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Goodnight Sweetheart: The Complete Series 6
01/01/2007 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
DVD Region 2. pub: Revelation Films PAR61280. 2 DVDs 310 minutes 10 * 30 minute episodes with extras. Price: £19.99 (UK)) stars: Nicholas Lyndhurst, Elizabeth Carling, Emma Amos, Victor McGuire and Christopher Ettridge. Buy Goodnight Sweetheart: The Complete Series 6 in the USA - or Buy Goodnight Sweetheart: The Complete Series 6 in the UK  check out website: www.revfilms.com
This is the final series of the time-travelling bigamist (if a 40 year gap can be accepted as a level of separation) Gary Sparrow in 'Goodnight Sweetheart'. As creators Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran comment, in the past is 1945 so the war is drawing to a close and made a good closing point to the series. With the knowledge that this has to be the final one, they and their selected writers are allowed to go to town and do things not previously covered. In that respect, there is a lot more time travel anomalies which really brings home the Science Fiction element. I mean, if Gary Sparrow starts walking from the opposite direction in Duckett's Passage, he ends up in Victorian London and nearly gets accused of being Jack the Ripper. This episode 'The 'Ouses In Between', written by Geoff Rowley, is regarded as the finest for all concerned and as something to learn from by all budding scriptwriters.
But lets not get too far ahead of ourselves here. Gary Sparrow (actor Nicholoas Lyndhurst) has enough problems this time with whether the time portal is going to stay open or not, especially as a time inspector (played by Toby Whitehouse who could well resemble a future Deadman) comes to check on it. Gary's wife, Yvonne (actress Emma Amos), finds her company is being sold out from under her although with some persuasion from her husband gets a lot more than she bargained for. Gary's mate, Ron (actor Victor McGuire) has fallen deeply in love with a high class neighbour and getting seriously in debt. Meanwhile, in the past, Gary's other wife, Phoebe (actress Elizabeth Carling), now has her own night club and Noel Coward a frequent patron as well as trying to get her into one of his films. Former police constable Reg Deadman (actor Christopher Ettridge) is doorman at Gary and Phoebe's building block as well as filling in at Phoebe's night club. Ettridge plays three different generations of Deadman in this final series and why this talented actor isn't getting more work is something that needs to be pushed at all casting directors.
I've already mentioned some of the adventures above and it really is hard to pick others that really stand out without doing a disservice to the others. However, 'How I Won The War' where Gary and Phoebe go to France to entertain the troops is a brilliant take showing him taking charge of some performers when they are left stranded. Likewise, the final episode which shows...sorry you're going to have to watch that one yourself to see the ending if you didn't see the series the first time around. 'Goodnight Sweetheart' is a blend of comedy and drama that really works and is one of a kind.
In the audio commentary and indeed with the various interviews over the series (this one with actress Elizabeth Carling), the perennial question comes up as to whether they would be willing to do another series eight years later. If 'Life On Mars' can go back to the 70s and be a success not to mention a certain 50s based 'Doctor Who' story last year, then some consideration should be made with a new version, even if it means starting off with new cast members. The ingenuity of 'Goodnight Sweetheart' is certainly something that could be developed again looking back at the 50s. In the meantime, you can either buy each series separately or as one boxset now and have the pleasure of watching it again and again. First class material.
GF Willmetts
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