Gary Sparrow is a pretty ordinary sort of bloke. He’s a TV repairman by trade, is married to a pretty girl who works in personnel, but is studying with the open university for a qualification in psychology. He lives in a starter home and is vaguely unsatisfied with his life. Then a call takes him down a side alley and he finds himself back in 1940 in the heart of the Blitz. He meets a pretty barmaid, takes credit for Elton John songs and finds himself strangely energised.

GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART is, on the face of this opening episode, a good-natured sitcom with ideas of some sort of commentary on the aimlessnes of modern life in comparison with a time when life was potentially short and deprived, but seemed to have more vitality and meaning. As the former it is amiable, but toothless. There are some nice lines, but this provokes smiles rather than belly laughs. Gary’s knowing use of modern reference in the other time is counterpointed by his lack of knowledge of the times.

Where GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART really scores in its casting, especially of Dervla Kirwan as Phoebe. An independent, spririted woman stifled by the moral standards of the time, she captures the feel, the language and the accent perfectly. Every moment that she is on screen is one when the show shines. Nicholas Lyndhurst makes for a very amiable, but hardly impressive Gary. He is effectively playing the same role as Rodney in ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES and whilst that is harmless, it’s hardly groundbreaking. The most difficult role falls to Michelle Holmes as Gary’s wife Yvonne. She is required to be annoying and self-centred whilst still being in love with her husband and giving enough reasons why Gary should leave her whilst maintaining enough reasons as to why he can’t.

The period setting is also well created with the filming in a slightly sepia tone that instantly captures most people’s view of the times. Admittedly, the action is restricted to one pub and a small street, but everything appears authentic and appropriate.