lucyrfisher Review of Big Deal

Big Deal (1984–1986)

Great British working-class documentary realism

[23 March 2013]

Just watching this for the first time since the 80s (when I loved it). If you like Lovejoy, Minder and Bergerac, you will love this. It's all filmed on location and the settings are brilliantly drab and sleazy. Great acting from all concerned. It's in the tradition of British documentary realism about working-class life (Poor Cow, Cathy Come Home, A Taste of Honey). The kind of programme that just doesn't get made any more. Just one thing seems slightly odd - though nobody talks "posh", they just have generic ordinary accents. They don't have the London accent I'd expect from people living in Battersea. Perhaps the makers wanted everyone to understand the dialogue (without subtitles). It didn't bother the makers of Minder, though. Fills me with nostalgia for 70s wallpaper and embroidered pictures.