The Royle Family - The Complete First Season

I've een waiting for this show to become available in the US for a long time (it aired once on BBCAmerica). It's a great show with kind, realistic (i.e., not slapstick) humor about a lower-class family in England. It was very popular in the UK. I was so desperate for it that I even pre-ordered. That's how good the show is.But I'm sorry to say I was sorely disappointed with the quality of the DVD transfer. First, it's not widescreen (letterbox). This is a recent show, so I'm fairly certain it was shot in the wider aspect ratio that's the UK adopted much earlier than the US. (I could be wrong about this. There's no easy way to tell.)Second, the quality of the image is surprisingly bad. There's far too much noise to be considered DVD quality. Happily, it isn't compression artifacts, but it still is a very noisy image -- lots of graininess in the darker areas. I shudder to think what this DVD would look like on a hi-def television. On my old-school TV it's noticably bad. The bad image quality brings it down to 4 stars.Still, this is the only way to legitimately get this series in the US. I was really looking forward to the second and third seasons, but I won't buy them unless the picture quality is better. There's simply no excuse for this poor quality.

The couch comedy form can probably get no smaller -- or no more perfect -- than "The Royle Family". This minimalist, keenly observed comedy is terrific precisely due to the fact that it's "not for everyone". The first season is in some ways stronger than the second if only for its unrelenting, single-minded focus on one small space, shot (almost) entirely with available light and written with a complete absence of sitcom cliché, dramedy affectation or any inkling of any sort of denouement. It would be hard to find a better written comedy (including even The Gervais/Merchant "The Office"). The scripts are always working on at least three levels: the humor that the characters share with each other; the humor the characters don't recognize themselves that is delivered solely to the viewer; and the often subtle and wry interplay between the character dialogue and whatever happens to be playing on the ever present television, the television that implicitly controls the sitting room and by extension, large chunks of the characters' lives.Not to mention the nagging feeling that we might just be watching ourselves watching television.As casual as the enterprise may seem, the acting is immaculately detailed, especially given the intimate scale of the program. The writers, cast and directors must be given credit for invoking such a genuine sense of place and character. Like the excellent character work in "Saxondale" and the even more cramped quarters of the monologue-driven, short-form "Marion & Geoff" (thanks in all cases, including TRF, to the talent of Henry Normal), "The Royle Family" is more innovative than it first appears, letting you laugh in unexpected ways. Even at the typestyle used for the credits -- it's called "Windsor".

Whenever a comedy becomes a hit, a big hit, in the UK, there will be Britons who say. "It'll never work in America. They just won't 'get it'". The Classic example was Monty Python's Flying Circus, which had a devoted following in the UK, but which everyone agreed - especially the Month Python team themselves- could never succeed in the US. Of course, they were wrong. With a quirky comedy like that, there will be, on both sides of the Atlantic, people who will find it hilarious, and others who will stare blankly at it and wonder what the fuss is all about.The Royle Family is like that. You'll likely either find it hysterically funny - as I did - or you will be entirely bemused. I suppose it helps if you come from a working class background.Americans will probably find the accents difficult. Carolin Aherne is Mancunian and the series is set near Manchester, so Ricky Tomlinson's Liverpudlian accent was a bit of a surprise. Anyway, you may want the subtitles on. I assume the occasional rhyming slang ("I'm going for an Eartha Kitt") will be understood well enough.The show has a reality feel to it, being filmed in 16mm film using a single camera and mostly normal lighting. This, together with the fact that there is no laugh track, gives it a wonderful intimacy. Try it, and see if it's your cuppa tea.[PeterReeve]

I can see watching this and thinking what's the point - but that's if you just watch as though this is a regular family sitting in front of the TV having a meaningless conversation. If you remain aware that these are actors the brilliance of what they are doing by just having this random non-stopfamily conversation becomes really impressive . It's like a magic trick - how do they do it? How do they keep it going? It makes it worth watching more than once when, if you just see it as "real life" it can appear so mundane you wonder why you're watching at all. I'd read other more erudite reviews than mine, but I purchased it upon reading those reviews when one of the main actresses passed away last year.

