Episode 4

Set in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newcastle_upon_Tyne" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Newcastle upon Tyne</a> in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North-east_England" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">north-east England</a>, the show follows the friendship, resumed after five years apart, of two working-class young men, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ferris_(Likely_Lads)" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bob Ferris</a> (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Bewes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rodney Bewes</a>) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Collier" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Terry Collier</a> (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bolam" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Bolam</a>). The word "likely" in the title referred, in the 1960s series, to those showing promise, but also to those likely to get up to well-meaning mischief. The humour was based on the tension between Terry's firmly working-class outlook and Bob's aspirations to join the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_class" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">middle class</a>, through his new <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-collar_worker" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">white-collar</a> job, suburban home and impending marriage to prissy librarian Thelma Chambers (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigit_Forsyth" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brigit Forsyth</a>).<br /><br />Since the ending of the original series in 1966, Bob has left factory life behind and now works for his future father-in-law's construction firm, something which makes him even more desperate to curry favour with Thelma and her family. At Thelma's urging, Bob is also joining sports clubs and attending dinner parties, which Terry views as Bob aspiring to join the middle class. This results in Terry viewing Bob as a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_traitor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">class traitor</a> and believing his own army experience and solid working-class ethos gives him moral superiority. To a considerable degree the comedy is built on class warfare. Whereas Bob, Thelma and Terry's sister Audrey have adapted to the various changes, Terry's failure to adjust to the changes that have occurred during his five years in the army result in him being left behind, a relic of the attitudes of the mid-1960s.

TV & Film

History

Film History

Set in Newcastle upon Tyne in north-east England, the show follows the friendship, resumed after five years apart, of two working-class young men, Bob Ferris (Rodney Bewes) and Terry Collier (James Bolam). The word "likely" in the title referred, in the 1960s series, to those showing promise, but also to those likely to get up to well-meaning mischief. The humour was based on the tension between Terry's firmly working-class outlook and Bob's aspirations to join the middle class, through his new white-collar job, suburban home and impending marriage to prissy librarian Thelma Chambers (Brigit Forsyth).Since the ending of the original series in 1966, Bob has left factory life behind and now works for his future father-in-law's construction firm, something which makes him even more desperate to curry favour with Thelma and her family. At Thelma's urging, Bob is also joining sports clubs and attending dinner parties, which Terry views as Bob aspiring to join the middle class. This results in Terry viewing Bob as a class traitor and believing his own army experience and solid working-class ethos gives him moral superiority. To a considerable degree the comedy is built on class warfare. Whereas Bob, Thelma and Terry's sister Audrey have adapted to the various changes, Terry's failure to adjust to the changes that have occurred during his five years in the army result in him being left behind, a relic of the attitudes of the mid-1960s.

Set in&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newcastle_upon_Tyne" rel="noopener noreferrer">Newcastle upon Tyne</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North-east_England" rel="noopener noreferrer">north-east England</a>, the show follows the friendship, resumed after five years apart, of two working-class young men,&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Ferris_(Likely_Lads)" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bob Ferris</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_Bewes" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rodney Bewes</a>) and&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Collier" rel="noopener noreferrer">Terry Collier</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bolam" rel="noopener noreferrer">James Bolam</a>). The word "likely" in the title referred, in the 1960s series, to those showing promise, but also to those likely to get up to well-meaning mischief. The humour was based on the tension between Terry's firmly working-class outlook and Bob's aspirations to join the&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_class" rel="noopener noreferrer">middle class</a>, through his new&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-collar_worker" rel="noopener noreferrer">white-collar</a>&nbsp;job, suburban home and impending marriage to prissy librarian Thelma Chambers (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigit_Forsyth" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brigit Forsyth</a>).<br><br>Since the ending of the original series in 1966, Bob has left factory life behind and now works for his future father-in-law's construction firm, something which makes him even more desperate to curry favour with Thelma and her family. At Thelma's urging, Bob is also joining sports clubs and attending dinner parties, which Terry views as Bob aspiring to join the middle class. This results in Terry viewing Bob as a&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Class_traitor" rel="noopener noreferrer">class traitor</a>&nbsp;and believing his own army experience and solid working-class ethos gives him moral superiority. To a considerable degree the comedy is built on class warfare. Whereas Bob, Thelma and Terry's sister Audrey have adapted to the various changes, Terry's failure to adjust to the changes that have occurred during his five years in the army result in him being left behind, a relic of the attitudes of the mid-1960s.

Share Episode 4

Sign up to save your podcasts

Episode 4

Episode 4