Review of Are You Being Served? Season 1 And Pilot

Introduction

`Are You Being Served?` is another of those classic British comedies that could really be considered a British institution, gracing our screens (excuse the pun) seemingly for years on end. Though I must confess that it`s been a while since I last saw an episode.

Penned by David Croft, amongst others, famed for being one half of the duo that brought us `Dad`s Army`, expectations were naturally high when this comedy was due to air in the autumn of 1972. Due to the tragic circumstances unfolding during the 1972 Olympics, the BBC deemed it fit to show the pilot episode a couple of months before it was due to air, so it came and went without much fanfare.

Even today, nearly three decades after it ran out of steam, a camply voiced `I`m free…` will elicit knowing smiles, nods and winks from the majority of the populace.

Set in a very traditional British department store, `Grace Brothers`, `Are You Being Served?` is the quintessential Brit-Sitcom. It has a colourful ensemble of regulars, all strongly stereotypical in their way, as well as a very convenient studio-spaced single room (in the main) in which to film the comedy as it unfolds.

Essentially using traditional farce, laced with outrageous double-entendres and innuendo, it`s repetitive and formulaic approach proved extremely popular for the best part of a decade of production. In truth - you knew what you were going to get and were rarely disappointed.

Trevor Bannister, who played Mr. Lucas, gets the lion`s share of the funny lines in these early episodes, although Mollie Sugden and John Inman would prove to be so popular that he became less central in future episodes. His faux-Hancock `Oh Dear Oh Dear Oh Dear` delivery seems a little dated now, though was a style adopted by many at the time.

John Inman plays the frighteningly camp Mr. Humphries and, despite having few lines in these early episodes, still gets some howling laughs from the audience here for his camp shuffling walk and `I`m free` catch-line.

Mollie Sugden is quite brilliant as the pretentious Mrs. Slocombe. Apart from the occasional references to her pussy (cat), her `…and I`m magnanimous in that` line is still a classic!

Wendy Richard, perhaps best known now as Pauline in Eastenders, plays Miss. Brahms, a cheeky but attractive cockney girl - not unlike her character in her number 1 hit single that preceded the series, `Come outside`.

Frank Thornton plays Captain Peacock, a distinguished (but hypocritical) gentleman who has a supervisory role - generally keeping the peace between the ladies and men`s departments now that they are forced to share a single floor.

The final key member of the ensemble was Arthur Brough who didn`t start his professional acting career until performing a brief cameo on `Dad`s Army` at the age of 65. Sadly he died just prior to beginning filming for Series 6.

The disc contains 6 episodes.

PILOT EPISODE - Originally broadcast 08/09/72.

Do not adjust your sets! This black and white episode was originally broadcast in colour but the tapes had long since been erased. All subsequent episodes included here are in colour. It`s a fun episode that quickly introduces all the key staff - and the enduring conceit of the men`s department having to now accommodate the ladies. (Mrs Slocombe: (referring to a central display): Are you suggesting that I remove my underwear?` Mr. Grainger: `…and are you suggesting that I take down my trousers?`).

DEAR SEXY KNICKERS - is classic sex-farce with Captain Peacock making moves on Mrs. Slocombe (amongst others) when his wife`s out of town.

OUR FIGURES ARE SLIPPING - is a wonderful episode where the crew are forced to stay behind for some customer care training to try and boost falling sales. (It`s notable throughout the series that Grace Brothers has very few customers` interrupting the drama!).

CAMPING IN - is a chance for the cast to do a `carry on camping` as a tube and train strike means that they are unable to travel home and therefore set up some tents within the store.

HIS AND HERS - is notable for so many fluffed lines! Perhaps it was the effect of a sexy young Joanna Lumley being on-site as a new perfume sales girl.

DIAMONDS ARE A MAN`S BEST FRIEND - shows the whole group as being devious and dishonest as a lady offers £100 reward if they can find the diamond she has lost in the store.

Video

Wildly variable and they must have come from a variety of different sources. Generally OK but there are some moments of heavy video glitch as well as the lack of colour for the pilot episode.

Audio

The audio here is pretty good considering the varied sources. It`s not going to give the surround system a work-out but it`s perfectly adeqaute with clear dialogue and good signal to noise ratio.

Features

There are pieces of text based `trivia` for each episode, as well as a text based `who`s who` - and that`s the lot.

Conclusion

I`ve always enjoyed the predictability of comedies like `Are you being served?. Great British postcard humour mixed with imaginative farce, and a really strong comedy ensemble, rightly mean that this series could now be considered as `classic`.

It`s certainly not very original, clever or innovative. But there are many laughs to be had and this DVD does a sterling job in rounding up all six episodes of the first series.

For those who loved the series, you`re going to love series one. And I`m completely magnanimous in that...