christopher Ryan ) are due to be released from prison and want to exact revenge on him as he was the one responsible for getting them put behind bars. Terrified for his safety, Boycie decides to sell his business and, along with Marlene, their dim-witted son Tyler ( Jack Doolan ) and their rotweiller dog Earl, flee to the countryside. However, Boycie's new life on the farm isn't quite as simple as he thought it would be.
'The Green Green Grass' isn't a wonderful show, but it is certainly far from bad. There were many hilarious moments, such as when Boycie discovered that the prize bull he has just bought may be gay! Challis and Holderness were as brilliant as ever though I could not take to Jack Doolan as Tyler. The stereotypical country bumpkins weren't funny either, apart from David Ross as farm manager Elgin. June Whitfield made an appearance as Marlene's brassy mother Dora as did Paula Wilcox as her big-mouthed sister Petunia.
'The Green Green Grass' was compared unfairly by some to its predecessor, as was the case with the 'Porridge' sequel 'Going Straight', though unlike Ronnie Barker's sitcom ( which only ran one series ), 'The Green Green Grass' was sufficiently popular to run to a respectable four series.
For all its faults, it was superior to many other sitcoms that were around at that time such as 'The Office' and 'The I.T Crowd'. The best place for them was Boycie's compost heap!