Revivals. Whatever next?

W

wstol

Dedicated Member
Apparently one programme set to be revived for 60 years BBC comedy is... Are You Being Served?

It is going to be set in 1988 - in between the original Are You Being Served? and the follow-up Grace and Favour.

It will be written by Derren Litten who writes Benidorm, and will feature John Challis, Sherrie Hewson, Arthur Smith and (this may work) Roy Barraclough as Mr Grainger.

Unfortunately I am disillusioned with revivals. Still Open All Hours had some good points - some original cast members, original locations and a good attempt to make everything seem the same. Some of the episodes were weak though, and a lot of ideas were recycled or just plain childish.

The Dad's Army new film had the weakest script imaginable - though some of the cast managed to re-create some of the original actors' characteristics.

The new AYBS will see a YOUNG young Mr Grace. The only surviving original cast member, Mike Berry, won't be in it, as his character Mr Spooner will be replaced by a totally new character.

Those with a good memory will remember Mike Berry replaced Trevor Bannister.

I don't think re-makes really work - they leave it too long to make them - so you don't get the original writers, actors and production team - so you get something very different.

I really don't think this one will be any good at all.
 
Grace Brothers was an already outmoded style of store, in general terms, when first aired which was one of the points being made that it was old fashioned and thus surviving by the skin of its proverbial teetth. I worked in such an environment 50 years ago in menswear, and even then it was dated! Yes I was asked "are you free ..."
 
Come to think of it, Mr Grainger was already written out of the series before it ended, so, unless skillfully written, there goes the continuity...
 
I am willing to check out the new remake. I have enjoyed watching the original Are You Being Served as well as Grace and Favour. May be odd seeing different people playing the characters.

Still Open All Hours took a little while to grow on me but I have had some good chuckles while watching it. I watched Porridge recently and enjoyed that. Ronnie Barker is a man of talent, he does the Arkwright stutter so well. Took a few episodes of seeing Richard Beckinsale before I stopped wondering if Rupert Rigsby would pop in from around the corner. Speaking of which there are a great many cast members from Porridge I recall from other shows... Yes, Minister, Allo Allo, Rising Damp, etc.

I have yet to get my hands on any of the Dad's Army episodes but I do plan to some day.

Cheers,
Rick
 
Hi chuck,

I am familiar with 'the bay' site. Just had not thought to search for Dad's Army there. Will look later. Thanks on the offer for a copy. It is nice to have options for viewing content. I'm looking for a way to send you a message but I'm not seeing it.

Cheers,
Rick
 
I'm not really a big fan of remakes. Not sure this one will work at all. Has anyone actually seen the Dads Army film. It has had mixed reviews
 
amos hames said:
I'm not really a big fan of remakes. Not sure this one will work at all. Has anyone actually seen the Dads Army film. It has had mixed reviews
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Hi Amos,

I saw it a couple of weeks back , the plot is weak but it was nice to see .I would not wish to see it again certainly not worth buying on DVD. Toby Jones as Mainwaring and certainly Michael Gambon as Godfrey are the stand out performances , Tom Courtney as Jones is probably the worst I don't know if its the script or just him [considering he is such an accomplished actor] but he captures nothing of the Corporal Jones from the original . Should they have made it ??? Probably not in my opinion I am with you leave these iconic shows as memories of great times gone by.
 
captain clutterbuck said:
Hi Amos,

I saw it a couple of weeks back , the plot is weak but it was nice to see .I would not wish to see it again certainly not worth buying on DVD. Toby Jones as Mainwaring and certainly Michael Gambon as Godfrey are the stand out performances , Tom Courtney as Jones is probably the worst I don't know if its the script or just him [considering he is such an accomplished actor] but he captures nothing of the Corporal Jones from the original . Should they have made it ??? Probably not in my opinion I am with you leave these iconic shows as memories of great times gone by.
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I agree with everything you say. You are absolutely spot on.

Toby Jones did a good job - no one can successfully match Arthur Lowe after all.

It was good to see Frank Williams playing the Vicar again.

The actor playing the Warden was rubbish.

There were a few bits of comic business which would have worked in the original series, such as Mainwaring being out of vision at the rostrum and where he vainly removes his glasses where an attractive woman was around. That was very Dad's Army-esque.

But the flimsy plot when on a bit, and it was all predictable.

Jimmy Perry and David Croft would have come up with something more original than this. I gather they were planning a second feature film in the early 70s - Dad's Army and the Secret U-Boat Base. I wonder how advanced the script was. If there was a script, they should have used that.

It was a good attempt, but all in all they really shouldn't have bothered.
 
barmpot said:
Grace Brothers was an already outmoded style of store, in general terms, when first aired which was one of the points being made that it was old fashioned and thus surviving by the skin of its proverbial teetth. I worked in such an environment 50 years ago in menswear, and even then it was dated! Yes I was asked "are you free ..."
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"Are you being served?" seems like an old fashioned phrase but what it was supposed to accomplish was to prevent shoppers from browsing. Oh what a thought!! My husband has a similar phrase that pops out when we are shopping and I start to browse. He says, "Do you know what you're looking for??" Actually, I was in a bookstore once and the clerk popped out and uttered that phrase. I could only laugh.
 
Years since it was aired and every time I get in a lift I have to try and stop myself , particularly when I am asked by someone to push the button for a certain floor , singing the theme song . So for anyone who wishes to indulge themselves please memorise the lyrics below :-

Ground floor perfumery,
stationery and leather goods,
wigs and haberdashery
kitchenware and food...going up

First floor telephones,
gents ready-made suits,
shirts, socks, ties, hats,
underwear and shoes...going up

Second floor carpets,
travel goods and bedding,
material, soft furnishings,
restaurant and teas. Going down!


I never realised that " the lift voice" was Mr Rumbold's first Secretary actress Stephanie Gathercole as famous, yet anonymous , as the person who recorded the "Till" announcements for the Post Office queue.
 
Adanor said:
"Are you being served?" seems like an old fashioned phrase but what it was supposed to accomplish was to prevent shoppers from browsing. Oh what a thought!! My husband has a similar phrase that pops out when we are shopping and I start to browse. He says, "Do you know what you're looking for??" Actually, I was in a bookstore once and the clerk popped out and uttered that phrase. I could only laugh.
Click to expand...

I read a book* by an old bookdealer recently, who had a brilliant comeback to any second-hand or charity shop assistant who asked him that while he was looking for stock, he would tell them he was "looking for books with photos of naked midgets"**

* Driff's Guide to the secondhand bookshops of the British Isles - 1995-97
** He actually had a customer for such
 
images
a naked midget
 
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