My Family is a British sitcom that first aired in 2000 on BBC1. The fifth series of the show aired in 2004, and there was speculation that this may have been the last, as no series was recorded or aired in 2005, but the BBC recently announced that a new, shorter than previous, series is going to be filmed, starting in October 2005, and will be broadcast in 2006. This series will definitely be the last. A British sitcom is a situation comedy (sitcom) produced in the United Kingdom. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... BBC One (or BBC1 as it was formerly styled) is the oldest United Kingdom, and indeed, the world. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The show was created by Fred Barron who also worked on Caroline in the City and The Larry Sanders Show. Fred Barron is a television producer who has created shows such as the popular BBC sitcom My Family. ... Caroline in the City was an American sitcom that ran from September 21, 1995, to May 11, 1999, on the NBC television network. ... The Larry Sanders Show was a satirical television series that originally aired from 1992 to 1998 on the HBO cable television network in the USA. It starred former stand-up comedian Garry Shandling as the shows vain, self-obsessed, neurotic host, Larry Sanders. ...

The show is about the antics of the Harpers, a British family, in everyday life.

Characters

• Ben Harper (Robert Lindsay) is a misanthropic dentist who shows little compassion for his family, his patients or anyone else he encounters.

• Susan Harper (Zoe Wanamaker), Ben's wife, works as a tour guide and is a control-freak who wants to run the lives of her children, and is known for being a bad cook.

• Nick Harper (Kris Marshall), the eldest, is an eccentric 20-something still living with his parents in the early series, before moving out in later series. He is unable to hold a job for very long and his apparent stupidity is often spectacular.

• Janey Harper (Daniela Denby-Ashe), the eldest daughter, is known as a shopaholic and became pregnant with baby Kenzo at the age of 19. She temporarily left the cast in series four, going away to university. In the fifth series, she dropped out and returned to live near the rest of the family.

• Michael Harper (Gabriel Thompson), the youngest, who is currently at secondary school, is known for his short-term relationships, and is the black sheep of the family, being an extremely intelligent Tory.

• Abi Harper (Siobhan Hayes), the daughter of Ben's cousin, a very clumsy and dimwitted student, started living with Ben's family during the third series.

• Roger Bailey, Jr. (Kieron Self), Ben's eternally optimistic and good-natured (much to Ben's chagrin) colleague, works in a surgery above Ben's starting series four. He is forever intruding upon and annoying Ben. He really likes Abi (who obviously likes him back), but can never seem to gain the courage to ask her out.

• Brigitte (Daisy Donovan) worked as Ben's dental aide in series 1.

Robert Lindsay (real name Robert Lindsay Stevenson, born December 13, 1949) is a British actor. ... X-rays can reveal if a person has cavities Dentistry is the practical application of knowledge of dental science (the science of placement, arrangement, function of teeth) to human beings. ... Zoe Wanamaker Zoë Wanamaker CBE (born May 13, 1949 in New York) is an American-born actress who lives and works in the United Kingdom. ... Kris Marshall (born April 1973) is a British actor. ... Daniela Denby-Ashe (born August 9, 1978 in London) is a British actress. ... Gabriel Thomson (born October 27, 1986) is an British actor, born in South London. ... Secondary school may refer to Secondary school in the United Kingdom, is the general term for the schools for children between the ages of eleven and eighteen in most areas (a few areas have schools for 13-18 year olds instead, and these are called upper schools). ... Black sheep is a derogatory colloquial term in the English language meaning an outsider or one who is different in a way which others disapprove of. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Siobhan Hayes is an actress best known for the character of Abi Harper, a dumbwitted and clumsy student in the British sitcom My Family. ... Daisy Donovan Daisy Donovan is a British presenter and actress. ...

Reception

"My Family" was almost universally panned by critics, but despite this the series has been popular with viewers and more successful than earlier attempts to ape the American product. It has won numerous television awards in Britain and abroad and is a rare example of a successful pre-watershed modern British sitcom. Critics have claimed that it also mimics many of the worst aspects of globalised mass media in that its slick production has rendered it bland and soulless.

The series ended up like The Royle Family with a laugh track. The Royle Family was a popular BBC television situation comedy (sitcom) that ran for three series between 1998 and 2000. ...

Production details

The series is notable as it is scripted by a team of writers, following the American model. Historically, British sitcoms were more generally written by one or two authors. By employing a wider number of writers to brainstorm jokes for each episode, the BBC has been able to maintain a consistent and relatively long-lived product without having to wait for a single writer to produce more material.

The production values for the programme are also different from the traditional 'Brit-com'. The set itself is laid out like an open plan North American house rather than a less commodious British abode and the family's standard of living is more aspirational than realistic. The first series was shot in field-removed video (to give a film-like effect) in common with American sitcoms such as Frasier in order to maximise overseas sales potential (although this is absent from the 2004 DVD release). Field-removed video (FRV) is a technique used in television broadcasting to give television shows recorded on videotape the same look and feel as shows recorded on film. ... Frasier is an American TV situation comedy. ...

The programmes were recorded in front of a live audience, except where the set used was too large, this was then filmed, and played out to an invited audience 'as-live'.

Now coming into it's sixth series, and is as popular as ever.

Also, the show, unlike most British sitcoms but in common with most American television comedies, has had no location footage.

The show plays midnight Monday to Thursday in Canada on YTV, and includes adverts, making the broadcast 38 minutes long, but this isn't much of a problem as it is shown so late at night. It has been shown on BBC America and is also available on video and DVD. See YTV for more meanings of the initals. ... One of several BBC America idents, used since 2005. ...

Episodes

Series One (2000)

1. The Serpent's Tooth - The family's women see a different dentist.
2. Pain in the Class - Michael has trouble at school.
3. Droigt de Seigneur Ben - Ben learns a patient's son is making advances toward his daughter.
4. The Last Resort - Ben romances Susan.
5. Farewell to Alarms - Susan wants a burglar alarm.
6. Death Takes a Policy - Nick has an ulterior motive: Michael fears death.
7. The Awkward Phase - Nick wants a job, Janey wants new jeans, Michael needs dating tips, and Ben and Susan want peace and quiet.
8. Much Ado About Ben - Ben discovers his son takes Viagra.

Series Two (2001)

1. All Roads Lead to Ramon - Ben must replace his new assistant; Ben is suspicious of Janey's academic performance.
2. The Unkindest Cut - Susan's pregnancy could be bad news for Ben.
3. Parisian Beauty - A foreign exchange student visits the Harpers.
4. Trust Never Sleeps - Ben & Susan let Janey have a party whilst they are not there.
5. Death and Ben Take a Holiday - Ben's Aunt dies, so Ben and Nick go to Leeds for the funeral.
6. Driving Miss Crazy - Ben has a fued with the next door neighbour and his dog, Janey takes her driving test.
7. I Second That Emulsion - Janey's boyfriend, Stupid Brian, is asked to decorate the living room, but Susan can't decide which colour to go with.
8. Age of Romance - Nick's new girlfriend causes concern among the older people.
9. Get Cartier - Ben suspects his latest client is an underworld kingpin.
10. 'Tis Pity She's A Whore - Janey finds out that there is a prostitute in the family.
11. The Last Supper - Susan's new boss dies in Ben and Susan's bed.
12. Ben Wants To Be A Millionaire - Ben's old school friend gives him a share tip.
13. Breakable - Nick forms a motorcycle stunt display team.

Series Three (2002)

1. Absent Vixen, Cheeky Monkey - Janey leaves for University; The others fight over who gets her room.
2. Shrink Rap - Ben and Susan attend a promise auction at Michael's school.
3. Desperately Squeaking Susan - Ben's cousin's daughter Abi moves in with the family.
4. Of Mice and Ben - Abi makes a documentary about Ben and Susan, and a mouse terrorises the family.
5. Imperfect Strangers - Susan and Ben play a role playing game in a Manchester Metrolodge.
6. The Second Greatest Story Ever Told - Nick lands the lead role in an amateur theatre production, as Jesus.
7. Waiting to Inhale - Ben and Susan smoke some drugs that Michael was hiding in his socks.
8. Misery - Susan visits Janey at University, whilst Ben has a golfing weekend planned.
9. Auto Erotica - Nick wins an ancient car in a poker game, which Ben falls in love with.
10. Handful of Dust - Janey comes to stay with the family for the weekend, with her new 'girlfriend', and Ben has a birthday.
11. The Lost Weekend - Susan and Ben try to amuse themselves whilst the children are out for the weekend.
12. Ghosts - An old boyfriend of Susan's turns up.
13. One Flew Out Of The Cuckoo's Nest - Nick finally leaves to get a flat of his own, to Ben's joy.
14. Christmas Special: Ding Dong Merrily... - Janey reveals that she is pregnant when she returns to spend Christmas with the family.

Series Four (2003)

1. Fitting Punishment - Ben and Susan have problems with the plumbers; Nick has a job as a film extra.
2. They Shoot Harpers Don't They? - Ben and Susan join a dance class.
3. The Great Escape - Susan's mother pays a visit, and everyone visits Nick's flat as a refuge from her.
4. Return of the Prodigal Prat - Nick manages to move back in to the house.
5. Owed to Susan - Susan forces Ben to write her a poem.
6. Deliverance - As Ben and Susan drive up to Manchester to visit Janey, who is in labour, they recall Nick's birth. At the end we see baby Kenzo for the first time.
7. Blind Justice - Seeing Michael in bed with a girl causes Susan to go blind temporarily.
8. Friday the 31st - Susan plans a halloween night in, but Ben isn't as enthusiastic; The house is beseiged by children trick or treating.
9. Sitting Targets - Janey leaves Kenzo with the family to look after, and only Nick can stop him crying.
10. Loco Parentis - Michael starts skipping school but Ben and Susan get the blame.
11. The Canary Cage - The family have a holiday in Spain.
12. May the Best Man Win - Ben is asked to be Abi's Father's Best Man at his 5th wedding.
13. It's a Window Filled Life - The family are put under quarantine by Susan as Roger's patient called to say he had a rare tropical disease.
14. Christmas Special: Sixty Feet Under - The family are trapped on a tube train as they try to do the Christmas shopping.

Series Five (2004)

1. Special: My Family: Reloaded - Clips from past episodes, intertwined with a mini story in which Ben has just broken Susan's leg by running her over with the car.
2. The Mummy Returns - Janey returns from University, having dropped out, and the police are after her.
3. You Don't Know Jack - Michael gets a new friend, Jack, who Ben likes, and who fancies Susan.
4. What's Up, Docklands? - Ben and Susan flat-sit for some friends in the Docklands.
5. Luck Be a Lady Tonight - Roger tries to make Abi jealous by dating an Escort Girl.
6. First Past the Post - Susan stands for election on the local council.
7. My Will Be Done - Ben believes he is soon to die, so writes his will. Nick also makes his only appearance of the series, as an 'Offical Mourner', which he soon gets sacked from, after enbalming his leg and wrecking a hearse.
8. My Fair Charlady - The family hire a cleaner.
9. The Mouth Trap - Susan becomes obsessed with Inspector Morse, and investigates one of Ben's patients who confessed murder, and called Ben his 'Velcro newsletter', under sedation.
10. While You Weren't Sleeping - Ben has a snoring problem, causing a huge fall out between Ben and Susan.
11. Dentist to the Stars - Ben gets a famous patient, who Roger steals when Ben gets injured trying to move Michael's history books.
12. A Wife Less Ordinary - Susan tries living as a single woman in Janey's flat, whilst Janey tries to live at the family home as a housewife with an imaginary husband, and goes crazy in the meantime.
13. The Book of Love - Susan joins a local book club that consists of surprisingly few members. Roger, meanwhile, has bought tickets to see Coldplay, from Michael, for a rather large sum, to impress Abi.
14. Going Dental - Ben and Janey, followed by pretty much everyone else, go to a dental convention where all manner of things go wrong when Ben tries to impress a potential business partner.
15. Christmas Special: Glad Tidings We Bring - Janey reveals she is getting married to someone about as old as her parents.
16. Comic Relief Special: - In this short special, during a thunder storm, Ben and Susan are joined in bed by everyone scared of the thunder, from Michael and Janey to Adam Hart Davis and Nell McAndrew.

Series Six (2005/2006)

1. Christmas Special: ...And I'll Cry If I Want To - Susan wants to make Kenzo's third birthday a memorable one, much to Ben's dismay.

External links

• Official BBC Website
• British Sitcom Guide
• BBC Comedy Guide entry
• My Family on IMDB