Howards' Way - Classic or Dud?

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Does anyone remember this boat-building, bed-hopping 1980's BBC soap?

http://www.zetaminor.com/images/cult_tv/howards_way/howards_press/story_book.jpg

More than you ever wanted to show about the series can be found here: http://www.zetaminor.com/cult/howards_way/howards_way_index.htm

― Ben Mott (Ben Mott), Sunday, 3 April 2005 13:44 (twenty years ago)

i *specifically* remember the first episode (possibly even the first bit of the first episode) where after a hearty meal the kids had an argument with their parents about who was going to FILL THE DISH-WASHER. this was when i knew it wasn't going to be like corrie...

(of course this may be false memory syndrome of some sort)

― CarsmileSteve (CarsmileSteve), Sunday, 3 April 2005 14:14 (twenty years ago)

I have an ex-boyfriend who was from near where it was filmed, and he says him and his pals used to try and get into as many scenes as possible (mostly unsuccessfully). I've never seen any re-runs of it, so have no idea if he ever managed it.

I used to watch it, as I was about ten when it was on, and it was glamorous! Sexy! Devious! Stylish! (oh, come on, it was the 80s!)

Thinking back, it was a load of old rubbish, wasn't it? It really wanted to be Dallas and Dynasty, but pastel-clad people with boatyards in Southampton just aren't interesting.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 3 April 2005 15:33 (twenty years ago)

Howards' Way was a typically reticent British attempt at replicating the gloss of the American imports popular at the time (Dallas, Dynasty, Falcon Crest). It was never quite sure whether to go down the road of "Sunday night BBC family drama" or "glamour soap" and the end result was excessively cheesy and a tad schizoid. Still, it did have a good theme tune.

I'm surprised that with Dallas and Dynasty both getting a DVD release now (with the possibility of The Colbys, Knots Landing and Falcon Crest to follow)that nobody's snapped up the DVD rights to Howards' Way. Not only was it a consistently high-rated show for the Beeb, but it's got that whole nostalgia "80's kitsch" angle to it.

― Ben Mott (Ben Mott), Sunday, 3 April 2005 16:12 (twenty years ago)

No it did not have a good theme tune. It was sung by Marti Webb, FFS. How can that be good (and why do I remember this stuff)?

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 3 April 2005 16:17 (twenty years ago)

Yes, the ballad was crap, but the instrumental theme tune (Simon May on acid) was okay.

― Ben Mott (Ben Mott), Sunday, 3 April 2005 16:28 (twenty years ago)

I remember the titles, and that it was on just after my bathtime. I only remember the titles, because my parents would always switch over to something else.

― caitlin (caitlin), Sunday, 3 April 2005 18:48 (twenty years ago)

Compare and contrast with Howard The Duck.

― Aimless (Aimless), Monday, 4 April 2005 03:47 (twenty years ago)

My Dad and his friend actually bought the Flying Fish yacht after the show ended and I've slept on it and EVERYTHING!!!

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 4 April 2005 06:47 (twenty years ago)

Always theeeeere....

― dog latin (dog latin), Monday, 4 April 2005 06:50 (twenty years ago)

Argh! I thought this was about Howard's End.

If only E.M. Forster had written a boat-building bed-hopping 80s soap.

― Masonic Cathedral (kate), Monday, 4 April 2005 07:41 (twenty years ago)

oh dear, ailsa - me and my friends used to try and get into the background of Howards' Way scenes as well! there really wasn't a lot to do round our way.

― pete b. (pete b.), Monday, 4 April 2005 08:05 (twenty years ago)

Classic but not as good as Triangle - Hull to Rotterdam and er Kate O'Mara being sassy with the Pursar or was that Bursar?

― kayT (kaytee), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 14:40 (twenty years ago)

I thought Kate O'Mara was the purser in Triangle!

― Ben Mott (Ben Mott), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 15:29 (twenty years ago)

Richard Yardley was in it. He was the chandler. And he allegedly started the "fashion" of wearing V-neck sweaters with no shirt underneath.

The old drunken boatyard owner - played by someone Owen wasn't it? I know the character was called Jack Rolfe. And he kept his wellington boots in the filing cabinet.

― MarkH (MarkH), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 18:48 (twenty years ago)

sorry he was Stephen Yardley.

― MarkH (MarkH), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 18:49 (twenty years ago)

His character was called Ken Masters.

