It would probably be a lot like One Foot in the Grave. The problem with the original series is that Alf is irritating and offensive notwithstanding his viewpoints; his manner is grating and it's impossible to like him. In contrast the Victor Meldrew character struck a fine balance between being curmudgeonly and sympathetic, whereas Alf was just a ranting maniac.
A modern-day equivalent of Alf probably wouldn't support the BNP, for the same reason that the 60s Alf wasn't obviously a National Front member; the idea was that his viewpoint, although offensive, was supposed to touch a chord with the audience, whereas the BNP are just a bunch of clowns that no-one takes seriously. If you want to change a person's viewpoint you have to guide them, rather than shouting in their face, and you can't guide them without winning their trust. The show's producer would have to decide whether he wants to just mock Daily Mail readers, or engage with them.
Ultimately it would be One Foot in the Grave, with a bit more politics, and whatever the Daily Mail is currently angry about.
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Prismark10
12 years ago
Alf Garnett was revived in the mid 80s onwards and at the time the series had to tackle life under Mrs Thatcher and so its politics wavered from the right wing to the left!
If they remade it today, he would be UKIP!
Its that man again!!
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marktayloruk
11 years ago
Have wondered -what attitude did Warren Maitchell take towards the NF when he was doing his one man show as Alf?
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Forlorn_Rage
8 years ago
In contrast the Victor Meldrew character struck a fine balance between being curmudgeonly and sympathetic, whereas Alf was just a ranting maniac.
In other words, he'd be a lot like Archie Bunker, the American counterpart. Funny, you should say that, considering that even though Archie is a sanitized version of Alf (at least later in the series), I doubt that
All in the Family could ever get made again today.
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