Thursday 3 February 2022

Trouble in Mind Coming to Forces TV

Back in 1996, as a fledgling teenager, I was flicking through the channels on Sky when I stumbled across (on UK Gold, I think) a little programme called Robin's Nest. It wasn't a series I'd heard of before, I hadn't even heard of the more famous show it was spun off from, Man About the House. But there was something charming, funny and engaging about this series from the late 1970s, and it provided early evidence of my curiosity regarding archive television.

As a result of this early dalliance with Robin's Nest, I've always had a soft spot for all things Richard O'Sullivan. Therefore, as you can imagine, I was pleased as punch to discover that Forces TV are going to start airing his 1991 sitcom Trouble in Mind. It features O'Sullivan playing Adam Charlesworth, a psychiatrist going through a mid-life crisis and was written by Tony Millan, Mike Walling and Colin Bostock-Smith.

It's a series I know very little about, hence the lack of detail above, but one that I've been trying to track down for about 18 months. Thankfully, this unsuccessful endeavour is now at an end and, from Saturday 5th February, I'll finally be able to watch it. And so should you.

13 comments:

  1. Just watching it myself. Nice easy watching TV.

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  2. I'd never heard of this until it came to Forces t.v so decided to watch it s a fan of O'Sullivans work.Attempting to discover more about it I found that it ran to only one series of 9 episodes and it was so unpopular that ITV pulled it offsctreen after just 6 episodes and showed the final 3 about 6 months later at 2 o'clock in the morning.I really don't understand the reason fot being so disliked as I love it and the theme tune,written by O'Sullivan itself is wonderful.

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    1. I totally agree. It shouldn't have been pulled. There's good chemistry between Richard and Susan and it's well acted, amusing and easy viewing. Enjoying seeing it now in 2022.

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  3. The comment above was from me though for some reason it has come up from unknown.Has anyone else been watching this series currently being shown on Forces TV and if so do you wonder,like me,why it was so unpopular with viewers of the time,as I think it was excellent ?

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  4. Trouble In Mind had the misfortune to go out at a time when old-school sitcoms were disappearing from our screens, and alternative comedy shows becoming the norm. Had it been made a decade earlier, I think it would have been more popular. Another vote for the theme tune. It is excellent! Best wishes, Zokko

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  5. I've just watched 2 more episodes of the show tonight on Forces TV
    and I loved them.God knows why no one else did at the time.
    I could watch the series 50 times and not tire of it to be honest.

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  6. Well,the series has now finished and I for one enjoyed it very much.

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  7. I agree. I love Richard O'Sullivan too, but never knew about this. I think it's quite a pleasant watch. Enjoying it. Forces TV is great for pulling up these sitcoms. Also caught Brian Conley in Time after Time. Another hidden gem. And just started watching Dear John. Marvellous.

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  8. Totally agree excellent series and with the beautiful Susan Pehaligon, loved her acting in Bouquet of barbed wire as troubled daughter Prue, then in the Onedin line. Like Richard O' Sullivan he was great in the original Man About The House. That ought to be shown on Forces TV also. George and Mildred as the Ropers brilliant in this. The US comedy not a patch on our sitcom.

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  9. Cannot recall this series at all but having watched an episode on Forces TV, I realise I've not missed much!

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  10. Understandable that it was axed, the script is not remotely funny. A prematurely aged O'Sullivan sleepwalks through a thankless role, Susan Penhaligon as a garden designer ( dear God ) displaying no facility for comedy at all & a dismal supporting cast. However I'd much rather watch this inoffensive fluff than the obnoxious & relentlessly cliched 'No Place Like Home' which bafflingly lasted 5 series.
    There are more forgettable 80's & '90's sitcoms than memorable ones.
    On a side note I've been rewatching 'Only Fools And Horses' on youtube as Americans react to it. I hadn't noticed how poorly written the show is, most of the storylines making little sense. In fact it's one of the worst written tv shows I've seen & its continued popularity baffles me.

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    1. Well, you're the only one. Millions love OFAH to this day. Best, Zokko

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  11. I hadn’t heard of this show either and has a fan of Richard O’Sullivan I can’t wait to watch it now it’s running again on Forces TV. Wondering if they will get Me and My Girl on this channel. I haven’t seen that since I was a child and would love to see it again. FYI I’m sure the theme tune was great. He also did the theme for Robins Nest and it’s one idly favourites along with theme tune to Sorry!

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