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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Spells &amp; Karma" data-source="post: 428323" data-attributes="member: 23">Now that I've finished the final series, I'm happy to say that Love Thy Neighbour has been one of the more consistent sitcoms of the era. There was no significant drop in quality, and certainly no question of episodes being unwatchable in the way some later On The Buses episodes were.The series managed to keep its tone despite the array of different writers coming in for the latter four series. The worst that happened in this department was occasional repetition of scenarios, but with a broad sitcom that already features stock catchphrases, that familiarity felt welcome. Speaking of familiarity, it helped greatly that there weren't any major changes to cast or format once the series was up and running. Apart from the recast of Joan beyond the pilot, the most jarring shakeup was the introduction of Nobby. I maintain that Nobby was inferior to Cyril, but both were just peripheral enough for it to be acceptable. The sets were consistent throughout (particularly once the bar was established in place of the canteen or workshop) and any changes to roles felt like continuity rather than change for change's sake. Even the pregnancies and birth had little impact, and I was perfectly happy that the babies were talked about but almost never seen on-screen. Perhaps it helped that, as was often the case with sitcoms at this time, there were two series per year: spring and winter, meaning that all eight series were produced in under four years. This not only meant the cast stayed consistent but, with an average of less than seven episodes per series, it meant there wasn't much room for filler. On The Buses, for instance, had fewer series than LTN, but OTB's series were longer, averaging 11 episodes per series, and it felt there was a lot of filler in that show.It's very gradual, but I'd say the series mellowed over the course of its run. The relationship between Bill and Eddie is the best example of this. It felt implicitly more playful and lighthearted towards the end. The same insults and criticisms were bandied about, but it felt as though they somehow appreciated each other and perhaps even enjoyed the dynamics of their little spats. There were occasional episodes when Eddie would give Bill his due, for instance. And (even though it ended up with another falling out) Bill coming round to help Eddie with his shelves showed some willing. He arrived grudgingly with shoulders sloping and announced he had been sent by Barbie, and the overall effect was of two overgrown children who had been told by their mothers to make up. Which I suppose sums up the entire series. I had a feeling the final episode would be a damp squib, at least in terms of giving closure, and I wasn't wrong. It was simply another episode, which is why I'm glad I've saved the feature film to close things out.</blockquote>

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