Rocket Man (2005– ) User Reviews

wonderful family drama-spoilers may be in it-though I'm not sure.

[qv1879 · 8/10 · 14 June 2006]

Rocket Man proves to me that someone out there still knows how to make a wonderful, family drama without violence and sex. The basic story is about a man, George Stevenson(Robson Green), who is widowed and has to raise his two children, an 8 year old(John Rhys-Halliwell and a 15 year old(Lucy Evans)by himself. He was an electrical engineer, but due to lay offs must work in a confectionery plant. His one dream is to send his wife's ashes into space. He pulls into his "orbit" an array of helpers. From the hapless Shiner(Kai Owen) to the multi-millionaire Eric(David Yelland), and several others, including the primary school children. There are funny and sad moments in this drama. Many of the funny ones deal mostly with his 15 year who is discovering that she is a woman. Stevenson's son is just as obsessed about getting the rocket up, that he begins to ignore his school work and his teacher resoundingly states, that it's the Rocket project that's at fault. The really sad moments are due to his life long friends, Barney(Charles Dale) and Diane(Alison Newman) Scott's lack of ability to conceive a child.

I really want this TV film as a DVD. Right now I have to rely on my VHS copies from the TV which include commercials. I do recommend this film to anyone who can get their hands on it and hope that people who've enjoyed the film will write to Amazon.com to show that there is a market out there for it.

Thanks

Brilliant, Fun Family Drama !

[Sonic007 · 4 December 2005]

I have followed this from the first episode onwards and it is extremely well produced. It is the kind of light drama that all the family can enjoy and all of the actors bring their own little specialness to the programme.

It is funny, whilst also being touching, and sentimental.

As we follow the dreams to get the rocket into space, we witness the lives of family and friends and how everyone pulls together to make things happen. It makes you think how lucky it is to have a family and to be with people around you that care about you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this series !

Top Notch Storytelling, Acting, Direction

[rsampron · 10/10 · 21 May 2006]

First, the program is just beautiful. It makes my heart sing every week, much as Ballykissangel and Monarch of the Glen did.

In Britain, you have something we don't in American television. You have the tradition of the McGuffin-- the reason for the trip, as Alfred Hitchcock once explained it. Your television dramas and comedies are infinitely richer for it.

In Rocket Man, the McGuffin is the idea of sending Bethan Stevenson's ashes into space. It is incidental to what the story arc is really about: the relationships of all the people in this Welsh township and the resurrection of their pride in themselves and each other.

Until George began his project, the spirit of the town and its people were as dead as Barney's, well, "attempts" at getting his wife pregnant.

Each week, the personalities and hidden talents of the people and the township unfurl like a parachute falling from the sky.

It seems everybody rallies around George and his impossible dream, including the Asian owner of the candy factory at which the former employees of the local factory now work.

Just brilliant! And I LOVE the symbolism being used throughout. Bravo to Allison Hume (the writer) and David Strong (the director) for that.

This is the fourth program in which I've seen Mr. Green perform. That each one is a magnificent ensemble piece, from Touching Evil to Wire in the Blood to Christmas Lights and now Rocket Man, is a testament to Mr. Green's uncanny ability to pick quality script material. Having acted in high school and college theater myself, friends, that is no small task.

I sincerely hope BBC America telecasts Northern Lights 1 and, as I understand it, 2 when it is available. I also hope that they continue to telecast each new episode of Wire in the Blood and anything else in which Mr. Green appears.

Cheers!

Fantastic

[vodkasoda · 30 October 2005]

Absolutely fantastic, good entertainment. I don't think Robson Green can go wrong, everything I have seen him in from Soldier, Soldier onwards has been very good. If the rest of the series is as good as the first episode we are in for a treat. Well done actors, writers and production. Wonderful performances from the cast, dialogue is both witty and dramatic and the production costs show on the screen. Brilliant. I hope this series is the shape of things to come. British TV drama has been in the doldrums for some time. What a pleasure it is to have amusing, violence free entertainment for a change. And please lets have more programs with Robson Green in.

A Mess Technically, but Very Entertaining

[cn9174 · 27 April 2006]

I will say upfront that I fly large amateur rockets as a hobby and obviously know something about the subject matter. Actually the stuff I fly is quite a bit bigger than what the "Rocketman" is trying to create.

Rocketman works best when focused on one man's obsession to build his rocket to launch his late wife's ashes into space. I especially enjoy the interaction with his fellow rocket builders as I have seen much of the same myself. None of these things (rockets)ever work the way they're supposed to and I have experienced some of the situations depicted in the program. What's especially effective, is how his coworkers make fun of him and hearing the wives and girlfriend's of everyone proclaim, "all you care about is that damn rocket!" Spoiler Ahead....

The second episode hit a little too close to home for me (at least according to my wife), with the rocket's restraints being weakened by the dog and the bloody thing taking off and creating a huge fireball. I can't say that this has actually happened to me, but his metal test stand with the rocket strapped to the top, dog barking, all the neighbors gawking, seemed so oddly familiar to me; mostly because I think I'm known as the "mad scientist" in the neighborhood with the kids enjoying seeing the high-speed contraptions I'm always building.

As said above, the appearance of the rocket and related stuff is just not realistic at all, but everything else about the writing is good fun.

C. Newport

Not bad..... *possible spoilers*

[j_f_burn · 4 December 2005]

I've enjoyed the show, from start to finish - I can however see why not all viewers would warm to it, but don't let that put you off. What made it better for me, is that with Robson Green being a Northumbrian - he uses Northumberland a lot when making his various series, and this one happened to be shot around a village where I spent a lot of my childhood (Cambois), so that was cool - despite it being set in Wales ! Anyway - 'Rocketman' tells the story of George Stephenson, who lives with his son, and daughter in Wales. George has a dream, which is to build a rocket and send it into space, carrying his late wife's ashes. George assembles a team around him, made up of his friends in-order to get the project off the ground (excuse the pun). One thing he and his friends share in common, as that the village where they live has fallen on hard times, with the closure of the local 'Carriage Works' - putting many men out of employment, or doing other jobs (George works in a chocolate factory) The rocket project however, brings them together and gives them hope for the future.

The Rocket Man DVD set is nice to add to any rocket buffs collection

[rocketaholic · 17 January 2017]

I purchased a six DVD on i-offer and it was worth it.

I was deployed overseas during the year 2005 and missed the episodes and am glad I stumbled upon the series on Vimeo first.

It is a heartfelt series.

fly me to the moon, bodywork, ingredient X, lost and found, letting go

it makes for a good night show before going to bed.

Check out the i offer web site, you may like the series too.

I hope to have my backside ashes launched up into space after I die so everyone can kiss it :-)

Hope if you see this series you like it too