Surprisingly incoherent and boring

Good movie, but best of all time? Hardly . . .

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

I don't believe there are so many negative reviews of this brilliant series. There is nothing as comparable in today's TV fare - mostly crime and police series! How refreshing it was to have a series so well scripted, directed and acted about PEOPLE for a change. The USA is lucky in that practically everything seems available on DVD. I wish this series were to be released on Region 2 DVD! How lucky we are though to have 4OD where i was able to see this series again. There is a rich vein of archive material in the vaults of our TV and film studios which should more easily be accessed. In Britain we are not even getting the very best films from the MGM archive on DVD.

I had not heard of this prior to spotting it on Channel 4, but seeing as I would have been ten years old when it was originally aired, it's not a huge surprise. It's an interesting take on some cliché'd ideas, deconstructing them, dealing with gender role stereotypes etc, but the problem is the script, the direction, and the supporting cast....so basically, everything. The mother in law makes very painful irritating viewing, and it's almost as if she's in another production and has accidentally wandered onto the set, so bizarre and jarring is her ranting. The flat-share is badly thought through, and Joely Richardson is so horrifically BAD at acting that she fills the screen every time she appears, so much so I had to stop myself from punching it! Then the love affair with the Giles character, it just crops out of nowhere, no indication it's going to happen, no build towards it, and then they're away, and.....you're just left a bit confused as to why you bothered watching it. Yes, it tells us that nothing in life is certain, that we must be strong and self sufficient, that we should be brave and live our lives, however, the way it tells you is rather hollow, badly constructed and irritating. I would recommend you watch it, just to see how bad it is....

Let me first of all say that I typically love British series, and I particularly admire Judi Dench. But this... Everybody was so stereotyped; disgusting, coughing and spitting old grandfather; catty older mother-in-law; neurotic young woman--you name it. I, too, have no idea why the love-interest preacher was black, yet alone why he was American; and Giles' bi-sexuality seemed completely irrelevant to me. I suppose the latter two characters were written and cast that way to provide for the injection of certain token minorities. Francesca Folan, who played daughter Phyllida, seemed to be overacting to the nth degree, and in my opinion the plot had more holes than a colander. I'm not sure, but I don't believe this was ever released in a VHS format and was not released as a DVD until 2005, some sixteen years after the original series aired. This smacks of an attempt to capitalize on Ms Dench's recent increase in popularity. She has performed so well in so many films, I would not waste your time renting this.

This TV mini-series is as relevant today - perhaps more so - with respect to its refreshing examination on attitudes towards aging. Judi Dench is marvelous as a middle aged divorcée who defies conventional wisdom and the expectations placed upon a woman in such circumstances by her family and contemporary society. Viewers may find some discomfort in the early parts of the series as the Dench character maneuvers to turn these expectations on their head. However, the clever script and top notch performances by a first rate supporting cast, should raise insights into the double standards regarding sexual roles, as well as discriminatory attitudes regarding generational differences. Co-stars include Ronald Pickup, Joely Richardson and Frances Barber.