Channel 5 has brought back the iconic Play For Today series with a brand new comedy vignette that puts a mischievous spin on retirement home life. Never Too Late marks the first instalment in the revived anthology, featuring familiar faces from British television in a lighthearted take on senior living.
A Classic Comedy Legacy Reimagined
The new production pays homage to television history, drawing inspiration from one of comedy's greatest moments. The episode cleverly references a classic 1963 Steptoe And Son episode where Albert Ladysmith Steptoe discovered retirement homes weren't quite the dreary institutions he'd imagined.
In that original episode, written by the legendary Alan Simpson and Ray Galton, the lecherous rag-and-bone man realised care homes were unexpected hotbeds of romantic activity. Wilfrid Bramble's poignant performance as Albert, standing lonely at the window watching his son Harold walk away, became one of television's most memorable scenes.
Now, decades later, Anita Dobson and Tracy-Ann Oberman revisit similar territory in this modern reinterpretation. Dobson, who first watched the original Steptoe episode as a teenager, brings her experience to the new production.
Retirement Rebellion at Cedar Wood
The story centres around Cynthia, played by Dobson, a cantankerous widow being checked into the upscale Cedar Wood retirement village by her daughter Amanda. The establishment offers residents premium amenities including kitchen-diners, balconies and a strict 9pm curfew, but Cynthia has other plans.
After manager Heather, portrayed by Nina Wadia, shows Cynthia to her room complete with "a welcome pack and an approved list of white paint" for redecorating, the newly arrived resident immediately begins plotting her eviction.
Cynthia's rebellion takes increasingly creative forms as she breaks every house rule in the book:
- Walking in stilettos across the shag pile carpet
- Playing strip poker instead of the scheduled bridge games
- Infusing fairy cakes with homegrown cannabis
Her initial despair, collapsing on the sofa with her face in her hands, quickly transforms into determined mischief-making.
Unexpected Romance and Rock 'n' Roll
The plot thickens with the arrival of Nigel Havers as Frank Fury, an ageing rock 'n' roller who shares a romantic history with Cynthia. Discovering he occupies the room next to hers creates immediate tension, leaving Cynthia torn between running away and rekindling their old flame.
While the original Play For Today series, which ran on BBC1 for fourteen years from 1970, was known for gritty dramas like Dennis Potter's Blue Remembered Hills and Alan Bleasdale's The Black Stuff, this revival takes a decidedly lighter approach.
The production owes more to Comedy Playhouse, the sitcom pilot series pioneered by Galton & Simpson, and shows the influence of Richard Osman's reinvention of retirement homes as vibrant communities full of music, flirtation and excitement.
Simon Warne and Lydia Marchant's script delivers sharp one-liners throughout, including Cynthia's retort when her daughter praises Cedar Wood's reviews: "Yeah, on Last Trip Advisor!"
The ageless Nigel Havers continues his tradition of playing smooth-talking charmers, though he insists his character has evolved beyond his wilder days. As he puts it: "I'm not that guy any more. He's not a dirty old man, just a wicked reprobate."
Never Too Late successfully blends nostalgia with contemporary comedy, offering viewers a fresh take on retirement living that's far from the glum dramas of television past.
