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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Spells &amp; Karma" data-source="post: 229718" data-attributes="member: 23">Next up...<img src="https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bless_me_father.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />It's been a month of drama for me. First Tenko; then A Kind Of Loving. Both are period pieces, which makes Bless Me Father seem like a somewhat logical choice (even if I hadn't realised it had a period setting until I watched the first episode). Indeed, Bless Me, Father begins where Tenko Reunion left off: in 1950.As might be clear, this is a new series to me. It went under my radar at the time it aired (I was very young when it began, but was certainly watching sitcoms like Robin's Nest by the time this series would have ended).The thought of Captain Mainwaring meeting Jake Sanders is a little mind-boggling to me. But perhaps the bigger surprises came when I did a little search on Daniel Aberini and discovered (or possibly re-discovered) there's far more to him than his stint on Return To Eden. Indeed, he was playing Frank-n-Furter during Bless Me Father's run, and apparently would later cast Russell Crowe in his first professional stage role in The Rocky Horror Show (Wikipedia says it was his first professional acting role, but I'm sure he was paid for The Young Doctors, even if he was uncredited). I'll certainly be looking at him through different eyes when and if I re-watch Return to Eden. Watching him in these first two episodes, it seems like he hasn't yet blossomed. His round, rosy face is framed by ears that are permanently red. He's the picture of innocence. Which makes him perfect for this role. I wonder if this series will mark his journey into manhood.The clerical setting is enjoyable. All Gas And Gaiters is on my viewing bucket list, and I presume would have been fresh in the minds of the audience at the time. How it compares is hard to say, since I've never watched All Gas And Gaiters. Somehow I feel that the earlier series would have been a little edgier and higher in energy. But that's mostly going on what I've seen (or heard) of Derek Nimmo. The brass band theme evokes that of Hallelujah! And the young priest's arrival in the first episode, and the locals' subsequent testing of him would be somewhat repeated in early episodes of The Vicar Of Dibley.The sets are great. They feel established and the dark hues seem to cloak the series in atmosphere. My eyes are drawn to the windows with their net curtains, and the light coming through which looks very natural and cosy.Arthur Lowe doing an Irish Catholic priest is interesting. He is inevitably completely recognisable as Arthur Lowe. Which is, of course, as it should be for the series' big draw. And he still sounds like Arthur Lowe. There's no mistaking that voice. I'm reminded of the Mr Men series, where he used regional accents for some of the characters, but never really sounded any different (that series was a firm favourite of mine when I was very young, and hearing Arthur's voice always transports me back to that time).Gabrielle Daye as Mrs Pring nicely completes the regulars.So far, I'm not laughing at the series. It's not very funny. One scene where Daniel Aberini tried to do broad physical comedy on thinking there was a mouse in the confession booth was just cringeworthy. But there's a heart to it. Watching characters, the sets and the twee little stories is like stepping into a comfortable pair of slippers and sitting down with a cuppa. It's not going to change my life, but it's a welcome little break from the trials of twenty first century life.</blockquote>

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