Home to Roost (1985–1990) User Reviews

An underrated comedy

[tonyjackie · 8/10 · 16 February 2008]

I am always surprised that this comedy series so often seems to get overlooked.It is genuinely funny and the chemistry between John Thaw and Reece Dinsdale is excellent.They clearly have a ball playing opposite each other and this gives the show a lot of charm.

While all of the episodes aren't hilarious,there is enough here to highlight the fact that it is underrated and a whole lot funnier than shows like 'The Vicar Of Dibley','The Thin Blue Line' or 'Mr Bean'.I reckon that you should give this series a try.It is worth the effort.

It is so easy nowadays for comedy shows to be course,vulgar and full of foul language.Now I'm not being a prude here but this is a comedy that can genuinely be enjoyed by the whole family and there are not too many comedy's like that around now.

Definitely underrated

[gerry-198 · 7/10 · 25 November 2008]

Yes definitely underrated as a comedy. This gem is currently re-running on one of UK Freeview (FreeSat) channels albeit at 6 AM (!). But it is well worth getting up to see or setting TiVo to record. The late - and great - John Thaw is now much better known for his role as the Police Detective Inspector Morse, a VERY serious grumpy character. A brilliant creation and characterisation with near perfect performances. But this is a rare glimpse into John pre-immortalisation as Morse - and he is equally brilliant. Fantastic dead-pan delivery of lines, beautifully acted with a very small support cast. It has been overlooked for too long and should be given more prominent re-run space.

leads in Leeds

[gilleliath · 6/10 · 9 September 2020]

This is one of those peculiar comedies of the 80s that hung around for years without anybody apparently liking it that much. In those days it was just accepted that a certain slot in the schedule would be filled by sitcoms (usually 8 till 9 each night), and they didn't need to be especially funny.

Whenever I see it I'm baffled that they cast two northern actors as the leads, only to ask them to play Lahndahners. Why not have just set it in Leeds, where Yorkshire TV was based? They have houses there, even semi-detached, and father and sons - I know, I've been. As it is, the constipated accents are a constant distraction. Then again maybe that's not such a bad thing, as the material hasn't really moved on from Sid James' Bless This House 15 years earlier. The modern twist is supposed to be that John Thaw is divorced, but really he's the same old sitcom Dad always making a fool of himself; and Reece Dinsdale is just the typical clueless sitcom son. The only difference is that, instead of there being women in the family, they have a cleaning lady! Maybe that's why they couldn't set it in Leeds...

It's true that it's better than most sitcoms around today, but that's no kind of standard. It's certainly not a patch on Chappell's earlier series Rising Damp. I guess you can't expect to get a cast like that twice in a career.

a welcome home for John Thaw

[grunsel · 20 January 2002]

After being in action shows like the Sweeney and a news reporter in a now forgotten series. Its quite hard to imagine John Thaw playing in a sitcom, however he makes the change quite gracefully in 'Home To Roost'.Which is a delightfully amiable comedy series which is still good fun to watch. So its full marks to Mr Thaw and his team.

This is actually really funny!

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 10 February 2009]

For years I have associated John Thaw with serious roles, and never knew he did comedy, until now.

This is actually really funny, and I genuinely mean that. The plots mayn't be original, but come on it's meant to be silly. It is better than most of the present American sitcoms, with funny scripts and strong performances.

John Thaw having a bit of grumpy practise for Morse, is fantastic as Henry Willows, and Reece Dinsdale puts his own earnestness and charm into a rather naughty role in the shape of Matthew Willows. In the earlier series, Elizabeth Bennett was hilarious as Enid. She was replaced by Joan Blackham, who was good, but not as funny.

Look out for this comedy. you'll really like it! 10/10 Bethany Cox

Utter Rubbish!

[Rabical-91 · 1/10 · 24 November 2016]

Eric Chappell has written some witty sitcoms over the years such as 'The Bounder', 'Only When I Laugh' and 'Rising Damp', however this limp Yorkshire Television show despite starring John Thaw does not rank among his best. Quite frankly, it was dire. How it managed to run to four series defies comprehension.

Middle aged Henry Willows has his life turned on its head when his estranged son Matthew turns up on his doorstep intending to move in after his mother ( who Henry has been divorced from for many years ) throws him out. Henry sees Matthew's presence in the house as a burden and does not get on with him at all.

Despite a stellar cast, 'Home To Roost' for me just didn't measure up. John Thaw is a great actor but in a sitcom he is out of his depth ( he experienced a similar problem in the '70's with 'Thick As Thieves' ). Reece Dinsdale also has appeared in far better things than this such as 'Minder' and 'Life On Mars'.

Peter Knight's horrendous arrangement of 'Consider Yourself' used as the show's theme music is the musical equivalent of toothache and, alongside Anne Shelton's rendition of the 'Backs To The Land' theme, Dennis Wilson's theme for the dreadful 'You're Only Young Twice' and Ray Davies theme used on the second series of 'Budgie', must rank as the worst ever written for television.

I have no idea how the show materialised as I gave up on it very early on. I really cannot recommend it to anyone.

Somewhat unbelievably, 'Home to Roost' seems to be re-ran endlessly on ITV-3 and has also been released on DVD. Don't let me dissuade you from watching it. You may well like it but personally I'd rather watch basket weaving.