The premise is barebones. Stritch plays Dorothy McNab, an American mystery writer living in her fashionable Chelsea townhouse in London. She places an ad with an employment agency for a butler, and Robert (Donald Sinden) answers it. Arriving at her comfortable digs, Robert is immediately taken aback that he'll be working for an American, and tries to back out of the interview. But Dorothy, intrigued by Robert's trenchant manner, convinces him to stay on, appealing to his betting nature by daring him to make a decent cup of coffee (hard to find England in those days) and a nice fillet steak. Robert of course cooks the steak his way - not the way Dorothy asked for it - but true to her word, she almost begs him to stay on when she realizes how good his coffee is, and more importantly, how organized and resolute his manner. Clearly, the sometimes flighty author needs a stabilizing influence like Robert in her busy life. Only later does Robert admit that the notion of his own furnished apartment (in Dorothy's basement) had proved enticement enough for him to accept the position before he even arrived. It seems Robert was testing out his employer before she even realized it.

This kind of verbal testing, sparing, and bickering between the two characters constitutes almost all of the screen time during Two's Company. Filmed on video very much like mini playlets (one or two sets, long takes with the actors moving about much like a stage play), each episode of Two's Company usually revolves around a battle of wills between the staunch, unbending Robert and the slightly frazzled, usually cajoling Dorothy, as each one endlessly tries to impose their will on the unreceptive other. Slapstick is held to an absolute minimum; Two's Company forte is verbal humor and delicious comedic delivery from the two stars.

If you read the DVD box cover, you'd think Two's Company was some kind of strident clash between an American feminist and a snobby British servant. And while the clash between American and British culture is one of the central themes that run through Two's Company episodes, it's certainly not a political screed, with the two characters limited to harping on soon-to-be worn out clichés about "upstart women from the Colonies" and "supercilious manservants from rainy, damp England." No, Two's Company is much more subtle, much more engaging than a tit-for-tat insult fest between an incompatible odd couple, and that's due to the sharp writing of Bill Macllwraith, and the terrific chemistry between Stritch and Sinden.

Macllwraith, a British TV and movie scripter who I wasn't familiar with, manages quite a feat, often keeping Two's Company's basic "odd couple" plots that have been done numerous times before on TV (Dorothy needs Robert's help to patch up a marriage, Dorothy accompanies Robert to the hospital, Robert plays his record player too loud) fresh and funny, with a discernable Noel Coward lilt to the bitchy, pithy rejoinders. While the clash between Dorothy's American freewheeling values and manners and Robert's steely British reserve forms the central core of much of Two's Company's conflict, with recognizable targets of Anglo-American satire such as America's involvement in WWII, Britain's socialized medicine, American's friendliness vs. British reserve, cricket vs. baseball, central heating (and the lack thereof in England), and of course, the British's perceived superiority in the face of "culture-less" America, Two's Company has a warmth of feeling, a subtext of two people more alike perhaps than different, that elevates it above simple satire.

No doubt much of the credit for that added subtext of deep affection belongs to Sinden and Stritch, and their quite cozy chemistry together. Sinden, a world-renowned stage actor and familiar face from films like The Cruel Sea, Doctor in the House, and Disney's Island at the Top of the World, certainly doesn't restrain himself from the occasional over-the-top mug now and then to really milk a laugh, and it's a welcome departure for the resolutely non-silly actor. That rich baritone voice and piercing stare do wonders for his fussy butler role, but Sinden is actor enough to get across the basic affection he has for his mistress, too. The series may be set up as an adversarial comedy, but Sinden is wonderfully adept at not only getting across his utter disdain for many of Dorothy's ways and beliefs, but also his basic affection for her, too.

Stritch was a real revelation to me here in Two's Company. I haven't seen her stage or cabaret work, just a few film appearances (she was sensational in Woody Allen's 1987 September), so watching her over these 29 episodes of Two's Company was like experiencing her really for the first time, and she's an utter delight. After reading my description of the series, or perhaps after reading the back cover of the DVDs, one may assume that Stritch's character might come off as abrasive or irritating, especially considering how often that clichéd stereotype is used by Britishers when depicting Americans in TV and films.

But Stritch couldn't be farther from that stock annoyance. What struck me first about Stritch's take was how genial she came off, and how much joy and unexpected playfulness she brought to the character. Her Dorothy obviously enjoys her life, but perhaps it was a little empty before Robert came around, before someone equally intelligent and witty came around who could match her in her verbal jabs. Watch Stritch here and you'll see an actor who is really listening to her co-star. She's not just counting the beats in her head, waiting to tick off the next rimshot one-liner written by some staff writer (Friends would seem to fit nicely there). She's engaged in the material and with Sinden, much like a theatrical performance. These two actors aren't really playing to the camera, but to each other and to the audience, which further enhances the theatrical feel of the series. Stritch's characteristic pauses and quirky line readings always surprised me, and gave Two's Company an enormous lift. No wonder Stritch (who, not unlike her fictional character, had moved to England years before the start of Two's Company) was a favorite on English chat shows during this time: she's a real live wire, and marvelously unpredictable in her performance. It's one of the most accomplished and pleasurable performances I've seen in any sitcom.

Here are the 29, half-hour episodes of the four disc box set, Two's Company: The Complete Collection:

DISC ONE (1975)

The Bait

The Housekeeping

Dorothy's Electrician

The Patient

The Romance

Robert's Mother

DISC TWO (1976)

Robert's Record Player

The Reluctant Traveller

The Honeymoon

The Burglary

The Rubbish

The Guests

The Cleaning Ladies

A Loving Christmas

DISC THREE (1977)

The Invitation

The Freezer

The Pet

The Take-Over Bid

The Virus

The Critic

The Picnic

The Politicians

DISC FOUR (1978-9)

The Club

The Clergy

The Salesman

The Visiting Scots

The Silence

The Rolls-Royce

The Friendly Aristocrats

The DVD:

The Video:
The full frame video transfer for Two's Company: The Complete Collection looks okay, considering the age of the original elements and the fact that it was shot on cheap video. Don't expect crystalline digital clarity, and you'll be fine.

The Audio:
The Dolby Digital English mono soundtrack accurately reflects the original broadcast presentation. There are no subtitles or close-captions available.

The Extras:
There are text bios for the leads, as well as text filmographies for the various co-stars who appear on the series.

Final Thoughts:
If you're a British television comedy fan limiting yourself to endless repeats of Monty Python and Are You Being Served?, may I suggest you try out Two's Company: The Complete Collection, a delightfully witty, sharply delivered comedy of opposites that sports two totally winning performances by Elaine Stritch and Donald Sinden. If you're like me, discovering a series like this right out of the blue somehow makes it doubly enjoyable to experience, so if the title doesn't sound familiar, don't worry: it's definitely worth a look. I highly recommend Two's Company: The Complete Collection.