The television comedy followed two families in a Yorkshire town, the working-class Simcocks and middle-class Rodenhursts, through social events. It was based on books by David Nobbs, who als... Read allThe television comedy followed two families in a Yorkshire town, the working-class Simcocks and middle-class Rodenhursts, through social events. It was based on books by David Nobbs, who also created Reginald Perrin.The television comedy followed two families in a Yorkshire town, the working-class Simcocks and middle-class Rodenhursts, through social events. It was based on books by David Nobbs, who also created Reginald Perrin.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 2 wins & 1 nomination total
Browse episodes
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDavid Jason claimed appearing in this series paved the way for getting the lead role in The Darling Buds of May (1991) and from there, to getting cast in A Touch of Frost (1992), because although the show only lasted two series, it went down well with critics and viewers alike, and put him on Yorkshire Television's radar.
- Quotes
[recurring line]
Alec the Barman: Can do. No problem. Tickety-boo.
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits of the show feature cartoon/caricature style drawings of the main characters, with these animated in series two. In the closing episodes of both series one and two, a character is removed due to them having been killed off - Laurence Rodenhurst in series one and Neville Badger in series two.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Top of the Box: 1989 (2018)
- SoundtracksA Bit of a Do
(Title Theme)
Written by Ray Russell
Performed by George Melly and John Chilton's Feetwarmers
Featured review
Great drama, funny with it
I have just caught up with this and it is as brilliant as people said it was at the time. But nearly 20 years have passed, and some things now jar. Nothing is as distant as the recent past. Paul and Jenny as the right-on, ideologically sound, politically correct couple are great, especially the way Jenny is boring and humourless and manipulates everybody by constantly bursting into tears and rushing from the room. People like that certainly were around back in those days. But they were hard to send up possibly because they were so earnest and smug they could never see a joke, let alone one against themselves. I like the way Liz begs Jenny to stop the "progressive preaching". But there's something wrong about Jenny. Her clothes and hairdo are too conservative (though they're dull and unsexy because fashion is a capitalist plot, and being sexy is pandering to patriarchy...). Maybe they thought the audience wouldn't get it if she spoke like that, or wore the kind of clothes a feminist eco-protester would have worn. Her constant sermons seem to be a way of explicating her far-out ideas to an audience who may never have heard them before. Another false note is struck by Rita's conversion from downtrodden, shy, unconfident wife and mother to liberated single woman (with big, big hair and a ghastly shiny outfit) just by having her husband leave her for another woman. She too starts spouting political sermons and reveals that she met her new boyfriend at a CND rally. She is a heroine for the late 80s and we're not meant to laugh at her as we laugh at Paul and Jenny.
I'd forgotten that way back then ideas that are now being embraced by the Conservative Party genuinely divided people. Conventional people had conservative ideas; if you wanted to go vegetarian or campaign against nuclear weapons you became a weirdo, a lefty, an unconventional person. Your original social group would look at you askance or possibly eject you. You might have to join another.
These are flaws that time has revealed. The rest stands up as great drama, acting and observation. Looking forward to catching up with the second series.
I'd forgotten that way back then ideas that are now being embraced by the Conservative Party genuinely divided people. Conventional people had conservative ideas; if you wanted to go vegetarian or campaign against nuclear weapons you became a weirdo, a lefty, an unconventional person. Your original social group would look at you askance or possibly eject you. You might have to join another.
These are flaws that time has revealed. The rest stands up as great drama, acting and observation. Looking forward to catching up with the second series.
Helpful•225
- How many seasons does A Bit of a Do have?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour
- Color
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
![A Bit of a Do (1989)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjZjOGUxNjQtNWZlZS00YmIyLTk1ODAtOTFkNzMzMWVhZWJlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjg1NzcwODE@._V1_QL75_UY133_CR4,0,90,133_.jpg)