I'm very late to the party, having only recently discovered this hidden gem of a program through Netflix. Watching for the first time twenty years after the show's initial air, I immediately got the sense that I'd stumbled upon a classic---or, at the very least, a cult classic. The Royle Family isn't quite like anything else I've ever seen. It's definitely a slow burn, but that's part of its charm. Don't watch it expecting plot twists and cliffhangers because the show is not action-oriented. You watch this show for the dialogue and the character development. Both are exquisite.
Each member of the Royle clan is deeply flawed, and together they're downright dysfunctional. You'll come to love and root for all of them, though. They'll remind you of your own family, or maybe another family you know. You'll want to punch Jim Royle in his smug face from time to time, but only because you desperately want him to realize how fortunate he is to have such a loving, supportive family, before it's too late. You'll want to hug Barbara and extend your sympathies to Antony. You'll pick up on the unspoken tension between the family in any given scene, and your heart will tangibly ache for this fictional clan in their mundane struggles.
There's nothing pretentious about The Royle Family. It's a dry sitcom about a working-class family of incredibly average people. The entire show takes place inside the Royles' dimly lit home, and most of the time the characters are just watching evening television or gossiping idly about neighbors we never get to see. It's all very, well, mundane, but you'd be amazed how all this simplicity only emphasizes the complexity of human emotions and relationships.
Each member of the Royle clan is deeply flawed, and together they're downright dysfunctional. You'll come to love and root for all of them, though. They'll remind you of your own family, or maybe another family you know. You'll want to punch Jim Royle in his smug face from time to time, but only because you desperately want him to realize how fortunate he is to have such a loving, supportive family, before it's too late. You'll want to hug Barbara and extend your sympathies to Antony. You'll pick up on the unspoken tension between the family in any given scene, and your heart will tangibly ache for this fictional clan in their mundane struggles.
There's nothing pretentious about The Royle Family. It's a dry sitcom about a working-class family of incredibly average people. The entire show takes place inside the Royles' dimly lit home, and most of the time the characters are just watching evening television or gossiping idly about neighbors we never get to see. It's all very, well, mundane, but you'd be amazed how all this simplicity only emphasizes the complexity of human emotions and relationships.