Butterflies

BBC2

1978 -1983, 2000

Butterflies was a bittersweet sitcom which revolved around Ria Parkinson, a middle-aged housewife and mother of two teenage sons.  Ria, played by the marvellous Wendy Craig, is not happy with her humdrum life and begins to ponder about what life would be like without her husband, Ben and two wayward teenage sons.

Ben was a somewhat miserable man who,  somewhere along the line became a bitter old goat who was full of resentment and woe.  His conservative values jarred greatly with his sons liberal attitudes.

Adam and his older brother Russell, were dreamers and tremendously work-shy, much to Ben's disgust.  They also had a eye for the ladies.

As for Ria, well she had to be the responsible one.  She would sit at the dining table picking away at the charred remains of her dinner - she was the world's worst cook - and listen to Ben drone on and on about his dull life and would offer pearls of wisdom and motherly advice to her children.

"Surely there was more to life then this?", thought a pensive Ria.  Well, thankfully there was in the shape of a rich businessman called Leonard who she bumps into Ria in the local park one day.  Leonard was so different to Ben.   He had interesting stories to tell and would shower her with flowers and presents, making Ria feel like a carefree woman for the first time in years.

As the series unfolded Ria began to get fanatically about Leonard and indeed visa versa.  However Ria did the decent thing and decided that Ben was the man who she should be with, despite his many faults and failings.  And, true to her word she never once strayed into Leonard's bedroom.

Other characters in the series included Ria's charlady Ruby, a rather dour and daft woman and Thomas, who was Leonard's faithful butler and chauffeur.

The series ended in 1983 but Ria, popped up again in 1989 alongside other female leads from other Carla Lane comedies as part of a Comic Relief special.  The whole cast returned in 2000 for a short Children In Need special which featured Ria celebrating her 60th birthday but still very much searching for fulfilment.  Bless her heart!

GALLERY  l  COMEDY CENTRAL  l tvgold

Credits Jason D'Arcy ©TV Fetish 2007