Sorry! (TV series)

infobox television
show_name = Sorry!


caption =
genre = Sitcom
runtime = 30 minutes
creator =
starring = Ronnie Corbett
Barbara Lott
William Moore
Marguerite Hardiman
Derek Fuke
Roy Holder
country = United Kingdom
network = BBC1
first_aired = 12 March 1981
last_aired = 10 October 1988
num_episodes = 42 + 1 short
imdb_id = 0081937

"Sorry!" is a British sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1981 to 1988. Starring Ronnie Corbett, it was written by Ian Davidson and Peter Vincent, both of whom had previously written for the "The Two Ronnies", of whom Corbett was one half.

The theme music was composed by Gaynor Coldman and Hugh Wisdom, and arranged and conducted by Ronnie Hazelhurst.

Cast

*Ronnie Corbett - Timothy Lumsden
*Barbara Lott - Phyllis Lumsden
*William Moore - Sydney Lumsden
*Marguerite Hardiman - Muriel
*Derek Fuke - Kevin
*Roy Holder - Frank Baker
*Wendy Allnutt - Jennifer "(series 6)"
*Bridget Brice - Pippa "(series 7)"

Plot

"Sorry!" is based around Timothy Lumsden who, in the first episode, is a 41-year-old librarian who still lives at home with his domineering mother Phyllis and henpecked father Sydney. Although quite shy around women, Timothy longs to find love and leave home, but Phyllis is always aghast at the idea, and constantly manipulates her son into staying at home. One of the running gags of the series is Phyllis and Sydney frequently shouting "Language, Timothy!" when they feel Timothy has said something inappropriate, even though most times nobody would typically find the words even close to offensive.

In contrast, Timothy's friend Frank and sister Muriel urge Timothy to stand up to his mother once and for all. Muriel had successfully left home, and married Kevin, and as a result is viewed with distrust by her mother.

Episodes

eries One (1981)

#"For Love or Mummy" (12 March 81)
#"Buttons" (19 March 81)
#"The Godfather" (26 March 81)
#"Bachelor Seeks Anywhere" (2 April 81)
#"Does Your Mother Know You're Out?" (9 April 81)
#"Curse of the Mummy" (16 April 81)

eries Two (1982)

#"Cromer or Bust" (22 April 82)
#"Perchance to Dream" (29 April 82)
#"Sons and Lovers" (6 May 82)
#"Great Expectations" (13 May 82)
#"The Next Best Man" (20 May 82)
#"Could Do Better" (27 May 82)

eries Three (1983)

#"The Rabbit and the Pussycat" (28 October 83)
#"You're Going Nowhere" (4 November 83)
#"Bottom of the Class" (11 November 83)
#"Spellbound" (18 November 83)
#"It Never Rained In Those Days" (25 November 83)
#"The Big Sleep" (2 December 83)

pecial (1983)

*Short special as part of "The Funny Side of Christmas" (27 December 83)

eries Four (1985)

#"My Huckleberry Friend" (28 April 85)
#"Move Over Mrs Lumsden" (5 May 85)
#"One of Our Naughty Bits Is Missing" (12 May 85)
#"Confessions of a Jobbing Gardener" (19 May 85)
#"A Little Something Set Aside" (26 May 85)
#"Collapse of Small Party" (2 June 85)

eries Five (1986)

#"The Primal Scene, So to Speak" (10 May 86)
#"Every Clown Wants to Play Hamlet" (17 May 86)
#"Bells for Uncle Barstable" (24 May 86)
#"Natural Wastage" (7 June 86)
#"My Family and Other Monsters" (14 June 86)
#"It's a Wonderful Life, Basically" (21 June 86)

eries Six (1987)

#"A Chief Inspector Calls" (1 June 87)
#"Dream Time" (8 June 87)
#"Amaze Your Friends!" (15 June 87)
#"Gone, But Not Forgotten" (22 June 87)
#"Little Foxes" (29 June 87)
#"Do You Take This Man - And His Mother?" (6 July 87)

eries Seven (1988)

#"Mothers and Brothers" (5 September 88)
#"Every Day, In Every Way" (12 September 88)
#"A Fool and his Money" (19 September 88)
#"Flying Lessons" (26 September 88)
#"Winter's Tales" (3 October 88)
#"Up, Up and Away?" (10 October 88)

DVD releases

The first two series of "Sorry!" were released on DVD under Playback Entertainment(Region 2, UK) in 2004. The DVD was put out of print in 2006, but the first series was re-released on DVD in 2007 under 2entertain & BBC Worldwide. It includes three audio commentaries by Ronnie Corbett. The second series was released in March 2008.

References

*Mark Lewisohn, "Radio Times Guide to TV Comedy", BBC Worldwide Ltd, 2003
* [http://www.phill.co.uk/comedy/sorry/index.html British TV Comedy Guide for "Sorry!"]