# Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973)

> An eager, well-meaning but disaster-prone young man and his long-suffering wife stumble through married life in this 1970s British sitcom.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/5635

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 19
- Episode runtime: 30 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: comedy
- Created by: Raymond Allen
- Network: BBC One
- Cast: Michael Crawford, Michele Dotrice, John D. Collins, Geoffrey Whitehead, Linda Hayden, Cyril Shaps, Desmond Llewelyn, Vernon Dobtcheff
- TMDB rating: 7.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069634/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: breezy, sincere, comforting, cozy, joyful

## What critics say

Audiences regard the early seasons as a warm, very funny showcase for Michael Crawford's accident-prone Frank Spencer, with the third season judged weaker.

## Synopsis

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em (1973-1978) is a British sitcom created by Raymond Allen for BBC One. Michael Crawford stars as Frank Spencer, an eager, well-meaning young man whose good intentions keep ending in catastrophe, and Michele Dotrice plays Betty Spencer, his long-suffering wife who must keep their domestic life from collapsing around them. Across three seasons and nineteen half-hour episodes, the engine of the show is simple and physical: each episode builds a small domestic ambition, whether a household task, an outing, or a plan to make ends meet, and then lets Frank's clumsiness turn it into a chain of escalating mishaps. The humour leans on slapstick timing, exaggerated pratfalls and the warm, exasperated affection between the couple. Set in an ordinary 1970s Britain of modest homes and everyday errands, the series has a cosy, breezy register with a sincere heart beneath the chaos. Viewers who enjoy the physical comedy of Mr. Bean, or the domestic charm of The Good Life and Terry and June, will find the same comfort in its gentle, wholesome farce.

## Shows like Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em

- [The Good Life (1975)](https://ember.film/tv/2628)
- [To the Manor Born (1979)](https://ember.film/tv/112)
- [Mr. Bean (1990)](https://ember.film/tv/4112)
- [My Family (2000)](https://ember.film/tv/608)
- [The Brittas Empire (1991)](https://ember.film/tv/227)
- [George and Mildred (1976)](https://ember.film/tv/2296)
- [Steptoe and Son (1962)](https://ember.film/tv/3171)
- [One Foot in the Grave (1990)](https://ember.film/tv/4327)
- [The Benny Hill Show (1969)](https://ember.film/tv/2855)
- [Dad's Army (1968)](https://ember.film/tv/475)

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