Robin's Nest (1977–1981) User Reviews (9)

Worst theme music ever

[ray-kehoe · 7/10 · 23 October 2023]

Having watched this show during its original run back in the day, I have just binged watch Robin's Nest in October 2023.

The first thing that stands out is the theme music. It is the worst theme music I have ever heard. Absolutely boring and cringeworthy.

How it lasted 6 seasons with that theme music is puzzling.

Apart from that, it is still fairly watchable.

During the original run when I first saw it, I was mildly annoyed by the character of Albert. However this time around, more than 40 years later, I found him fairly amusing.

Standard innuendo jokes but still fairly funny with good delivery.

Mary Whitehouse Was Not A Fan

[ShadeGrenade · 7/10 · 17 July 2006]

Remembered as a bland '70's I.T.V. sitcom, 'Robin's Nest' outraged Mrs.Mary Whitehouse when it first appeared! Unlike the set-up of 'Man About The House', Robin was clearly sleeping with the girl - airline stewardess Vicky - he lived with.

It was only as the series progressed - Robin married Vicky, and fathered twins - that it degenerated into cosy tweeness. The first two series were by Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke, and when they were in charge, all was well. Alas, different writers took over for the remainder of the run ( amongst them Richard O'Sullivan's 'Doctor At Large' co-star George Layton ), and poor Robin found himself relegated to the role of straight man, as one-armed Irish dish washer Albert Riddle and pompous James Nicholls became the main source of the show's humour.

The biggest slap in the face to 'M.A.T.H.' fans was when Robin failed to invite Jo, Larry, and the Ropers to his wedding. Given that they'd been so close before, this was strange indeed.

Enjoyable 70s comedy

[Lincsobserver · 7/10 · 1 December 2020]

Have quite enjoyed seeing the early re-runs of this series, which stand up better than some 70s comedies. Some of the attitudes now seem dated - it would seem strange nowadays for a young couple living together unmarried to be seen as so controversial - and the cheap cracks against Chinese people now jar. As others have said, the later scripts settled down into twee predictability, and it seemed a pity, given that Robin's character was based on the one he played in Man About the House, that no mention was ever made of his former friends, and that the scripts couldn't accommodate at least one guest appearance. Sad that Richard O'Sullivan's later life has become rather a sad one.

Great Follow on For All Fans

[Manicman8 · 28 March 2005]

Robin's Nest is another Great Follow on From Man About the House! After losing his home and on-and-off Love Interest Chrissy, Robin has been got a new girlfriend Vicky. Now he and her plan to act on his dream and open a Bistro. With Vicky's Father as their 'Snoring' partner and a One armed Dish-washer they make a go at it! Robin's Nest is a highly enjoyable Series with only a couple of problems, These are just that fact that neither Mildred and George Roper or Chrissy and Jo appear. It is a big shame that it is the only one of the 3 (Man about the House, George and Mildred, Robin's nest) which DID NOT have a movie. A Must watch for Fans of Classic UK TV and have a good sense of Humour!

A Cuckoo In The Nest

[Rabical-91 · 6/10 · 7 July 2015]

'Robin's Nest' was the second spin off from the hugely popular 'Man About The House'. It went a step further than the earlier show by having the randy cook Robin Tripp ( once again played by Richard O'Sullivan ) living in sin with his attractive girlfriend Vicky Nicholls, who works as an airline stewardess. The show kicks off with Robin buying the abandoned Chinese takeaway shop underneath his flat and renovating it into a bistro. The rest of the series focuses on Robin's attempts to make the bistro run smoothly.

'Robin's Nest' had a good start but when Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke relinquished their roles as the main writers after the first couple of series, new writers such as George Layton and Bernard McKenna were brought and the show rapidly declined in quality. Robin eventually married Vicky and went on to father twins. I couldn't take to Robin as a father. The original Robin was daring, cheeky and fancied himself as a ladies man and to have him settle down and changing nappies turned him into a bore.

Strangely, Robin's time living with Jo and Chrissy is never mentioned. Nor where they, or even The Ropers, invited to his wedding. Most odd indeed.

Many will remember Tessa Wyatt ( who played Vicky ) for her well publicised marital breakdown to radio DJ Tony Blackburn. Tony Britton bored me rigid as Vicky's snobbish father James Nicholls. David Kelly appeared in later episodes as Robin's one-armed dishwasher Albert Riddle and predictably became the show's main source of humour.

'Robin's Nest' is probably best remembered now for attracting the wrath of Mary Whitehouse but overall has more or less faded into oblivion. While far from great, it was vastly superior to O'Sullivan's later sitcom 'Trouble In Mind' which in effect killed his sitcom career.

Dated

[evans-15475 · 6/10 · 7 May 2019]

Hasn't aged well and the quality does drop off but special mention must go to tessa wyatt she just wafts through the entire series like a gormless angel I have never seen such under written co star

Ribins Nest..complete series

[gorytus-20672 · 7/10 · 3 December 2023]

Dec 202

Just stumbled across every episode of Robins Nest" being on ITVX and given that i hadnt seen them since when then were first on tv 40-45 years ago, it was a chance to catch up. This is a offshoot of Man about the House, as was George and MIldred for that matter.

I have quite recently re-watched the full series of both Man about the house and George and Mildred, so glad to have the opportunity to catch up on this.

It is of course of its time and was not bad, most of the comedy comes from David Kellys character, so it would of struggled without him.

I found it grew on me as i watched a few episodes. There were some things i didnt like though , there were 4 different titles sequences which were all bad as was the theme music. I also found it odd at the start of series 2 that the kitchen sink had moved, by itself apparently. Also there were 2 episodes involving Inspector Burke from the Police, but in the 2nd episode it was as though they had forgotten his name as Inspector Burke kept calling another policeman by the surname Burke. Also it turns out that by the end of series 4 that is supposed to only be 1 year gone since the start of episode 1 series 1.

Like i said of its time, but decent so 7 chef hats out of 10.

Funnier than most

[nobita · 7 December 1998]

Fairly funny spin-off for Richard O'Sullivan from 'Man about the House'. This series, produced for Thames TV between 1977 and 1981, sees Richard playing Robin again, this time married and setting up his own restaurant. Their one-armed dishwasher Albert also provides plenty of laughs. Comedy relief is also provided by Robin's parents-in-law, who look with much nostalgia upon their divorce day. Not a remarkably outstanding comedy series, but a lot funnier than others.

Yawn

[thekennelman · 19 March 2004]

Fairly routine sitcom, more laugh a month than laugh a minute, and even those were generated by the impeccable David Kelly. The only real interest this generated at the time was that Wyatt, who was then married to DJ and recent "I'm a Celebrity get me out of here" winner Tony Blackburn, left him for O'Sullivan in mid run.

Blackburn who's star was very much on the wane at the time (The IMDB chronology illustrating this perfectly) has bounced back from whining about his (debatable) loss in countless tabloids, to relative success on both Radio and TV. Wyatt and O'Sullivan on the other hand, have sunk without much trace. What goes around....