Mark & Clare Miscellany 2022

Review

Existing fans of Mark and Clare’s years will find much to enjoy in the latest instalments.

A ski trip organised for friends and family has had much to offer in the past, so it was no surprise to see it feature again in the season opening. John-Luke’s enjoyment of his first ski lessons (less so the ski carrying), and Isaac’s love of snowy thrill, augurs well for the series revisiting the Alps in future years.

Good fun, though dragging on occasionally, were preparations for a local production of Noel Coward’s This Happy Breed, featuring Mark in the lead role of Frank. Less kind reviewers who know him personally have suggested that no acting skill was required to inhabit the “ordinary”, aging, middle class father with bone dry sardonic wit. Regardless, the performances went down well.

Once the Interrail@50 half price offer appeared in the May episode, it was no surprise when the August episode saw the family touring northern Europe on a slightly unrealistic succession of 28 trains (4000 miles) and 4 ferries (500 miles). Scenes set in cities such as Utrecht, Berlin, Stockholm, Oslo and Hamburg were necessarily brief, to allow time for the more rural delights of the Lofoten Islands (150 miles above the Arctic Circle). Sea eagles, a gorge cycle trip, and on-train playrooms were among the highlights.

Attentive viewers may recall the woolly subplot intiated back in 2019 with Clare's 30th birthday lamb, this series sees Clare and her ewe delivering twin lambs.

One of the best bits of the series has been watching the character development of the younger cast members. Isaac has developed into a little boy with a great sense of humour who loves singing and, in nursery's words, “engaging in risky play”. John-Luke learned to ride a bike. His interests lie in books, board games, and drawing viruses. The youth of today...