Sam: Complete Series 1 [DVD]

For some reason I didn’t see this at the time, and to my knowledge it has never been repeated (why?). It came shortly after John Finch’s other excellent series ‘A Family at War,’ and deals with a different social milieu. The characters live in a poor mining community in Yorkshire, and (starting in the 1930s) times are very bleak. Two of the older characters were born in the workhouse. The families face unemployment, poverty and the means test, but they believe in helping their own people.There is a stunning performance from Michael Goodliffe as Sam’s grandfather, stern and high-principled. Goodliffe was usually cast as upper-class types (indeed, that was his background), but is magnificent here as Jack Barraclough, a curmudgeon whose life has made him that way, but who can occasionally shows a gentle aspect of his personality.The other performances I would praise are those of Ray Smith as Jack’s son George, well-meaning but never quite measuring up to his father’s standards; and Alethea Charlton as George’s wife Ethel, an apparent ‘battle axe’ but sensible and with a soft side.There is conflict within families, between workers and managers, and between husband and wife. Great characters, and a gripping story.

I remembered sam on tv when i was eleven and my mum wasn't sure i should watch it, but after much pleading she relented and i got to stop up a bit longer. i was engrossed, enchanted yet realized while watching, how fortunate i was not to be scraping a living in such harsh times as that, and THAT was it , The way a writer could show you LIFE, real LIFE . the hardship, the squallor, the never-say-die attitude of the people eeking out an existance, the emotion, the gut wrenching sadness but most of all the uplifting of one's spirit when you see the character's come through their personel troubles to carry on the journey through their lives.Anyone and everyone who has access to this amazing television event should immerse themselves into it. I only wish sam, as a youngster had a more expressive part and we understood a little more of how HE felt about life.I could only give this a rating of five stars only because a thousand stars wouldn't do it justice. Buy it, watch it (repeatably) but above all Remember it !!!

I first watched this series when it was shown in the "seventies",and it stuck in my mind. If we think we struggle now with a recession on, then watch series one of Sam. Hardship ,poverty,hunger. Set in a fictional Yorkshire mining village in the early 1930"s it is based on the reality of those times. Really good storylines,but can be quite grim in places.

Great tv series .so good brought the other two.

Purchased as a present for a family member along with series 2. They said it was good and actually preferred it to the second series.

just viewed the full series and the wife and me really enjoyed this drama,we actually remembered it as seen at the time and it is as good today to view as it was all those years ago,,every actor seemed to fit the character they played and the grandad was superb,as was mark mcmanners,,beautiful piece of work,,

A really good drama so good I bought series 2 and 3 as well

Enjoyed every minute of this series , couldn't wait for each episode , made me realise how hard it was for my parents in those grim times to bring up a family .