Being a fan of Anita Dobson, as well as a fan of the work of Ray Galton, I had high hopes for this show. Galton wrote it in collaboration with John Antrobus based upon his meeting with former writing partner Alan Simpson in a TB ward, which happened to be the setting for this show. However, despite the show's impressive cast and interesting premise, it unfortunately never rose off from the ground. Only one series was made before the BBC gave it a mercy killing.
Set in the late 1940's, the central character is Roy Osborne, a young man struck with tuberculosis who is forced to reside in a sanatorium. In the next bed to him is the brash Brian Clapton, who uses visits from his long suffering mother ( played by the late Patsy Rowlands ) to receive food parcels. Roy's brassy, chain smoking mother occasionally visits, only due to the fact that she receives free lifts from the smooth talking Bernard Walpole, whose wife is also in the sanatorium and who is besotted with Ivy.
Also on the scene is Mrs. Howell ( the gorgeous Samantha Beckinsale ), who develops a crush on Roy after her husband dies, the well intentioned hospital padre ( Michael Troughton from 'The New Statesman' ), the snidey Norman Tucker ( Hugh Bonneville ) and the deranged Squadron Leader Fielding ( Robert Bathurst ).
It should have been a hit but sadly the laughs were few and far between. Matthew Cottle ( of 'Game On' fame ) put in a decent enough performance and there were some telling moments between him and Beckinsale. Eddie Marsan got on my nerves as Brian. Neil Stacey ( who some may remember from 'Duty Free' ) also was too spineless to be endearing as Bernard. Surprisingly, the normally brilliant Anita Dobson also disappointed. Here she seemed rather stilted. Perhaps her heart wasn't in it as she maybe anticipated that the show was a lost cause.
Simply Media surprisingly released 'Get Well Soon' on DVD but personally I cannot recommend it you. It's just not for me.
Set in the late 1940's, the central character is Roy Osborne, a young man struck with tuberculosis who is forced to reside in a sanatorium. In the next bed to him is the brash Brian Clapton, who uses visits from his long suffering mother ( played by the late Patsy Rowlands ) to receive food parcels. Roy's brassy, chain smoking mother occasionally visits, only due to the fact that she receives free lifts from the smooth talking Bernard Walpole, whose wife is also in the sanatorium and who is besotted with Ivy.
Also on the scene is Mrs. Howell ( the gorgeous Samantha Beckinsale ), who develops a crush on Roy after her husband dies, the well intentioned hospital padre ( Michael Troughton from 'The New Statesman' ), the snidey Norman Tucker ( Hugh Bonneville ) and the deranged Squadron Leader Fielding ( Robert Bathurst ).
It should have been a hit but sadly the laughs were few and far between. Matthew Cottle ( of 'Game On' fame ) put in a decent enough performance and there were some telling moments between him and Beckinsale. Eddie Marsan got on my nerves as Brian. Neil Stacey ( who some may remember from 'Duty Free' ) also was too spineless to be endearing as Bernard. Surprisingly, the normally brilliant Anita Dobson also disappointed. Here she seemed rather stilted. Perhaps her heart wasn't in it as she maybe anticipated that the show was a lost cause.
Simply Media surprisingly released 'Get Well Soon' on DVD but personally I cannot recommend it you. It's just not for me.