Some recent 'new to me' shows

RickAns

RickAns

Dedicated Member
Over the past some weeks I have been introduced to some new to me shows off the youtube. Found a few gems. Ever searching for more.


Odd Man Out - John Inman acts pretty much just like he did in Are You Being Served? Josephine Tewson of Keeping Up Appearances and LotSW is in it as well. One of his co workers was a secretary to Mr Rumbold from AYBS? Enjoyed the show, nice and light hearted.

The Whackers - I liked it. Thinking Mrs Whacker could be almost every bit as ferocious when riled as Pearl from LotSW. Maybe they are distant cousins? Can see her supping tea with the ladies.

The Gaffer - Bill Maynard is pretty funny. First show I have come across with him in it. Enjoy how he is always trying to craft a deal with the workers or somebody. Almost like Mr Hacker vs Mr Humphries for Yes, (Prime) Minister. On second thought, after a few more episodes, I am close to thinking his machinations could give Mr. Humphries a run for his money. Surprised the secretary was from On the Buses as a Clippy. Knew she looked familiar but she is using a different accent. Like how she gives the Gaffer as much as he gives her. The coathanger as his car antenna is priceless. Been there done that, haha.

Silly side note, just adore the intro for Yorkshire Television. Reminds me of discovering and watching Rising Damp back in my early 20's. Simpler times and carefree days they were. Back when I really started branching out into British Tele beyond the staples of Benny Hill and Monty Python.

Oh No, it's Selwyn Froggit - Lynda Baron from (Still) / Open all Hours is in it. Roy Clarke wrote the pilot. Bill Maynard from the Gaffer is in it. Mrs Partridge from LotSW is in it. Liked it. Felt bad for him at times with how mean the others could be towards him. The pranksters at the bar are lucky he did not decide to thump them some at times for what they did. Doubt any of them could have gone toe to toe with him for any amount of time. Noticed he was missing part of his middle finger. Think I read he was in an accident between here and The Gaffer.

The Squirrels - Not watched any yet. Guy from Whackers is in it, as well as Patsy Rowlands from Hallelujah! with Thora Hird. Only found a trailer for it saying it is out on DVD. Found some for sale. From the guy who did Rising Damp and Only When I Laugh. Anyone watched this before? Thinking of buying them.

Up the Elephant and Round the Castle - Funny. Recognize a few people from it. Think I read the guy was a stand up comedian or something. The Dad was a hoot, great funny character. Can't think of where else I have seen him from. Reminds me a bit of like the dad in Everybody Loves Raymond.

Kiss Me Kate - Saw some time ago. Watched because the actress who played Kate was also Dorothy in Men Behaving Badly.

Bottle Boys - Saw one episode so far. Undecided yet.



Key on a string - I have seen this in several British comedies, don't recall seeing it in American comedies. Where someone has their door key on a string that can be pulled through the letterbox to open the door. Was this something you actually did, or just tv comedy? Meant to ask this some time ago and cannot remember if I did.
 
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RickAns said:
Up the Elephant and Round the Castle - Funny. Recognize a few people from it. Think I read the guy was a stand up comedian or something. The Dad was a hoot, great funny character. Can't think of where else I have seen him from. Reminds me a bit of like the dad in Everybody Loves Raymond.
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Jim Davisdon is the main character he was a stand up comedian but old style and frankly awful though people thought he was great just irritates me intensely and his material was questionable . The dad is John Bardon who , if a show is looking for a Cockney, is the go to guy he has been in everything just look at his IMDB profile Rick.
 
RickAns said:
Key on a string - I have seen this in several British comedies, don't recall seeing it in American comedies. Where someone has their door key on a string that can be pulled through the letterbox to open the door. Was this something you actually did, or just tv comedy? Meant to ask this some time ago and cannot remember if I did.
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Rick key on a string was a common occurrence in the UK maybe up until the 70's, children would return from school and could gain access if parents were out

Others hows you may of Missed

There was Selwyn Froggit before the Oh No series

Bless me Father

Clarence

Dear John

Hallelujah

Man about the house
 
captain clutterbuck said:
Jim Davisdon is the main character he was a stand up comedian but old style and frankly awful though people thought he was great just irritates me intensely and his material was questionable . The dad is John Bardon who , if a show is looking for a Cockney, is the go to guy he has been in everything just look at his IMDB profile Rick.
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Wasn't Jim Davidson just a slightly less, or possibly not, offensive version of Bernard Manning?
 
Jim Davidson began his TV career on New Faces in 1976.

He was massive in the early 80s.

He had his own ITV stand up/sketch show (which had some indirect similarities to The Benny Hill Show) which was an enormous success.

This led to the sitcom Up the Elephant and Round the Castle, which was entertaining enough but quite cheap looking.

This was followed by a direct sequel - which was actually even better. This was called Home James, and began with Jim watching the house from the original programme being demolished, then finding work as a chaffuer.

All three programmes were for Thames Television.

Jim Davidson was then sacked from Thames in the same manner Benny Hill was. Simply, the new boss felt there was no longer a place for this kind of TV.

