One Foot in the Grave: Season 1, Episode 2 The Big Sleep

My late grandfather use to have a book at home that he use to look up josh.

Dave Jeffers

....and wasn't funny at all

Patrick Bonnet

Lol 😂

After Work Reactions

There is a scene in the next episode where it probably got a few complaints when it first aired

jack

If Curb Your Enthusiasm was British

Bryter

The newspaper Victor is reading with the back page headline "Palace axe 9 goal Perry" refers to Crystal Palace goalkeeper Perry Suckling conceding nine goals against Liverpool in September 1989, so that dates this episode pretty nicely. This particular kind of hypochondria is definitely not a recent phenomenon, I don't know if it's just a British thing but it was once fairly common for people of a certain age to own a medical dictionary and read it constantly. The novel Three Men In A Boat from the late nineteenth century begins with the protagonists reading a medical dictionary and convincing themselves they're suffering from the various illnesses.

Charlie

Next week's episode was the first one to receive complaints.

Keith Pratt

This is what I love about OFTG at face value it just looks like a comedy about a grumpy old man who gets into absurd situations but Victor is essentially a good man who has a great sense of fairness about him which is why he is annoyed at the world all the time, people dropping litter etc. It also explores dark themes and has a deeper meaning, I loved this show as a teenager just for the comedy but as an adult I see there is much more too it.

"This shouldn't be funny! 😆" You're not alone buddy 😆😂🤣

Daryl

It is a great show man I am loving it!

After Work Reactions

Love o that is hilarious bud 😂

After Work Reactions

That is awesome bud thanks for joining, hope you enjoy the show!

After Work Reactions

Lol me too 😂🙄

After Work Reactions

It is great so far man 🤣

After Work Reactions

meldrew's hypochondria reminds me of so many peoples bullcrap sick calls at work in my retail job

girlsdrinkfeck

Love it!!😂😂😂

Claire Prowse

Very good timing for this series as I only recently joined patreon and this is one of my favourite series. I never became a patreon of any Youtuber before, which I think says a lot of how good your content is!

Clowd

The lady who plays victors wife is the hilarious sweary lady in the old folks home in afterlife

Mark Parker

A pretty niche comedy reference in this episode circa 4.55, where Margaret suggests Victor only wears a top hat to look like Freddie Frinton (I noticed Josh repeating the name in understandable confusion). He was a music hall comedian who hit peak popularity in the UK during the 1940s and 1950s; his most lasting legacy was a comedy sketch called Dinner For One which was filmed for German television in the 1960s, and has been broadcast to millions of viewers every New Year's Eve for decades throughout Central Europe and Scandinavia, despite the fact that most British people have never even heard of it. (Germans in particular absolutely revere the sketch, can quote every line by heart, and are absolutely amazed that we Brits don't consider it the peak of our contributions to comedy.) Besides that, it's great to see OFITG unfolding again with its trademark mixture of hilarity and poignancy right from the start. When I was a kid, I was able to watch Victor fretting about his health and the possibility of sudden death as if it was some fantastical concept on a par with time travel or other worlds. But I'm now the same age as David Renwick was when he started writing the show, and damned if I don't end up googling all sorts of aches and pains whenever I read about someone who's just a couple of years older than me (or even a couple of years younger!) checking out before their time. OFITG consistently hits that sweet spot of finding the wonderful absurdity in life and mortality, and making you feel less bad - or at least, less *alone* - in fearing it. And as others have said, the show just gets better and better as it goes along.

Ian Richards

Fantastic reaction, Josh! I'm so glad you're enjoying this series. For me, well, as I've said, it's my favourite ever British sitcom so I'm naturally really enjoying yet another re-watch! :-) What's especially pleasing is that if you're enjoying these series 1 episodes as much as you are already, you will LOVE many of the later episodes! Like OFAH, it truly does get better and better! The reference to The Elephant Man reminds me of Karl Pilkington but I have to say that Victor Meldrew reminds me a little of Karl Pilkington! Karl's reached that world-weariness much sooner but they share very similar traits! :-D The show is already displaying its intrinsic predisposition for darkness albeit that these earlier episodes deal with it in a slightly lighter fashion than later on. That last scene especially, with the dead robin being buried and the next door neighbour's beer can landing on its "grave" - it's really quite bleak when you think about it but the show never shies away from this and I love that. The fact that it's hysterically funny into the bargain just cements its status as a superbly-written show and one I'm sure you will grow to love dearly over the weeks and months ahead. :-)

Ash Jeffries

At the end of the episode, when Victor buries the dead robin, it's such a melancholic reminder of what this series is all about. The show goes for the laughs, but it also is full of beautiful moments of pathos. Life and often cruel and ultimately death is inevitable. Nature is red in tooth and claw. An innocent creature dies and rather than the world reflecting upon that death in a unison of sympathy, an empty beer can is chucked upon the grave callously and without forethought. The world moves on, completely indifferent to the suffering of others and yet, Victor cares because he is a good man. He's a man who cares for life and death. This is such a moving series. It's one of the greatest British sitcoms of all time; as funny as it is a statement upon humanity as a whole. It's a series which is hilarious but also humanistic and brimming with empathetic relatability. I honestly think that it's one of the finest shows ever created.

Right Said Brett

So glad your enjoying OFITG as I knew you would Josh so we can hear your infectious laughter again and again LOL enjoy.

Andrew G

I love One Foot in the Grave so much. Victor reminds me of myself and Margaret reminds me of my Mother. I'm sure Freud would have something to say about that!

Right Said Brett

"She's dead!" "SHE CAN'T BE DEAD! SHE'S THE BLOODY HEALTH AND FITNESS INSTRUCTOR!"

Devyn Hall

The window cleaner talking about Victor exposing himself reminds me of a Reddit story from a while back. This woman was having a go at a teenage boy for being naked in his own bedroom, and when she complained and he didn't stop she decided to film it as evidence and take it to the police, only for them to arrest her for making indecent images of children!

Manly Stump

Another good episode. I'm so glad OFITG won, probably the best comedy alongside OFAH.

Christopher Horner

I agree, it's great watching it all these years later. Perfect Only Fools replacement. Haha we used to call my little brother Victor Meldrew when he had a strop on.

BelladonnicHazeyJaneII

As I said previously, I didn't really remember too much of OFITG aside from repeats, but this is proving to be as dark and subversive as some had suggested! An excellent replacement as a Friday night tonic to OFAH. BTW, as a child my mum always used to call me Victor as I moaned about everything! An eight-year-old going on eighty she'd say!

Joe Gardiner

Thoughts are with you and yours, Claire. Take care x

Joe Gardiner

Been a toughest week of my life dealing with all the stuff after mum passing...never realised there'd be so much red tape and paperwork...total nightmare...What better way to end the crappy week than watching this!! It just gets better and better and better with each episode! Love it!!!

Claire Prowse

Josh do you remember Father Ted and the “I dont believe it” man? :)

Mike Doel

That's what Hitler said, back in '44

Tony Smyth

First!