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Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?

1973·Show
26Episodes in2Seasons
77
GreatGoodWatch score

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Not streaming in United States. Where it is:

Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? fingerprint

Funny, strong craft, low-key.

Energy

Calm and low-key

  • Fast Pace4
  • Tension3
  • Adrenaline1

Heart

Nostalgic

  • Nostalgia8
  • Wholesome6
  • Hopefulness6

Humor

Plenty of situational comedy and sharp wit

  • Situational Comedy9
  • Wit & Wordplay7
  • Cringe Humor6

World

Everyday modern life, history, and society

Holds up on a rewatch.

  • Dialogue Centrality9
  • Rewatchability8
  • World Immersion7

Craft

Standout performances, dialogue, and characters

  • Acting8
  • Dialogue Quality8
  • Character Depth8

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography6
  • Editing6
  • Music Composition6

Who it's for

AdultsFamily Movie NightFriends NightParty VibeIntergenerationalPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchTeensBackground WatchBinge-FriendlyComfort WatchDrop-in FriendlyPure Escapism

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Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every show. Select a row to see all of them.

Episode ratings

IMDb rating of every episode, one row per season
SeasonEpisode 1Episode 2Episode 3Episode 4Episode 5Episode 6Episode 7Episode 8Episode 9Episode 10Episode 11Episode 12Episode 13Episode 14
IMDb rating of every episode, one column per season
Episode
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10
Episode 11
Episode 12
Episode 13
Episode 14

About

Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? is a British sitcom which was broadcast between 9 January 1973 and 9 April 1974 on BBC1. It was the colour sequel to the mid-1960s hit The Likely Lads. It was created and written, as was its predecessor, by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. There were 26 television episodes over two series; and a subsequent 45-minute Christmas special was aired on 24 December 1974. The cast were reunited in 1975 for a BBC radio adaptation of series 1, transmitted on Radio 4 from July to October that year. In 1976, a feature film spin-off was made. Around the time of its release, however, Rodney Bewes and James Bolam fell out over a misunderstanding involving the press and have not spoken since. This long-suspected situation was finally confirmed by Bewes while promoting his autobiography in 2005. Unlike Bewes, Bolam is consistently reluctant to talk about the show, and has vetoed any attempt to revive his character.
British SitcomFriendship DynamicsObservational ComedyWorking-Class LifeNostalgic HumorSharp DialogueSlice-of-LifeCharacter-DrivenCultural Commentary

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? legally?

GoodWatch doesn't know of a legal streaming option for Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? in the United States right now. Pick another country in the Where to Watch section to check elsewhere.

Is Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? worth watching?

77
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly. It's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 78/100 (IMDb 7.8). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

How many seasons does Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? have?

2 seasons

It has 2 seasons with 26 episodes of about 30 minutes each.

When did Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? air?

It ran from 1973 to 1974 and has ended.

What language is Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? in?

English

It was made in English.

In how many countries can I watch Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads??

2GBIE

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? in 2 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.

What tropes does Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? use?

Armoured Closet GayThe RemakeLove TriangleStory ArcContinuity SnarlBottle EpisodeIs This Thing Still On?Mistaken IdentityToxic Friend InfluenceEmbarrassing Middle NameIdiosyncratic Episode NamingCourtroom Episodeand 50 more

TV Tropes lists 62 storytelling tropes for Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, including Armoured Closet Gay, The Remake, Love Triangle.