Dad's Army (1 Viewer)
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trooper
Command Sergeant Major
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To a large extent it depends on your sense of humour. It is a very British, self mickey taking series with many of the incidents having a basis of truth in them. If you can understand and appreciate British humour you will find it hilarious, I say this as I have found some Americans are somewhat confused in this area. The series starts with Anthony Eden's call for volounteers and goes on through the early days of improvised weaponry and lack of equipment right through to the stand down in 1944. As said previously many of the improvisations are based on fact, one of the authors having served in the Home Guard. The elderly cast are some of the finest British character actors in the business and overall I think you will enjoy the series.
Rob
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Quite possibly my favourite tv comedy of all time,Brilliant gentle mocking of British society and the class system inww2.Superb performances from all involved, the envious relatoinhip of the bank manager mainwaring and his upper class clerk Wilson is a joy to watch,
The series is much loved and a British tv institution with it's catchphrases such as 'don't panic ' 'they don't like it up em' and 'you stupid boy' becoming part of everyday language,
The first series is black and White and still finding it's feet but from about series 3 it's a classic.
Rob
The series is much loved and a British tv institution with it's catchphrases such as 'don't panic ' 'they don't like it up em' and 'you stupid boy' becoming part of everyday language,
The first series is black and White and still finding it's feet but from about series 3 it's a classic.
Rob
Cardigan600
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Yo Trooper, cannot add much to what trooper & Rob said, its just class. Another great British Military comedy series "It Ain't Alf Hot Mum" starring Windsor Davies as a regular Sgt Major took a Sgt Major off brilliant (I know lol) he is in charge of a concert Troop in India (a load on nancy boys lol) he tries to knock them into shape like battle ready Troops, he had more chance of keeping 50 six year olds quite in a Toy store lol. Its superb
.
Bernard.
.Bernard.
Mitch
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I think everyone is right its just the perfect image of what it was like on the home front in the early days of WWII. I think the humour is borderless and, will appeal to all. I sent a set to my wife's brothers in California and, they loved it so, its a must.
For me, the best british series ever released.
Mitch
For me, the best british series ever released.
Mitch
OzDigger
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One of the funniest shows on tv, it was always on my must watch list, speaking of lists: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0V3SqxUomwk
Rob
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Scott
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They made a pilot for an American version back in 1976.....
The Rear Guard (1976) (TV)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308798/
Conrad Janis (Mindy's dad) played a U-boat commander.
The legendary Eddie Foy Jr. played a Spanish-American War vet in the unit. He was Lance-Corporal Jack Jones character.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rear_Guard
"The Rear Guard was a 1976 pilot episode for an American adaptation of the BBC situation comedy Dad's Army. Set in World War II, The Rear Guard followed a band of men in the American Civil Defense (circa 1942) who were part of an auxiliary force in the event of an invasion of the USA. The episode was an adaptation of "The Deadly Attachment", in which a German U-Boat crew are placed under the supervision of the platoon.
The pilot was aired on Tuesday the 10th August 1976, broadcast simultaneously on American Broadcasting Company channel 7 and 8.[1] However it was not popular and never made it past its pilot and it never became a series. As it was a failure, the original tapes the show was recorded on were wiped. However copies of the show are in the possession of the show's director Hal Cooper and other producers that were associated with the show."
The Rear Guard (1976) (TV)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308798/
Conrad Janis (Mindy's dad) played a U-boat commander.
The legendary Eddie Foy Jr. played a Spanish-American War vet in the unit. He was Lance-Corporal Jack Jones character.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rear_Guard
"The Rear Guard was a 1976 pilot episode for an American adaptation of the BBC situation comedy Dad's Army. Set in World War II, The Rear Guard followed a band of men in the American Civil Defense (circa 1942) who were part of an auxiliary force in the event of an invasion of the USA. The episode was an adaptation of "The Deadly Attachment", in which a German U-Boat crew are placed under the supervision of the platoon.
The pilot was aired on Tuesday the 10th August 1976, broadcast simultaneously on American Broadcasting Company channel 7 and 8.[1] However it was not popular and never made it past its pilot and it never became a series. As it was a failure, the original tapes the show was recorded on were wiped. However copies of the show are in the possession of the show's director Hal Cooper and other producers that were associated with the show."
aujj65
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UKReb
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Agree with the rest of the guys-Classic BBC TV series.
I do remember that a couple of my American pals-although hugely enjoying each episode- were a little confused on whether this team of cranky old guys represented the remnants of the British army after Dunkirk. Not so these were butchers; bakers and undertakers who rallied to Churchill's call for Local Defence Volunteers. For the most part of 1940 they had no kit or weapons supplied to them whatsover subsequently, they armed themselves with Hunting shotguns/spears/Crimean sabres/Hay forks and even broomsticks. When the British populace saw these valiant heroes marching down their streets-bearing in mind everyone was expecting an imminent Nazi invasion these Local Defence Volunteers were quickly called Look-Duck & Vanish. This annoyed Churchill so he changed their name to The Home Guard.
The BBC were close to scrapping filming the first series believing it would denigrate the real life wartime heroes of The Home Guard by depicting them as a quaintly inept but determined band of would be warriors but the quality of writing plus a stellar cast perfectly matching the scripts fortunately changed their minds.
You asked for a review but there are too many classic episodes to be able to do that in a few words suffice to say a good yard stick I would use is that the first episode arrived in 1968 with the majority of viewers having fond personal memories of The Home Guard in their areas. When the series blew it's last post 20 odd years later it's mammoth audience was made up of at least 50% of people that were'nt even born in 1940 or as kids had no memories of the war. Every episode is a timeless classic.
Reb
Rob
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Spot on Bob, so many good episodes just too difficult to choose,But a couple of my personal faves are ' All is safely gathered in' where Mainwaring and ARP Warden Hodges patch up their differences to help get the harvest in. Another fav scene of mine is the one in which in his own characteristically morose drawn out story, Frazier explains to the others, as they become increasingly depressed, how he came to own a diving suit. Finally at the end Mainwaring says ' So, we take it you have a diving suit '!
I don't think we will ever see such a collection of brilliant Character actors in one series again, honestly I'm laughing just thinking about it as I type this! Rob
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Scarlet Pimpernel
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............and don't forget "vot ist your name?" and "don't tell him Pike"
Classic stuff never to be repeated I'm afraid.
Jeff
Haha....I love that line! What a wonderful series.....haven't seen it in 20+ years though.
Aujj...your name is going on the list!!
Mitch
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All you need now is the favourite drink and a few quiet hours and, your set
Mitch
OTE=hoogri;309322]View attachment 45259
10 dvd 's and a book of the great serie
richard .[/QUOTE]
Mitch
OTE=hoogri;309322]View attachment 45259
10 dvd 's and a book of the great serie
richard .[/QUOTE]
Mitch
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Louis Badolato
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I hope you guys are right - I have never seen the show, but based on all your glowing reviews I just ordered the entire collection on DVD.