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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 386573" data-attributes="member: 23">Series Seven built on the previous series' law of diminishing returns.While Dandy Nichols' health-related departure seems the biggest blow on paper, a more damaging aspect for me has been neglecting the remaining core cast. In particular, Series Seven saw Patricia Hayes and Alfie Bass receive second and third billing, clambering over the backs of Anthony Booth and Una Stubbs.I'm sure there are reasons for this. I understand that Anthony Booth was increasingly unhappy with the writing and apparently there was tension between he and Warren Mitchell. Perhaps it was either a drastically reduced role for Mike and Rita, or no Mike and Rita at all.Nonetheless, the end result feels like we're promised one thing and given quite another. There's nothing wrong with Min and Bert as supporting players, but watching them practically take over the show feels wrong. The chemistry on the series just doesn't work as well as it did. Even when the focus isn't on them, there's a strange lack of energy that transmits to the audience.  A lengthy chat between Alf and Bert at a park while Min gurned and vamped in the background springs to mind. I couldn't even tell you what Alf was saying.Increasing Patricia Hayes's role has exposed some weaknesses in her performance. Her nose-touching habit went from interesting to endearing. She fluffs her lines quite a bit. And there was one scene where Min was shouting at Alf through the communal wall between their houses where Hayes kept looking in what appeared to be the direction of the studio audience, and ended up delivering half her dialogue straight to camera. It's true what they say about familiarity. Warren Mitchell gave it his all to the end, but it feels that there's little in this goofier, less real, more traditional-feeling sitcom to inspire even him. It's notable that Series Seven is the only where I noticed him trip over his words a couple of times during a rant. Only a little (and it's the kind of stuff that Anthony Booth and Dandy Nichols were doing regularly. As does Patricia Hayes in these later series), but it felt symbolic. With hardly any family around to hear him, Alf's role in the world has changed and perhaps he's flailing. The political speech has diminished yet more, so Alf is more a sitcom grumpy old man than ever before. Not that Warren didn't excel to the end. In one of the last episodes there was some rather terrifying-looking stunt work from him when Alf was stuck - his thighs trapped in a first floor window as he attempted to clean the outside of them. Yes, the house exterior and the street below were clearly sets, but that didn't make it any less risky for him. He spent a good part of the episode, with one lengthy scene showing him upside down, propped up by a step ladder wedged beneath his head while Min waterboarded his upside down mouth and nostrils with tea. It's one of the most uncomfortable-looking things I've watched, and that's even without the risk of breaking his neck or drowning. It's hugely impressive because it's very clearly Warren Mitchell the entire time. And he's not a young man at this point. I'd read that the series ended with a telegram from Else asking for a divorce. All the same, it wasn't the greatest to watch. The one saving grace was that the final episode included - for the first time in years - an ensemble of more familiar faces with Joan Sims and Pat Coombs among others. It's a sad ending for a series that's had such a big voice, but right that it finished before it got terrible. There are two sequel series to follow. The second I am somewhat familiar with, but I believe the first will be completely new to me. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rejigged format works after watching the original.</blockquote>

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