There was some posh totty called Avril (was she Jack Rolfe's daughter?). There was also a really uber-80s looking guy with blond streaked hair given to wearing pastel sweaters loosely knotted round his neck - Avril's brother? Lover? Business partner? Was he called Leo? And a smarmy git called Charles Frere. I think I probably fancied them both when I was a highly hormonally confused 12 year old.

Dear God, this worries me so much. I don't even remember anything of the storyline...

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 18:58 (twenty years ago)

seven months pass...

"There was also a really uber-80s looking guy with blond streaked hair given to wearing pastel sweaters loosely knotted round his neck - Avril's brother? Lover? Business partner? Was he called Leo?"

Yes, he was called Leo, but he wasn't related to Avril.

UK Drama have just started repeating Howards' Way so I caught the first episode last night and if anything it's even more cheesy and chintzy than I remember it being.

And yes, Carsmile Steve, there is a scene where the wife and mum, Jan, wails: "You could've at least stacked the dishwasher!"

― Ben Mott (Ben Mott), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 13:08 (twenty years ago)

i thought this was going to be about em forster. post-modern or what.

― Theorry Henry (Enrique), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 13:51 (twenty years ago)

Magnificent, Carsmile!

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 14:03 (twenty years ago)

i thought this was going to be about em forster. post-modern or what.

-- Theorry Henry (miltonpinsk...) (webmail), Today 7:51 AM. (Enrique) (later)

no shit! i was psyched to call y'all gay. what a letdown.

― sunny successor (he hates my guts, we had a fight) (katharine), Tuesday, 8 November 2005 14:14 (twenty years ago)

three weeks pass...

The first series of Howards' Way will be released on DVD next March.

― Ben Mott (Ben Mott), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:38 (twenty years ago)

I'll be getting it for my Dad. He and a group of friends managed to somehow buy the Flying Fish after the show ended.

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:49 (twenty years ago)

Do he/they still own it?

― Ben Mott (Ben Mott), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:50 (twenty years ago)

No sadly not. My Dad stopped being rich in the 90s.

― dog latin (dog latin), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 11:56 (twenty years ago)

Written by Dulcie Gray. Therefore CLASSIC!

― KM Thradlow, Wednesday, 30 November 2005 16:49 (twenty years ago)

Inspired by this thread, I am watching UKTV Drama RIGHT NOW! Jan Howard is wandering around a warehouse in a hideous pink shoulder-padded suit accompanied by a French ponce with a ponytail who is called Claude.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 19:04 (twenty years ago)

Now Charles Frere and Ken Masters are having a conversation about investments. Charles is in a home-made gym doing the lamest workout ever in a white jogging suit.

This is the most 80s TV show in the world (well, in the UK, anyway)

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

"Jan Howard is wandering around a warehouse in a hideous pink shoulder-padded suit accompanied by a French ponce with a ponytail who is called Claude."

Or "Clod" as all the characters seem to pronounce it.

― Ben Mott (Ben Mott), Wednesday, 30 November 2005 21:26 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

There's only another few weeks of HW on UK Drama and now Kate O'Mara has turned up.

Anyone with an interest in naff 80's kitsch should check out this show. It's great - like Terry And June with shoulder-pads.

― Ben Mott (Ben Mott), Friday, 27 January 2006 07:39 (twenty years ago)

three months pass...

I realise I'm probably the only person interested, but the first series is now out on DVD. And they've even gone to the trouble of recording commentaries on three episodes - with Jan "Jan Howard" Harvey and Stephen "Ken Masters" Yardley.

Series two is out on 19th June.

― Ben Mott (Ben Mott), Tuesday, 16 May 2006 10:05 (nineteen years ago)

When I saw this on UK Drama, it involved a shy girl with a criminal bob-cut (styled with hedge shears) and a baby in tow, being yelled at by her Joan Collins-esque big haired mother for being "indecent".

There was also an American guy with a blow-wave, and a couple getting "raunchy" in someone's office. Horrific scenes followed.

That said, I quite like "Rockliffe's Babies" also on UK Drama.....

― JTS (JTS), Tuesday, 16 May 2006 22:04 (nineteen years ago)

Always HATED this program. But it was probably still better than House Of Elliot. The most boring program ever. But that probably deserves its own thread.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy (Kerr), Tuesday, 16 May 2006 22:16 (nineteen years ago)

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