Some Mothers Do Ave Em - Series 1 to 3 Box Set with Christmas Specials

RRP: £29.99

Best Price: £12.99

Sometimes, simplicity is best. Comedy excels when a lovable character finds himself in difficult situations. No need for convoluted plot points, shocking dramatic twists, or subtly woven political satire - one man being silly can be the recipe for a memorable, eternally loved situation comedy.

With Some Mothers Do Ave Em, you get exactly what the title suggests - a lovable buffoon in the shape of national treasure Michael Crawford as Frank Spencer, who, in his weekly search for ongoing employment, finds himself getting everything wrong thanks to his affinity with falling over and messing things up. It’s absurdly simple, but Frank is a likable man - always starting the day with the best of intentions - a trait that, surely, must be the only reason his wife Betty (Michele Dotrice) sticks with him. It’s this that makes us want him to succeed, just this once - like us, he tries his best but things always seem to conspire against him.

In some ways, Some Mothers Do Ave Em is physical comedy - slapstick - that takes us back to the days of Chaplin. Frank Spencer’s key comic moments come in falling over, slipping on something, or destroying every item in a room. The skill, though, is that the writers come up with intricately designed stories to get him to that climax, which always feel varied along the way. Despite the ever-immitated ‘hmmm betty’ catchphrase, the visual gags here are of a quality rarely seen on TV - if Frank Spencer was a mute, the show would be just as charming, just as funny and, no doubt, just as successful!

This particular box set features every episode - including the Christmas specials - although a lack of special features is a bit of a disappointment. That said, perhaps it’s better to keep that guise of simplicity - to simply give you the episodes, as they are, left to stand on their own two feet. Rest assured they do - Some Mothers Do Ave Em has truly stood the test of the time and still remains amongst the best of TV sitcom.