After Henry
1988 - United KingdomBAFTA-nominated comedy After Henry followed the comfortable middle-class lives of three women; except that, for one of them, life wasn't all that comfortable...
A widow of two years Sarah had been left well provided for in a large Edwardian detached house in a leafy suburb by her late husband, Dr Henry France. But, unfortunately, she had also been left with a demanding mother and a prickly adolescent daughter, Clare (Janine Wood) who craved independence, just as long as mother was there to clear up the mess. Sarah was stuck between the two of them (literally; her mother lived in the upstairs flat whilst her daughter resided in the basement and Sarah was in between). Mother was both manipulative and a gossip (Sarah dubbed her and her friends 'The Geriatric Mafia') and she often found herself being torn between mother and daughter with her only source of refuge being a second-hand bookshop where she worked, and the sympathetic ear of the shop's owner, Russell (Jonathan Newth).
Prunella Scales (Fawlty Towers) starred as put-upon Sarah and Joan Sanderson (Please Sir!) as Eleanor, her fearsome battle-axe of a mother. After Henry was written by multiple BAFTA-winner Simon Brett (Rosemary & Thyme) and directed by sitcom legend Peter Frazer-Jones (Man About the House, George and Mildred).
After Henry was originally created for BBC radio in 1986 and soon became a firm favourite with listeners. However, when the BBC turned down a TV adaptation it was snapped up by Thames. Not one of the Beeb's best decisions.
Seen this show? How do you rate it?
Seen this show? How do you rate it?
Published on November 27th, 2018. Written by Laurence Marcus for Television Heaven.
