Manchild Series 1

I first noticed this series when happening upon Episode Three - and it immediately gripped me. I have not missed an episode since, taping Series 2 on video, pre-ordering this Series 1 on DVD, and impatiently awaiting the DVD release of Series 2. Am 40-something and still single, but the living-it-up affluence of these four characters is way beyond both my mental reach and my current account's fiscal welly.Everything about it is slick - note the rich colour co-ordination (clothing vis-à-vis backgrounds of walls, furnishings, paintings, etc.) in every scene. The accompanying soundtrack is near-perfectly chosen for accompanying the various scenes and dénouements. Am sort of expecting a CD release of this, too!MANCHILD may have been inspired by SEX AND THE CITY, but it is not merely a male version of it. SATC celebrates women's sexual liberation - with gusto, even. But it does take itself rather seriously, making various navel-gazing statements about women's empowerment; there are no, or at least very few serious character flaws. Not so with MANCHILD - which is VERY self-mocking!The series' concept does not celebrate male post-marriage freedom, as the two main characters, Terry (Nigel Havers) and James (Anthony Head), have not divorced from their wives and family due to Irreconcilable Differences, but have done so solely to recapture their youth. In fact, this wilful escape from their paternal/familial responsibilities is somewhat reprehensible. It's just that they have the financial wherewithal to do so, thus demonstrating that they have never actually grown-up, but want to go back and play with the toys of their youth, i.e. their male egos. Terry and James are a coiled spring of serious character flaws. The sight of Terry and his 23-year old model girlfriend in bed talking about her new mobile 'phone wasn't "bitching" - it was cringing!Patrick (Don Warrington, a much under-appreciated comic actor) has never 'bought into' the concept of marriage, but swans through Life enjoying everything there is (it helps enormously that he, too, has invested well and so has the dosh to do so). The two rather sensitive episodes in which Patrick was pained and grieving for the loss of his mother were tinged with pathos, but were never mawkish (and they could so easily have been). So when he wanted "a brown one, off the shelf" ...!Gary (Ray Burdis) is actually the happiest man of the four - BECAUSE he is married. His mind may wander now and then, symptomatic of age and uncommunicative progeny (a 'Kevin type'), but his emotional anchor is very much his wife Cheryl (Lindsey Coulson) who will always Say The Right Thing and is Always There For Him. He's the one I envy [you can tell I'm single, eh?!!].MANCHILD is, in my opinion, a wonderfully tongue-in-cheek visual seminar of How Not To Do It. Terry and James' situations and chats with their ex-wives, Christine (Christine Kavanagh) and Elizabeth (Frances Barber) - both excellently-cast! - along with Havers' to-camera monologues and knowing glances provide The Laughs. In the later series of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER I keep expecting to hear Buffy or Willow quip, "Giles, what the hell were you doing in London all this time?" Knowing the writing styles of both series quite well, I believe some kind of oblique reference might not be out of order!I would not say that MANCHILD is either better or not as good as SEX AND THE CITY. Personally, I prefer the former - being A Man it 'speaks to me' more. Both series are aimed at different audiences and age groups. So let's just enjoy both: vive la différence!The Special Features on this DVD are ... well, non-existent. Unfortunately this is generally the norm for DVD releases of television series. An interview, however brief, with the writer (Nick Fisher) would have been most appreciated. How he came up with the idea, any characters who may have served as rôle models, how the director cast these particular four male actors and their womenfolk, choice of some of the opulent locations, etc., etc.

A sublime series with a sensational cast. This is some of the best TV delivered by the BBC. However...I, like many here, keep checking back to see when the second series will be released. A good few years ago I contacted the BBC to find out why there was such a delay with the release of season two. I was fobbed off and told the release of the DVD had nothing to do with the BBC and that the issue was with the company who was distributing the DVD - or some such twaddle. I, like many here, implore the person in charge of the release of this incredibly smart, funny and original show to pull their thumb out and get on with releasing series two.Dear Auntie,Please. Release. Series. 2. Of. Manchild.Oh, and if anyone reading this happens to personally know Nigel Havers, Anthony Head, Don Warrington or Ray Burdis, it'd be lovely if you could put a word in. Thanks and avanti...

Hilarious midlife crisis comedy series. The adventures of middle aged, divorced, married and single well off men who suddenly feel the urge to resow their oats. Very well written and acted, believable and almost real life. Of course these men have money, which makes up for any crisis and they are well behaved and oh so British. Tongue in cheek, but still a pleasure to watch. Too bad no more seasons are (yet) available. And fair warning, do not try this at home, the stunts were performed with imaginary money and the characters are fictional, not really real.

A brilliant BBC series - about 8 one-hour episodes - excellent scripts - stories very entertaining - charactors are very likeable - acting first class - lots of laugh-out-loud funny moments - I have watched it again and again.

By now we all know it is a fantastic series, but where is the promised series 2?Great cast, already made, how expensive can it be to make it available?

What a fantastic series this is! Smart, witty and very funny. I disagree that this is only one for the men as I watched it together with a group of friends including a married couple and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. The writing is very clever and each episode centres on one of the main characters and their particular problems. It deals at times with what could be quite sensitive situations in a light manner without causing offence. I strongly recommend watching this excellent series from the BBC which caters for those of us who don't always want to watch young teens and 20-somethings with their problems.

Manchild was always a great series and seeing it again after years reinforces that so where is the 2nd series?

It may not sound like promising material - a group of 50-something nouveau riche blokes negotiaing their assorted mid-life crises and trying to rediscover lost youth through a maze of ruined relationships and extravagent self-indulgence. In fact, what could have been a leaden concept is saved by a light and witty script and excellent performances from, in particular, Nigel Havers, Anthony Head and Don Warrington.Each episode has its own independent dialectic, but unlike many sitcom scenarios Manchild also advances the characters and the overall storyline. You do at least feel there is progress through the series, though the characters don't really learn lessons - if they did, there wouldn't have been a second series!

Eigentlich müßte ich einen Punktabzug machen, da die Ausstattung der DVD wirklich nicht besonders ist. Special Features sind Folgen- und Szenenanwahl. Was dieses Manko allerdings komplett aufhebt, ist die Qualität der Serie selber. Habe ich den Verkauf ursprünglich nur wegen Anthony Head (dem Giles aus "Buffy") getätigt, waren mir spätestens ab der 3. Folge sämtliche vier Hauptcharaktere ans Herz gewachsen. Hat man sich erst einmal an das ungewohnte Tempo dieser vorzüglichen Comedy-Serie gewöhnt (die sich als UK-Produkt natürlich sehr von US-Produktionen unterscheidet), kann man den intelligenten Witz und die Verve, mit der die Darsteller sich und den Mann um die 50 an sich auf den Arm nehmen, in vollen Zügen geniessen. Szenen, die sich ganz böse nach purer Realität anfühlen und teilweise wundervoll obskure Einlagen verleihen der Show absoluten Kultcharakter. Schade, daß diese Serie in Deutschland ein Geheimtipp bleiben wird, sollte sich nicht irgendein TV-Sender als clever genug erweisen.