There isn't now.

Jim Davidson carried on with his bluer touring shows, and in the 90s joined the BBC doing something quite different - presenting game shows Big Break and The Generation Game.

He also did the quite awful adult pantomime Sinderella (sic) with Charlie Drake (who should have known better). Quite dreadful.

His stand up routines were considered old fashioned to say the least, and he has been banned in several theatres for being racist - which in some cases was actually found to be untrue.

His recent stand up work has deliberately concentrated on fact rather than racism for the sake of racism.

Since Covid19 he has presented his own YouTube channel, which concentrates on current affairs, and gives Jim a chance to voice his opinions on the world today.
 
I had looked up John Bardon's movie profile, Cap. The only thing on the list I had seen was Lovejoy (great series) where he played Charlie Gimbart's dad in I think one episode. The other was Drop the Dead Donkey. Only saw an episode or two of that and mostly only remember the name.

Terry, thanks for that on the key string info. Very helpful in explaining it. I realise that took place in a different time than today's world. Sadly could not safely do that in most places now.

I also watched a series called Selwyn that takes place at a holiday camp. Not sure if it is what you mean. I had the impression it was after the Oh No series. Think I read that the rest of the cast was dropped and a new writer came in. It felt lacking after watching the others with his family and the group at the pub.

Your other recommendations:
Clarence - Good one, saw this on a Ronnie Barker kick some time ago. Josephine is a bonus to the show. This really got me liking her more as an actress in a show. Previously mostly only seen her as cringing from Hyacynth.
Hallelujah - Great one. Made me a fan of Patsy R.
Man About the House - Another good one. Think this was another show I saw with the string trick. Branched out from here to watch Robin's Nest and George & Mildred. Both really good as well.
Will look into the others. Thanks.

British tele is a rabbit hole I fell down long ago and continue to enjoy exploring.

Did not mean to kick off a Jim Davidson firestorm. Only found the show humorous and I actually like the other side characters (his dad, the neighbor lady who comes to visit, other show guests etc) more. Never meant to imply he himself was all that and a bag of chips.
 
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IM actually finding I watch less TV with this lockdown.. I've sadly noticed how pathetic TV has become.
The amount of canned laughter shows from USA that must cost $2.00 a season to make with reused scripts and scenery....

need to find another good torrent site to down load some more great old shows.
 
Found another gentle comdey gem in the form of Fresh Fields series with the continuation in French Fields (which I have not seen yet). Reminds me a bit of The Good Life / Good Neighbors and As Time Goes By. Anton Rogers is in it, I recognize him from May to December another nice gentle comedy. A good cast giving plenty of laughs with Julia Mckenzie, Ann Beach, Fanny Rowe and Ballard Berkeley (the Major from Fawlty Towers).
 
Thanks, wstol. I have heard of those in the past but not watched any. After looking them up just now I see June Whitfield is in them so I will check them out. I liked her on LotSW and of course Absolutely Fabulous.
 
If you enjoyed the Good Life have you seen Ever Decreasing Circles , starring Richard Briers ,Rick ? It is gentle comedy but I think it is really good. Martin is one of natures pedantic men with an obsession to detail and his nemesis Paul [played by Peter Egan] provides a great contrast . IF you haven't seen it Rick I can recommend it .
 
The name seems familiar Cap, but I do not think I have seen any episodes of it. The only other thing with Richard Briers I can think of seeing is Monarch of the Glen. Watched about the first 4 or 5 seasons of it via Netflix, think that was all they had available at the time. Liked what I saw.

Was also watching Ballykissangel at the time as well. Enjoyed what they had available at the time also. I tell ya the Extras from between series 2/3 (forget wich) for both of those shows had some rather nasty no warning spoilers in them that I would have prefered not to know about until after finishing that current season. They should put those kind of clangers on the very last disc so they are watched at the end of season. Not the early, beginning discs of the season. Harumph. :mad:

I was watching both of them (Monarch and BallyK) side by side and within the same week I made the mistake of being early in the (3rd?) season and watching the extras on the dvd's. Had to watch the extra's because I needed to return the disc to get the next one. Spent the entire rest of that season knowing what I wish I hadn't of what was about to come for both of those shows. Kinda put a damper on things for the rest of the season.

Started watching BallyK because of a reference to it from Father Ted. Interesting how one show can lead to another. A guy I once worked with a few decades ago did some free lance work on a set and met Richard Briers. Said he seemed a nice guy.
 
Rick ,

There are a lot of episodes of Ever Decreasing Circles including the first Series on www.dailymotion.com which you can presumably access. I hope you get a chance to watch it, give it some time because it is rather gentle and Martin [ Richard Briers] is the most pedantic of men . I know and worked with a couple of Martin's who frustrated the hell out of people but were just honest joe's who were doing things by the book and believed in what they did.
 
Ever Decreasing Circles was brilliant.

The way Martin would spend hours struggling to organise something, only for the man next door to do it in a fraction of the time, with no effort, and with better results.
 
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