There have been some great time travel dramas over the years, but one that is difficult to find is the British time travel comedy series Goodnight Sweetheart, starring Nicholas Lyndhurst. The series follows a man in two times: the present day and the 1940s.
If you can find this series, it is more than worth a watch. It’s particularly great for Outlander fans due to some of the storylines introduced with a man in two times with two women he’s interested in.
What is Goodnight Sweetheart about?
The TV comedy initially takes place in 1993, where Lyndhurst’s Gary Sparrow works as a TV repairman. He is struggling with life, and he’s in a marriage that he’s not even sure he wants to be in. However, things take a turn when he finds a time portal at Duckett’s Passage.
That portal takes him to London in the 1940s. It’s early on in the Second World War, and Gary is able to take on a new identity and a new life, posing as an MI6 agent. Of course, he needs someone from his own time to help, which leads to his best friend Ron learning all about it. Ron makes fake identity documents and supplies him with five-pound notes to use.
And so, the double life begins. He can’t bring himself to completely close off from the modern world, but he wants to see what is possible in the 1940s, when he has so much knowledge of the events as it is.
Why watch Goodnight Sweetheart during Droughtlander
There’s no doubt that this is a great show for Outlander fans when it comes to the time travel topic. After all, Claire ends up in the past. While she doesn’t choose to create a new life there, she ends up doing. There are certainly some differences as Claire initially wants to get back home and then chooses to stay and live the life of an 18th century woman, but Gary wants to have the best of both worlds, and I find that an interesting take.
After all, what would you do if you could travel between two timelines? Would you stay, would you go back, or would you try to do both?
In Goodnight Sweetheart, there is an ending, as the Second World War comes to a close. There’s a poignant message at the end, even though it’s a comedy — and that’s something that British comedy shows have always been excellent at offering.
This is more than worth the search, and I’d highly recommend buying the DVDs to watch it whenever you want. Just try not to get the theme tune stuck in your head!
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