Takin' Over The Asylum [1994] - DVD (Ken Stott, David Tennant, Katy Murphy, Arabella Weir, Angela Bruce - Dir: David Blair)

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Customer Reviews of Takin' Over The Asylum [1994]

The Lurcher
UK
12th November 2008

We are loonies and we are proud
I too watched this when first screened in 1984. I have a rickety copy of it on an a home taped video, which I've watched many times. I also wrote to the BBC to see if they would release it on video and screen it again on BBC1 (it was only ever screened on BBC2) after it won the BAFTA, but no joy! 'Taking over the Assylum' is funny, moving, warm, thought provoking, full of great music and wonderful characters. The cast are all great, but if you like David Tennant you'll love this. I shall be buying multiple copies for Christmas.

Nat
Leicester, England
12th September 2008

Excellent
This was recommended for me by amazon as i am addicted to David Tennant and after reading all the recommendations was really tempted to buy it. then it was repeated on BBC4 and although i only got to watch the last 4 episodes, the only thing that stopped me from buying the series straight away was the fact that i had no money i cannot praise the actors enough. an amazing show.

Cheekers

6th September 2008

At long last!
A long overdue release for this excellent drama series. When it was first released, I was a fairly newly qualified mental health nurse working in one of the few wards left open in an old "asylum", very similar to the one portrayed here. All the characters in this series were familiar to my own expereinces, with none of the nonsense which often accompanies representations of people with mental illness. Rather, the line between "madness" and "sanity" is shown as blurred, with strengths and failings on the parts of both staff and patients. It would be unfair to pick out any cast member for particular praise, each excellent part contributes to the outstanding whole.

This series would be complimented by a DVD release of Sin Bin, a 1994 one off drama starring Pete Postlethwaite, also set in a psychiatric hospital which dealt very well with the issue of what can happen in total institutions.

Majella Fergus

23rd August 2008

Oh yes!!!!
I saw this when it was first broadcast in 1994 and it is one of the most outstanding pieces of drama I've ever seen. I spent a long time asking Channel 4 if they were going to release it without success.
It is touching, funny and each of the characters gets under your skin in a way rarely achieved in any production for TV since. This is a must see for anyone, whatever your preferences.

S. Shenow

4th August 2008

Fabulous
Brilliant,amazing. The script, the characters, the acting and the soundtrack all fabulous. Everyone will enjoy it