Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To love Margo in The Good Life?

221 replies

Needhelp101 · 29/09/2022 20:28

I'm mean, obviously, she's a crashing snob, and small-minded and ridiculously bourgeois...

But, the outfits. The exquisite enunciation. The way she batters Jerry and Tom down with a single phrase. Magnificent 😁

OP posts:
Horizons83 · 30/09/2022 17:56

5foot5 · 29/09/2022 23:15

Oh yes. One of my favourite sitcoms ever and I just love the Christmas episode. Margot and Jerry are superb. I have them all on DVD.

As a Northerner I always assumed that Surbiton was a made up place name not a real place. Then in my final year at University I had a job interview in Farnborough so I had to go by train. I got the train from Waterloo and en route we stopped at Surbiton. I couldn't believe it, I actually laughed out loud. Oh dear, the other passengers must have thought I wasn't all there.

I was the same when I was younger. I assumed Surbiton was a made up town, to represent 'the suburbs'. Then my friend moved there after uni! I ended up moving there too for a while, and one of the first things I did was go and find The Avenue (I know it wasn't actually filmed there, but it felt like the right thing to do!).

Absolutely love The Good Life.. may have to watch it tonight!

Snooks1971 · 30/09/2022 19:08

DriveMeCrazy1974 · 30/09/2022 08:33

Margo is probably my all time favourite sitcom character. Did you know that a lot of her clothes were actually from Harrods? Apparently the costume supervisor was determined to spend her entire clothing budget and, because Tom and Barbara obviously wore the same clothes for much of the series run, they needed to spend the budget so that it didn't get cut for the next episode!
There was a great show on Channel 5 recently - The Good Life: Secrets & Scandals. Not really that many scandals but a good watch, I thought. It's still available on the Channel 5 website.

I always think of Margo when I'm ordering my Christmas stuff! I too like to get as much stuff delivered as possible!

Thankyou so much just watched this and absolutely loved it (despite the bloody adverts 😂) I was born in 1971 so grew up with the show. Ah I didn’t realise that Richard Briers hated Tom too…

We had Margo on DD baby name list 15 years ago but chickened out!

OP I find Jerry strangely attractive too.

Also OP, this is a great thread and I adore how Victoria Wood and the Young Ones have crept into it too.

Going to have to watch it tonight I think! DD mentioned above loves One Foot In The Grave so it’s just another step back in comedy time 😃

Maireas · 30/09/2022 19:17

I remember back then that we'd just watched an episode of Blue Peter where the presenter had turned an old jumper into a top and a pair of leggings, then Barbara did the same on an episode, crediting Blue Peter, but they looked awful! It made us laugh.

Duchess379 · 30/09/2022 19:18

I loved all the characters from The Good Life, it was fabulous viewing. We all secretly loved Margot because she was so glamorous & witty 😊

woodhill · 30/09/2022 19:21

I really like her and Good Life was filed in the area where I grew up

woodhill · 30/09/2022 19:22

Filmed

woodhill · 30/09/2022 19:22

The pottery

Dis and aster

Benmac · 30/09/2022 19:27

Loved Margo and Jerry. Could not stand the main characters. Says a lot about me I suppose. Very onery.

Year0fGreatChange · 30/09/2022 19:28

No I preferred Barbara Good (Felicity Kendal)

LittleBearPad · 30/09/2022 19:36

She’s wonderful.

My Christmas Ocado order is always early enough that an emergency supermarket trip can happen if the things go wrong. Clearly Margo’s Christmas had a seminal effect.

LadyVictoriaSponge · 30/09/2022 19:45

Tom wasn’t all bad, remember when Margo complained about them having pigs so Tom and Barbara had to send them to the abattoir, then Margo felt distraught and Tom went on a rescue mission and came back claiming he managed to save the pigs in time, when in fact he was too late and had brought back a different pair of pigs and he never let on to Margo. I did enjoy the scene when Jerry gave him a right dressing down on his behaviour towards Barbara, he didn’t always get away with his obnoxious behaviour!

lugeforlife · 30/09/2022 19:48

I loved this and to the manor born. To the manor born was my favourite sitcom when I was a pre teen - looking back I was a bit mesmerised by the sexual chemistry without understanding what it was.

GeorgeorRuth · 30/09/2022 19:49

I want to watch the Good Life and To The Manor Born again now..

AhNowTed · 30/09/2022 20:04

Margo and Gerry are the best thing in it.

MrsMontyD · 30/09/2022 20:15

I think she's probably my favourite tv character ever, I could never aspire to be so elegant.

Needhelp101 · 30/09/2022 20:54

Watched some more tonight.

"Good evening, Jerry."
"Good evening, Margo"
"Good evening, Tom"
"Good evening, Margo"
"Good evening, Barbara"
"Good evening, Margot"

The outfits just keep getting better!

OP posts:
Roundlampshade · 30/09/2022 21:09

Margo is my garden inspiration.

And I have married Jerry.

Claricethecat45 · 01/10/2022 06:24

And who could forget Mrs Dooms-Patterson :)

flapjackfairy · 01/10/2022 06:52

see I dont get the hatred of Tom. Yes he could be selfish and a total twit at times but he loved his wife and when push came to shove he would always try to make her happy eg the push frock episode, cleaning the range etc . He needed pulling into line at times which Barbara was quite capable of doing ( and Jerry and margo at times too ) and he took it with good grace ( ha ha no pun intended) and mended his ways.
Him and Barbara so obviously adored each other and were complete soul mates. Not to mention they couldn't keep their hands off each other!
I thought it was all rather sweet.

SlowingDownAndDown · 01/10/2022 07:38

@flapjackfairy

There’s sweet and sweet. I’m with Vivian
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UEQJubPhHvI
well mostly.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 01/10/2022 07:44

i have been also called Margo
love her

MrsLargeEmbodied · 01/10/2022 08:01

so sad about Paul Eddngton, Jerry

wonderingwhatsnext · 01/10/2022 08:11

I read the whole thread in the hope that someone would say where they were watching it. Please?

LlamasSitOnPyjamas · 01/10/2022 08:45

Its all on Britbox (subscription service)

Needhelp101 · 01/10/2022 09:13

Yes, sorry, it's on Britbox. It's £3.99 for the first 3 months. Added bonus, you also get Dinnerladies and all the Poirots and Miss Marples :)

OP posts: