Mark Hone Posted 4 February , 2017 Share Posted 4 February , 2017 (edited) I have only caught fragments of the most recent run of 'Home Front', set again on Tyneside. There seemed to be some potentially interesting story lines featuring e.g. a pioneering female journalist, a women's works football team and a factory explosion. However there was also some odd stuff about a pantomime villain couple taking over a toy shop. The problem is, as stated before, that if you miss a few episodes you find that you haven't a clue what's going on and the BBC don't seem to provide catch-up summaries as are readily available for 'The Archers'. I did listen to all of the episodes set in South Devon last year but don't know what happened to some of the loose ends left dangling at the conclusion of that run. Can anyone tell me, for a start off, what happened to that German bloke Dieter (or 'Deet-ah', as Kitty Lumley calls him) who was posing as a Belgian refugee? Did he survive the barn fire and has he been mentioned since? I realise that I'm flogging a bit of a dead horse with this as 'Home Front', launched amid much hoopla in 2014, has excited barely a flicker of interest on the GWF or indeed elsewhere by the look of things. Edited 5 February , 2017 by Mark Hone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 4 February , 2017 Admin Share Posted 4 February , 2017 I did sing along to the 'Marshall Girls' yesterday, but I'd agree sometimes I wonder what is going on. The storyline of the munitions explosion and aftermath was worth telling but I think you're right, it seems like one of those programmes the BBC lost interest in. I quite like the intro, I didn't realise it was a hundred years ago yesterday the US broke off diplomatic relations with Germany...think I'd better stop there! Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 15 April , 2017 Admin Share Posted 15 April , 2017 Starts again on Monday with Arthur Smith as a 'randy dustman' (according to the actor), so I guess this one is ' dahn Sarf' Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 16 April , 2017 Author Share Posted 16 April , 2017 (edited) I'll give it another go although I normally feel that Arthur Smith tries too hard (and doesn't succeed) Edited 16 April , 2017 by delta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 16 April , 2017 Share Posted 16 April , 2017 Stephen, I would just stop at "Arthur Smith tries". Nothing more required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 17 April , 2017 Author Share Posted 17 April , 2017 Hmmmm..... I didn't realise that he was so old (only one year younger than me). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 18 April , 2017 Author Share Posted 18 April , 2017 I listened but still not convinced I thought that the actors had too speak too quickly and the conversation was therefore unrealistic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelBully Posted 24 April , 2017 Share Posted 24 April , 2017 Just caught up with all the episodes since the latest series began. Could well be my favourite Home Front series apart from the one set in Devon. I thought the depiction of Christians trying to come to terms with the Great War was convincing and thoughtful, particularly the portrayal of the minister returning from the 'Front , Ralph Winwood, who seems to be teetering on the edge of a breakdown. I even enjoyed the 'dead squirrel ' story-line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 25 May , 2017 Admin Share Posted 25 May , 2017 45 minute episode today marking the anniversary of the Gotha raid on Folkestone http://www.iancastlezeppelin.co.uk/25-may-1917-1/4593795790 I wondered if they might do an Emmerdale and kill off a few characters, but no. It was very graphic isn some of its description of the casualties, including children. I was surprised the BBC went ahead with it. At times it seemed very surreal but it certainly conveyed the shock in the town and reflected on the fate of the casualties. I thought it was a bold move to have an extended edition which is on iPlayer if you missed it. I wonder if there are other anniversaries that might benefit from this treatment. They are unveiling memorial to the event this evening in the town. This report shows Tontine Street which the drama focussed on http://www.kentonline.co.uk/folkestone/news/a-quiet-spring-day-then-126206/ Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 26 May , 2017 Author Share Posted 26 May , 2017 Despite my earlier adverse remarks, I think that the characterisation of the Rev Winwood has developed extremely well - slowly being drawn to the series Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 11 August , 2017 Author Share Posted 11 August , 2017 And this afternoon's episode was first rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 13 April , 2018 Admin Share Posted 13 April , 2018 (edited) Things really hotting up with the moral crusade today, I really liked Sgt Harris of the local Constabulary. Quite intriguing. Ken Edited 13 April , 2018 by kenf48 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 12 November , 2018 Share Posted 12 November , 2018 So, Home Front has ended, rather oddly with an episode set on 11th November 1919, rather than one covering Armistice Day itself. I haven't listened to the last couple of episodes yet as I managed to fall asleep listening to the Omnibus edition on Friday, after leading two Remembrance Services! I got the impression that it just about staggered over the finishing line and an interview with the show's creator, Jessica Drumgoole, seemed to imply that she wasn't that sad to see it go. The consensus of (the few) reviews that I have read in the press and the posts on this thread seem to be that it was a potentially very good idea but often poorly executed. The characterisation and plot lines were frequently unconvincing-I never believed in some of the principal characters, like Kitty Lumley, for a minute. Although there were some accomplished actors in it (e.g. Joanna David and albeit briefly, Toby Jones), some of the performances were from the bad old days of The Art of Course Radio Acting. 'Tommies', which had some crossover of characters with 'Home Front' seems to have fared better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 12 November , 2018 Admin Share Posted 12 November , 2018 I don't know if you caught the 'special' on Saturday afternoon which tried to tidy things up. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b0bl6ygt I was running around in the car so missed some chunks, but the end was quite moving once you got your head round the fact the narrator was a ghost. Almost impossible to draw all the strands together but they announced at the end all 590 episodes will be available on iPlayer for the next ten years. So lots of opportunity to catch up! Incidentally Tommies on Sunday was about another 'forgotten' war and the subject of a recent thread on here, The Russia Campaign. As you say like the rest of the series well done. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00013jn Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_B Posted 12 November , 2018 Share Posted 12 November , 2018 I must have listened to the whole of this series even though it descended into a WW! soap opera early on. I took the voice of Florie Wilson to be a metaphor for the voice of all the war dead as well as the contrivance to draw the series to a close. Delta will be pleased to know that the tank presented to Folkstone in July 1919 got a mention. Yet to listen to the final episodes of "Tommies", which has had its worthwhile moments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delta Posted 12 November , 2018 Author Share Posted 12 November , 2018 I have dipped into the series from time to time. Good in parts, awful in others. I learned a lot about sociatal developments and apparent changes to attitudes. Not fully convinced but, then again, I am not at all convinced about Elizabeth Par getter All in all, it was a good effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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