Great show and If you know it, you love it. Unfortunately this DVD was faulty and would only play the first 3 episodes. I don’t know if the fault was unique to my copy or this DVD in general. Very disappointing!

Sue Johnston, Ricky Tomlinson, Liz Smith, Ralf Little - and the creators Caroline Aherne & Craig Cash (who also star) make up the perfect chemistry for this beautifully written & acted comedy depicting every day life of the not so rick & famous. I just wish I had an "Antony" at home with me to put the kettle on, run to the off license, etc. so I would not have to miss even a second of viewing. I also have the other seasons completing the series. Highly, highly recommended.

I love the series but the quality of the dvds is bad and thats why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5. If you havent seen it and can appreciate Britsih humor at its best, quirky and subtle, then you will love it, otherwise you're wasting your money.

I was at Uni and really really home sick I was 536 miles from home never had been away from home before I could not sleep /eat and study during lessons I would just be looking to the left of the study room and looking outside the window.On my way back to my room I noticed a jiffy bag outside my room I took it into my room with me and opened it and it was from my sister and she had written the following in a letter :Hey hope you are ok after talking to you the other day on the phone I thought this DVD might helpAfter the first 30 mins the feeling of being home sick had gone and I went and made a huge and I am talking huge plate of oven chips and watched thewhole series with a nice pot of tea and I got back into my studies thanks to the great minds of the writers of this show god bless them it helped 100%.The scene at the dinner table where Denise talks about Sandras Hair cutting business and Barbra asks how much she charges and Denise says 22 quid and Barbra says oh thats a dear do I nearly choked on my chips and tea as my Mum says the same thing (no veg sorry mum) and Nanna putting her empty chocolate bar wrapper in her handbag my Gran does the same thing plus the sound that the livingroom door makes when its opening its like someone has put CCTV in my parents house and copied it for this series.The friction between Anthony and Denise was like what me & my sister had for a while while we were in our teens.Ok these people dont have fancy cars or wear fancy clothes or talk in a certain way but they are good loyal people to the each other andtheir friends.Its just a shame the series when down hill after the first series but this series really helped me in such a huge way I now have a good job anda nice place to live (well I think so anyway) thanks to the writers of the show and my sister for sending this to me.

I have not seen a comedy series this well cast and this well performed in a long time. Every single one of the actors portrays develops their character brilliantly ,each with different quirks and different personalities. Jim's one liners are wickedly funny and Dave's look of absolute dumbness is fantastic. You'll find yourself chuckling and for once we have a comedy not dubbed with fake laughter in the background.The humour is honest and biting, coming very close to truth at times. You are drawn into the living room of this dysfunctionalfamily and can associate with their arguements and commentaries.I thought that the scene in the second episode where Barbara looks on amazed at her daughter when she tells her that she will not be having chips for tea every single day just about sums up the family.A brilliant piece of comedy that everyone should own.

Back in the year 1998, a comedy TV show by the name of The Royle Family hit our tv screens, to where I have become a huge fan of it since seeing the very first episode.The show itself has a great amount of loveable characters, who are played by top flight actors e.g.1. Ricky Tomlinson - Jim Royle2. Sue Johnston - Barbara Royle3. Caroline Aherne - Denise Royle4. Craig Cash - Dave Best5. Ralf Little - Anthony Royle etcThis series shows us what life would be like when having the whole family round, who seem to do nothing else but watch the TV and crack out some jokes and stories.Any1 who has not seen the Royle Family, must see it as you will not be disappointed.

Classic....my arse! 😂

Bought for a foreign friend to demonstrate NW England vernacualr English and idiom. Perfect for the purpose, though I think she was a bit shocked, depsite being a Liverpool supporter.