The Goodies ...At Last a Second Helping - BBC [DVD]

Created, written and performed by comedians Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie and Tim Brooke-Taylor, 'The Goodies' was a very zany hit British BBC comedy that ran for nine seasons until 1981. In the show the trio set themselves up as an agency for hire and call themselves 'The Goodies' (as they were supposedly the good guys), with the motto `We do anything, anytime'.

I bought this set for my daughter (11) after she fell in love with the DVD 'The Goodies at last'. She is also very very taken with the eight episodes here on these two DVDs : Radio Goodies, Come Dancing, The Movies, South Africa, Bunfight at the OK Tearooms, The end, Scoutrageous, and Punky business (first 2 from 1970/1, 4 from 1975 & last 2 from to 1977 respectively - the later ones have guest stars). This DVD set comes with an extremely detailed 28 page booklet discussing the episodes, plus the Crackerjack clip, the Goodies instant 5 minute Christmas, The Gymnasium clip, 'The Goodies in conversation' [radio clip, about Montreux], a pdf of scripts/drafts for the episodes here, and a 'Restoration featurette'. I told my daughter that seventy-four Goodies episodes were actually made. Her comment after viewing the few here throughout the weekend was 'Why don't they release all the episodes on DVD, anyone would be stupid not to buy them'. She likens the Goodies to the single 'Monkees' NTSC DVD she has that she also likes (Monkees, our favourite episodes). These BBC Goodies DVD sets have English audio and English subtitles [no other languages].

During their BBC years The Goodies twice won the Silver Rose of Montreux and conspiracy theories abound on why none of 'The Goodies' hit episodes were ever re-run by the BBC. I don't actually find the Goodies that dated, as well as a lot of clever 'panto' slapstick, they had a sharp script, lots of boyish enthusiasm and a pretty unique visual style, although naturally some aspects are very period like the cars and BBC presenters (and the biting 'South Africa' skit on Aparthiet - although my kids seemed to know all about it and the lady who wouldn't give up her seat on the bus). To quote TVTome: "Using a unique blend of sketch comedy, slapstick and almost cartoon-like humour the show was often outrageously madcap, and only rarely failed to hit the mark". The only programmes that came near to it in concept were probably the earlier cult 1960s kid's TV 'Do not adjust your set' sketches [that featured many of the Monty Python team] and radio shows such as 'I'm sorry I'll read that again' [that starred John Cleese and the Goodies cast] - although the recent 'My parents are aliens' has a similar witty nutty style. The Goodies slapstick style has little in common with the more cerebral Monty Python, and The Goodies jokes and visual gags are probably more accessable to a non-UK audience.

You can buy all three BBC series Goodies twin DVD sets as the new '40th Anniversary' Goodies set, which has the same six DVD's as the Goodies 'at last', 'second helping' and 'back for more again' twin sets, and it includes the Goodies 'Complete LWT Series' set as well, that's also a hit in our household - this was the final Goodies season [from 1981] although only one of the two LWT DVDs in the set is actually Goodies episodes. As I write my son (10) is now sitting down with her in her bedroom laughing at the Goodies antics. My daughter says she even prefers this DVD set to The Goodies at Last. My son thinks the Goodies are 'very funny and stupid'. They obviously really go for the childish humour and visual gags, as my family and I did 30 years ago. So great value laughs for the kids, and highly recommended. Now mum and dad are looking forward to watching them again - goody goody yum yum.

This second collection from "The Goodies" includes the digitally restored episodes "Radio Goodies" (with "A Walk in the Black Forest"), "Come Dancing" (aka "Wicked Waltzing"), "Movies", "South Africa", "Bunfight at the OK Tea Rooms", "The End", "Scoutrageous", and "Punky Business".

There will be audio commentaries on three episodes as well as a booklet written by Andrew Pixley featuring information about the episodes.

Extras include:
* "The Goodies 5 Minute Christmas" segment from "Christmas Night with the Stars"
* The Goodies performance of "A Man's Best Friend is his Duck" from "Crackerjack"
and
* the gymnasium sequence from "A Collection of Goodies"

Lots of fan favourites on this release makes it a highly recommended title.

When's volume 3 coming out then? Like many others, I cannot wait. I loved the Goodies when I was young, and it was surely the only program that I remember literally doubling up with (especially the Watership Down "tribute"!).

This set is excellent, although the Ballroom Dancing episode is, as is warned, not the best visual quality, but I'm glad it's there nonetheless. However, I do feel that perhaps for non-Goody afficianados a better episode might have been chosen. But take nothing away, this is fun, fun, fun all the way.

Is it dated? Who cares, it's still streets ahead of anything on TV at the moment.

The Goodies still rule, OK?!!