Just watched this for the first time in years and it's still brilliant.
The balance between comedy & drama is spot on, the writing was superb and the acting was top notch.
The scene between Norma & Barbara when she's thanking her for looking after her always gets me. Such an emotional & powerful scene.
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"Sleep. Those little slices of death. How I loathe them".
It was great. The last good Royle Family outing.
shareI agree.
I saw the 2009 special a few days ago and it was just awful. The characters were exaggerated to the point they were almost unrecogniseable.
If Caroline & Craig could write a script reminiscent of the first & second series, they'd be alright.
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"Sleep. Those little slices of death. How I loathe them".
I also agree. This episode wrung me out emotionally... from rolling around with laughter to crying like a baby. The very things I love about movies and TV. Jim saying 'goodbye' to Nana was heartbreaking.
shareI just watched the queen of Sheba and omg I cried like a baby the last 20 mintues. I mean they did an excellent job. Everything was great and they seemed to wrap everything up nice. I haven't watched the others after and I don't know if I want to just by reading the reviews. But oh wow what a great special.
We're in the eye of a sh_tacane ~Mr.Lahey
If you do decide to watch the others, lower your expectations. None of them are a patch on the Queen of Sheba or the three seasons of the show.
shareIt had far too many serious moments. For me, this was definitely the worst RF episode of all. Comedies should have a story, but not be dull and depressing like the Queen of Sheba. I'm surprised they would even make an episode like this considering it had been 5 years or so since the last one. Very very poor effort, and I'm just relieved for the three afterwards because they were much funnier and is what the show is all about( especially this year's).
Queen of Sheba was ten times funnier than the last three outings of RF. The only really serious moments came when Nana died, and even then they injected humor in there. The Royle Family died with Nana.
The Queen of Sheba also got Liz Smith who plays Nana the British Comedy Award. Well deserved.
The Royle Family died with Nana
I liked the Queen of Sheba, it was funny, and the Barbara/Nana scene is the most heart wrenching piece of television I have ever seen. However I think that the characters became caricatures of themselves here, not in the later specials. For instance the scene with Jim and the batteries, whilst funny, was over the top and slightly out of character for him.
I also hated how they dragged out Nana's death. There was really no need for her to be shown in hospital. It was overblown, melodramatic and took the shine off that brilliant scene with Barbara.
The later specials for me have all been absolutely hilarious. I think you have to see them as a completely different programme from the original. The characters are so over the top, stupid to the point that they seem like brainless village idiots, but nevertheless great to watch.
I think you have to see them as a completely different programme from the original.
I don't see why it matters. The show ended after three brilliant series. The original episodes are still there to be enjoyed as the best British sitcom of all time, but I have still spent the last few Christmas Days laughing my head off to these stupid yet entertaining specials.
shareThat's fine for you if you're able to mentally make yourself think of this as another show in order to enjoy it. But if you don't see why it matters when they bring back a series for spin offs and make the characters and the comedy very different to what the loyal fans of the show know and love, then the point is lost on you.
shareThe scene between Norma & Barbara when she's thanking her for looking after her always gets me. Such an emotional & powerful scene.
I can't stop crying from it. It's just how my grandma died. This is pure brilliance.
EDIT NEXT DAY: I couldn't stop crying for a long time. I frightened my dad. Between The Que Sera Sera scene, and Scarlet Ribbons, I'll never be able to hear those songs without crying. Absolutely beautiful.
If anyone boos you off stage, that is simply applause from ghosts. ~Sharon Needles
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