The DVD Review 

MAN ABOUT THE HOUSE Season Two   

Released by AV Channel and Umbrella Entertainment. Out now to buy.  

More britcom fun from Umbrella as we take a look at Man About the House Season Two, the situation is the same as before, two sexy girls (Paula Wilcox as Chrissy and Sally Thomsett as Jo) sharing a flat with a male chef (Richard O’Sullivan as Robin) - a very risqué idea back in 1974, added to the mixture was their landlords The Ropers (George and Mildred played by Brian Murphy and Yootha Joyce) who lived downstairs. With a cast that appear to get on really well and a series of plotlines that revolve around misunderstandings and frustrated attempts  by Robin to “get off” with Chrissy Man About the House is one of the better ITV sitcoms of the 1970’s. The 6 episodes of this season feature some great guest appearances too, the gorgeous Jenny Hanley and Ian Lavender in the party set opener While The Cat’s Away, Dennis Waterman as a German doctor in Did You Ever Meet Rommel?, Brush Strokes’ Karl Howman in the babysitting episode Two Foot Two, Eyes of Blue (Jo Kendall who had just been killed off in Emmerdale Farm also appears in this episode) and Norman Eshley (Fourmile from George and Mildred) as a married man hoping to have an affair with Chrissy in In Praise of Older Men (interestingly Eshley would return in the final season of the show playing Robin’s brother and would end up marrying Chrissy before appearing shortly after in George and Mildred). The great Leslie Sands pops up too in the final episode of this season Carry Me Back To Old Southampton as Robin’s father trying to persuade him to return home to work in the family business.  As always very witty and great fun to watch, roll on season three.

EXTRAS: Man About the House cast in raunchy pool parties shocker -just one of the facts revealed in the three audio commentaries that greatly enhance this release, Brian Murphy and Sally Thomsett chat over the episode Did You Ever Meet Rommel? And Sally contributes commentaries for While The Cats Away and Colour Me Yellow, (the guys  reveal that their producer had a fondness for organising pool parties and liked to swim au naturel as well as such delights as a discussion on Yootha Joyce’s elegant wardrobe compared to Mildred’s shock frocks; A great addition, not so much commentaries as a chance for Brian and Sally to reminisce about their time on the show.  The other extras include extensive sleeve notes on the Man About the House Movie, the series also includes the original broadcast ad caps (you know those little idents of the Thames logo) which is not an extra but is something to treasure when many copies don’t bother with such delights.  There are also trailers for other Britcoms. Essential.