The Royle Family

The Royle Family was a popular BBC television situation comedy (sitcom) that ran for three series between 1998 and 2000. It concerned the lives of a cash-strapped working class Manchester family, the Royles.

Miscellany

Unlike most sitcoms the show is filmed in 16mm using a single camera. Multi-camera videotape is standard for UK sitcoms.

Related Topics:
16mm - Videotape

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Each episode appears to take place in real time, so that half an hour of the Royles' lives unfolds during each half-hour episode. However, the passage of time as indicated by the changing programmes on the Royles' TV sometimes suggests that the action has been compressed.

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All of the action takes place in the Royles' house. The camera never leaves the house. If the Royles look out of the window the camera looks at them and not what they are looking at. The only images from outside are glimpses of programmes on the Royles' TV.

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The show was made famous by Jim ending many sentences with the catchphrase "My arse".

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The show's theme tune is "Half the World Away" by Oasis. The song can be found as the B-Side to "Whatever" and on the album The Masterplan.

Related Topics:
Theme tune - Oasis - B-Side - Whatever - The Masterplan

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Each series appeared to lead up to a specific event. The first led to Denise and Dave's wedding; the second saw Denise now pregnant with their child and led up to the birth (Denise went into labour in the Christmas special); and the third saw the addition of Baby David and the run-up to his christening and his first birthday on Christmas Day. Jim also received Sky Digital as a present.

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The name The Royle Family is an obvious pun on Britain's Royal Family. The rude manners of the Royles are in contrast with the supposed refined manners of the Queen and her family. The joke was taken to its logical conclusion by impressionist Alistair McGowan on his television show, with a series of sketches featuring the Royal Family as the Royle Family. The Duke of Edinburgh character played Jim, with Queen Elizabeth II as Barbara, The Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker-Bowles as Dave and Denise, and The Duke of York as Anthony, wearing the top half of a Royal Navy uniform along with a pair of tracksuit trousers.

Related Topics:
Britain's Royal Family - Queen - Alistair McGowan - Duke of Edinburgh - Prince of Wales - Camilla Parker-Bowles - Duke of York - Royal Navy - Tracksuit

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Also notable is the pairing of Sue Johnston and Ricky Tomlinson as husband and wife, as the two were well known for playing another married couple, Bobby and Sheila Grant, on Channel 4's long-running soap opera Brookside. Similarly, Ralf Little and Sheridan Smith also went on to reprise their roles as an onscreen couple, Johnny and Janet, in the later sitcom Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps.

Related Topics:
Channel 4 - Soap opera - Brookside - Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps

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