Goodnight Sweetheart

Goodnight Sweetheart aired six series in the Uk between 1993 and 1999. For those of you who don't know, it follows the life of Gary Sparrow who, although born into present day society, has the unusual ability to travel back in time to war torn London in the 1940's, where he begins to lead a second life.



When the last series of Goodnight Sweetheart finished I was only eleven. However, I grew up harbouring fond memories of this TV series and for years wished that I could watch it again. I didn't really remember watching it or too many details of the actual episodes, I just vaguely knew that I had enjoyed watching it and held a certain kind of sentiment towards the show.


So back in December 2010 when I saw the complete box set available in HMV for about £20 I couldn't have been more excited. I obviously brought the box set and managed to watch all six series in the space of a week. Last year when Gareth and I moved in together and Sky took a ridiculous amount of time setting up our TV, we watched them again as we had little else to watch. Gareth also became addicted and we watched all six series in about two weeks. We are watching them again at the moment in bed at night and sometimes, it's like I am watching them for the first time.


I find the show quite funny and pretty typical of a 90's comedy tv show. The story lines aren't always gripping but this time around (thirteen years after the show last aired) it is the history element that fascinates me. When I was younger I had absolutely no concept of history and didn't even know when the Second World War was (shameful I know) 


So this time, now that I am a fully fledged history geek,I love seeing 1940's London recreated and I love seeing a reflection of the day to day lives of the British public during the war. Even somebody who knows very little about the Second World War could learn a thing or to about it from this show. It is informative in its own little way and no matter how many times I watch it, I still enjoy it.


The only downside to watching Goodnight Sweetheart is that my mind starts to become slightly boggled at the prospect of time travel. I become caught up with the logic and confuse myself with the whole concept...even though I know that it is impossible, I just don't understand how it works....is it a continuous loop?....did Gary always travel back in time? By this I mean was he originally present during the war as a time traveller but he obviously didn't know this until the 90's when he travelled back? or did he only travel back in the 90's and slightly alter the course of history? and if so what happened to his present and future self? 


Time travel is just one of the subjects that always confuses my mind beyond the limits of confusion. Although, it does often send me into little daydreams about my own time travelling adventures..............I think, if I was given the ability of time travel, I would go back to the various points in the Tudor dynasty (as somebody rich or important) or simply just pop back to the 80s for the slightly crazy clothes and the awesome music....!


What period of time would you like to travel to?