The Brandons are a northern family created by Peter Tinniswood for a series of books (A Touch of Daniel, I Didn't Know You Cared, and Except You're A Bird) and then tranferred to television. Tiniswood avoided descriptions of the characters in the books, relying on the dialogue to flesh them out, so there was a blank canvas when it came to casting, but then actors employed hit the mental images he had.
Robin Bailey starred as the dour Uncle Mort, a recently widowed pensioner who gladly wallows in his own misery, with John Comer as Les Brandon, and Liz Smith as Annie Brandon . Stephen Rea played the dull nephew, Carter, who has got engaged to Pat (Anita Carey), but is not exactly excited about his prospets and is stalling talk of the wedding (ably supported by the rest of the Brandon males). His hesitation is fuelled by the constant bickering of his parents, but Pat and her mother are made of sterner stuff, and by the end of the first series he finds himself betrothed.
Married life doesn't seem to make that much of an impact and despite Pat's best intentions to improve their lot, Carter prefers to nip to the pub and enjoy a jar or two and the doom and gloom of the all male conversation.
Second Sight have now released the first two series on DVD - bare-bones releases with the only extra being English subtitles. Both can be ordered using the links to the right.
:: Series 1
This series was originally broadcast on BBC1 of a Wednesday evening at 9.25pm.
| Episode Title | Synopsis | Original Tx. Date |
|---|---|---|
| Cause For Celebration | 27.8.75 | |
| A Knitter In The Family | 3.9.75 | |
| The Old Tin Trunk | 10.9.75 | |
| After The Ball Was Over | 17.9.75 | |
| Aye ... Well ... Mm ... | 24.9.75 | |
| Large Or Small, Big Or Tall | 1.10.75 | |
| The Axe And Cleaver | 15.10.75 |
:: Series2
This series was originally broadcast on BBC1 of a Tuesday evening at 9.25pm.
| Episode Title | Synopsis | Original Tx. Date |
|---|---|---|
| The Way My Wife Looks At Me | 20 Apr 76 | |
| Chez Us | 27 Apr 76 | |
| A Woman's Work | 4.5.76 | |
| A Signal Disaster | 11.5.76 | |
| You Should See Me Now | 18.5.76 | |
| Good Wood, God! | 25.5.76 |
:: Series 3
This series was originally broadcast on BBC1 of a Wednesday evening at 9.25pm.
| Episode Title | Synopsis | Original Tx. Date |
|---|---|---|
| Men At Work | 11.1.78 | |
| A Grave Decision | 18.1.78 | |
| Party Games | 25.1.78 | |
| A Bleak Day | 1.2.78 | |
| Stout Deeds | 8.2.78 | |
| Paradise Lost | 15.2.78 | |
| The Last Tram | 22.2.78 |
:: Series 4
This series was originally broadcast on BBC1 of a Tuesday evening at 9.25pm.
| Episode Title | Synopsis | Original Tx. Date |
|---|---|---|
| The Love Match | 8.5.79 | |
| Love Is A Many Splendoured Thing | 15.5.79 | |
| A Tip Top Day | 22.5.79 | |
| Don't Answer That | 29.5.79 | |
| The Great Escape | 5.6.79 | |
| What's In A Name? | 19.6.79 | |
| The Great Day | 26.6.79 |