Dear John

1 9 8 6 - 1 9 8 7 (UK)
14 x 30 minute episodes

John, a schoolteacher, is a recent divorcee whose wife Wendy has left him for his best friend. This event has left him shell-shocked, unable to speak without stumbling over his words and finding it difficult to face up to living alone. To aid the healing process, he joins a divorced and separated encounter group called '1-2-1'  where others in a similar situation seek solace in each other's company. Unfortunately, on the surface at least, the group throws up more problems than it solves.

The 1-2-1 Club is organized by Louise, a matronly woman determined to remain chirpy throughout, hoping to jollify the others by example. Prone to the odd insensitive remark - but oblivious to them - she sports an unhealthy interest in the sexual history of her charges, probing into the bedroom habits behind the failed marriages. This tendency embarrasses the rest of the group but Louise carries on regardless, seeming to derive a sensual thrill from the revelations. 

Apart from John, the group's regular members are Ralph, a timid, relentlessly ordinary chap beside whom John seems positively dynamic; Mrs Arnott, who mostly keeps herself to herself; the attractive and vulnerable but bitter Kate; and the 'black sheep' of the congregation, Kirk, a massively insecure soul who overcompensates by maintaining a braggardly front, boasting of a fabulously full life of wild parties and sexual adventures. 

Although the others see through him, and his lies, Kirk persists in keeping the pretence going. Despite all the hurdles, however, the group members slowly start to rebuild their lives. A dysfunctional bunch of adults who rely upon one another for companionship and hope is not an obvious subject for comedy, but much humour was wrought from it thanks to John Sullivan's deft writing and well-observed characters.

By his own high standards, the series was only a modest success, but Ralph Bates made a likeable lead - his real-life son William played his on-screen son, Toby, incidentally - and the series may have continued if a fatal illness hadn't claimed the actor's life prematurely in 1991.

Following its demise on the BBC, the series was sold to the USA where it was remade from 1988 to 1992 with the same title (90 x 30 minute episodes). The US version starred Judd Hirsch as John Lacey, Sabella Hoffman as Kate, Jere Burns as Kirk and  Jane Carr as Louise. Other US cast members included Harry Groener, Billie Bird, Carlene Watkins, Deborah Harmon, Ben Savafe and Billy Cohen.