Richard Fegen and Andrew Norris' 'The Brittas Empire' ran on the BBC for nearly ten years, yet is barely remembered now. Reasons as to why are unclear. Whatever the reason, it is a shame as 'The Brittas Empire' was one of the finest sitcoms the '90's ever produced. Chris Barrie had became a household name as the grotesque hologram technician Arnold Rimmer in Rob Grant & Doug Naylor's 'Red Dwarf' in the '80's. It was in 1991 that he landed the role as Gordan Brittas, the smarmy manager of Whitbury Newtown Lesuire Centre.
Brittas, though deep down a well-meaning and optimistic person, is a snob and generally tends to put his actions forward before thinking them through properly. He has a receptionist in the shape of Carole, a homeless manic depressive who keeps her son Ben in a drawer behind the desk. Other characters include Gordan's neurotic wife Helen, deputy Laura Lancing, unhygienic handyman Colin and Brittas' snidey secretary Julie.
Barrie is outstanding as Brittas. Many have unfavourably likened him to David Brent from 'The Office'. Nonsense, the characters are poles apart. For one, Brittas' was deep down a good person who just didn't think. Brent, on the other hand, was a bully and a braggart. Barrie played Brittas in such a way that it made him likable. Harriet Thorpe, Julia St. John and Pippa Haywood, three of the most beautiful women ever to grace a television screen also impressed, as did Mike Burns who as Colin made you want to clamp a clothes peg over your nose whenever you watched him.
One of my favourite moments had Brittas being unable to move after having his feet stuck in cement, prompting one of his staff to remark: ''If we put you in a pair of shorts, we'll all be set for a game of Subbuteo!''. Fegen and Norris' clever scripts combined traditional sitcom with black comedy and slapstick - swimmers got electrocuted, old people had the supports of their walking frames sawn off and an old man went crashing through a window in a mobility scooter.
It outstayed its welcome, unfortunately ( it should have ended after series five when Brittas was allegedly killed by a falling water tank ) but all the same it was an excellent show and a re-run is long overdue.
Brittas, though deep down a well-meaning and optimistic person, is a snob and generally tends to put his actions forward before thinking them through properly. He has a receptionist in the shape of Carole, a homeless manic depressive who keeps her son Ben in a drawer behind the desk. Other characters include Gordan's neurotic wife Helen, deputy Laura Lancing, unhygienic handyman Colin and Brittas' snidey secretary Julie.
Barrie is outstanding as Brittas. Many have unfavourably likened him to David Brent from 'The Office'. Nonsense, the characters are poles apart. For one, Brittas' was deep down a good person who just didn't think. Brent, on the other hand, was a bully and a braggart. Barrie played Brittas in such a way that it made him likable. Harriet Thorpe, Julia St. John and Pippa Haywood, three of the most beautiful women ever to grace a television screen also impressed, as did Mike Burns who as Colin made you want to clamp a clothes peg over your nose whenever you watched him.
One of my favourite moments had Brittas being unable to move after having his feet stuck in cement, prompting one of his staff to remark: ''If we put you in a pair of shorts, we'll all be set for a game of Subbuteo!''. Fegen and Norris' clever scripts combined traditional sitcom with black comedy and slapstick - swimmers got electrocuted, old people had the supports of their walking frames sawn off and an old man went crashing through a window in a mobility scooter.
It outstayed its welcome, unfortunately ( it should have ended after series five when Brittas was allegedly killed by a falling water tank ) but all the same it was an excellent show and a re-run is long overdue.