SATURDAY 30 SEPTEMBER
Drama
The Good Housekeeping Guide
9:10pm - 10:10pm
BBC1 London & South East
VIDEO Plus+: 255634
Subtitles, widescreen
Written by Tony Basgallop
This is a very odd confection, like a vol-au-vent stuffed with Turkish delight - fun yes, novel certainly, but liable to put a puzzled look on your face. It's the last of BBC1's one-off comedy dramas and, for once, it deserves the name, as there are some real, laugh-out-loud moments and at least one genuinely sad one, too. The story revolves around Raymond (Alan Davies), a fussy suburban househusband who has devoted himself to raising his children, while his ex-wife (Michelle Gomez) pursues her high-flying career. From this premise the story proceeds lazily and via some whimsical plotting into Benny Hill territory, courtesy of a neighbour (Doon Mackichan) with a saucy secret. The pacing is sleepy and the characters' motivations don't add up, but all the leads are so wonderfully watchable that by the end, the tale's quirks had won me over - even if, like that overambitious canapé, it left the strangest taste in the mouth.
RT reviewer: David Butcher
Raymond - Alan Davies
Jenny - Michelle Gomez
Lydia - Doon MacKichan
Joe - Daniel Lapaine
Sara - Tamzin Merchant
Robinson - Rory Jennings
Helen - Sylvestra Le Touzel
Ben - Jon Overton
Richard - Joseph Long
Elaine - Seeta Indrani
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