My Family series 1
| My Family Series 1 | |
|---|---|
| Series 1 | |
 My Family Series 1 DVD Cover | |
| No. of episodes | 8 |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC |
| Original release | 19 September – 7 November 2000 |
| Series chronology | |
The first series of BBC family sitcom My Family originally aired between September 19, 2000, and November 7, 2000. The first episode of the series, and the pilot episode, was entitled "The Serpent’s Tooth". All eight episodes in the first series are thirty minutes long. The first episode introduces the five main characters that regularly appear in the series: Robert Lindsay, who plays Ben, Zoë Wanamaker, who plays Susan, Kris Marshall, who plays Nick, Daniela Denby-Ashe, who plays Janey, and Gabriel Thomson, who plays Michael. A further regular member of the cast is Bridgette, played by Daisy Donovan, who appears in nearly episode of the series. The series was produced by Rude Boy Productions[1], a company that produces comedies created by Fred Barron.[2] The series was filmed at Pinewood Studios in London,[3] with a live studio audience.[4]
Episode Information
| Episode Number | Broadcast Date | Title | Written by | Viewership (Millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 – 1.1 | 19 September 2000 | "The Serpent’s Tooth" | James Hendrie & Ian Brown | 8.48 |
| 2 – 1.2 | 26 September 2000 | "A Pain In The Class" | James Hendrie & Ian Brown | 7.46 |
| 3 – 1.3 | 3 October 2000 | "Droit De Seigneur Ben" | Fred Barron & Shawn Schepps | 5.95 |
| 4 – 1.4 | 10 October 2000 | "The Last Resort" | Steve Armogida & Jim Armogida | 5.42 |
| 5 – 1.5 | 17 October 2000 | "Farewell To Alarms" | Steve Armogida & Jim Armogida | 6.89 |
| 6 – 1.6 | 24 October 2000 | "Death And Ben Take A Policy" | Fred Barron & Penny Cost | 6.19 |
| 7 – 1.7 | 30 October 2000 | "The Awkward Phase" | Fred Barron | 8.38 |
| 8 – 1.8 | 7 November 2000 | "Much Ado About Ben" | Steve Armogida & Jim Armogida | 7.62 |
Reception
Viewers
The series was given a mid-week time slot, originally airing on Tuesdays at 8:30pm. The series became an immediate hit with viewers, with the first episode gaining 8.48 million viewers, the sixth highest rating for the week.[5]. Ratings began to fall for the next three episodes, to a point where ratings for the fourth episode of the series failed to appear in the BBC's Top 30 programmes. [6] However, when the series was moved to a prime-time slot on Friday evenings, beginning with Episode 5, ratings began to improve, with the seventh episode of the series reaching 8.38 million viewers. The first series averaged 7.04 million viewers for each episode.
| Rank | Episode | Viewership | Audience Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Serpent’s Tooth | 8.48 million | |
| 2 | The Awkward Phase | 8.38 million | |
| 3 | Much Ado About Ben | 7.62 million | |
| 4 | A Pain In The Class | 7.46 million | |
| 5 | Farewell To Alarms | 6.89 million | |
| 6 | Death And Ben Take A Policy | 6.19 million | |
| 7 | Droit De Seigneur Ben | 5.95 million | |
| 8 | The Last Resort | 5.42 million |
Critics
The series was openely criticised for its American roots, with the use of quick one-line jokes, compared to the more traditional built-up jokes of other British sitcoms.[7][8] Daniel Lees, of My Family Online, stated that the fifth episode of the series, "Farewell To Alarms", stands out from an otherwise mediocre first series. He described the episode as a "perfectly written, impeccably performed piece, generally enjoyable as a whole".[9]He also stated that the show itself has "easy-going plots, with some hilarious moments intertwined with atmosphere, character interaction and a general feel-good ambience".
References
- ^ "Sitcom Production Companies".
- ^ "Rude Boy Productions".
- ^ "My Family".
- ^ "Television Audiences".
- ^ "Weekly terrestrial top 30 (BBC 1) w/e 24 Sep. 2000".
- ^ http://www.barb.co.uk/viewingsummary/weekreports.cfm?Requesttimeout=500&report=weeklyterrestrial%7CMy Family viewing figures on BARB
- ^ "My Family (BBC 1)".
- ^ "My Family".
- ^ "My Family Online Review".