Howards' Way - Series 1 [1985]

Customer Reviews:

Definitely for 1980's BBC Drama addicts.......2006-09-13

I was glued to Howards Way during the 80's and am throughly enjoying it this time around. Definitely a series for the those who either watched it the first time and feel like a wallow in some 80's nostalgia, or those studying "strange fashions and behaviours" of the 80's. Don't we miss those extra large shoulder pads and intense eye shadow shades? Even though it seems a bit dated now it was a well made expensive looking series and the acting definitely brought the characters alive as they lurched from crisis to disaster.

Substance beneth the glamour and shoulder pads .......2006-09-05

I did not watch the show the first time round but have heard it on more then one ocasion described as a birtish take on the 80's super soaps Dallas and Dynesty. To brush Howards way off as simple re make of these is unfair. Yes there is the sought after loaction the privilaged lifestyle nice houses fancy Cars and the people in general are dressed imaculitly.It is rare for a british soap since it consintrates on the trials and tribulations of the well off when most soaps in this country are mainly about working people. However underenath this there are strong natural performances. The storylines deal with everyday set backs and problems that most of us can relate such a once rock solid marrige falling a part , reduncy and people on the make.
What is intrestig is that Ken Masters the so called villian of the series comes across as an ambitous man who just wants to get his share of the spoiles has grafted his way to the top as pose to most of the other characters who are born into to relative comfort his motives are less selfish in comparison to Polly Orcot and Charles Frier who seem to get their kicks out of minuplating and hurting those even those that are close to them .
Jan Harvey as Jan is more intrested in statuss and glamour yet is symphetically vunrable at the same time .
The Howard children Leo and Gemma are almost too perfect and neat.Maurice Colburn shows his range here playing the typical good guy yet a faliable good guy fighting aganst the odds to live out his dream . Colburn was at this point famous for his role as hard man Kline in gangsters as well as playing a unsrublous mercenry in Doctor Who so it would appear he is playing against type. He does so convincly making Tom a likable character .
Glyn Owen as Jack Rolf is tracic yet displays moments of cringrworthy comedy adding an air that desptie the tense dramatics its not really that serous or deep .
As a soap Howards Way is of good taste the magority of the plots hold up well although there are quit a few cliches tired genre pieces the last epesode of series one is a piece of quick hackwork the cliff hanger seems slaped on for the sake of it thus losing any real tension or effect that might have been coveyed .

BOATS AND MORE BOATS !.......2006-08-25

I never really watched this show when it was first shown on the BBC way back in the 80's. As I just thought it to be yet another dull seafaring Soap , but it was in fact a drama. It's all about the Howard family and Tom Howard who is made redundant and decides. To stake everything on buying a slice of an ailing boat yard. This whole idea is slightly daft but makes a fair drama even though it's made to look like Dallas. Maurice Colbourne was a good actor and puts in a solid performance and is believable. The rest of the cast are a little wooden but Jan Harvey comes across as a self centred women who cares only for her image. Steven Yardley puts in a good performance as a the local big business man. This is a good series to see again but it is a little lacking in weight , as it was harmless Saturday viewing.

Roll on series 2.......2006-04-01

Had missed the odd episode when this saga was first shown on TV, but now I have been able to fill in the gaps and am so pleased that this series has been made into a DVD. I just could not stop watching it and cannot wait for the next series. I do hope that it won't be long before we can see series 2.

Howards Way - At Last!.......2006-03-28

One of the BBC's most expensive programmes to be recorded at the time - now on DVD.

It's a wonderful nostalgia trip and captures the essence of the 1980's.

UK DVD:

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UK DVD