Editing British sitcom (section)

===''Ever Decreasing Circles''===
On BBC1 for four series and one feature-length special, ''[[Ever Decreasing Circles]]'' (1984–1989) was made in a total of 27 episodes. It was written by John Esmonde and Bob Larbey, and it reunited them with [[Richard Briers]], of their previous hit show ''The Good Life''. [[Sydney Lotterby]] directed 13 episodes and 14 episodes were produced by [[Harold Snoad]]. The show also featured guest appearances by [[Peter Blake (actor)|Peter Blake]], [[Ronnie Stevens (actor)|Ronnie Stevens]], [[Victoria Burgoyne]] and [[Ray Winstone]]. Centred around Martin Bryce, the eccentric mover and shaker of his local community who feels threatened by the verve and aplomb of a new arrival in the village, played by [[Peter Egan]]. Its handling was much less brash than most sitcoms, and ''The Guardian'' described it as having "a quiet, unacknowledged and deep-running despair to it that in retrospect seems quite daring".<ref name=guardian>{{cite news| url = http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2012/mar/19/cricket-match-ever-decreasing-circles| title = "The cricket match in Ever Decreasing Circles", ''The Guardian'', 19 March 2012. Accessed 4 January 2022| newspaper = The Guardian| date = 19 March 2012}}</ref> Reappraising the series, Andy Dawson observed that "''Ever Decreasing Circles'' strayed far from the well-worn path that other Britcoms trudged along in the 70s and 80s. There was a very real darkness at the heart of it, with Martin existing in what was almost certainly a state of permanent mental anguish."<ref>{{cite web|first=Andy|last=Dawson|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/richard-briers-dead-good-life-1716574|title=''The Good Life'' was the show that made Richard Briers famous, but ''Ever Decreasing Circles'' was his finest hour|website=Daily Mirror|date=4 January 2022}}</ref> The show was voted number 52 in the BBC's ''Britain's Best Sitcom'' poll in 2003. At its peak, it attracted television audiences of around 12 million.<ref name="telegraph">{{cite web|first=Ellie|last=Pithers|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9746219/Penelope-Wilton-on-working-with-Richard-Briers.html|title=Penelope Wilton on working with Richard Briers|work=The Daily Telegraph|date=14 December 2012}}</ref>