Are You Being Served? (1972–1985) 7.9
The misadventures of the staff of a retail floor of a major department store. |
|
| 0Share... |
Are You Being Served? (1972–1985) 7.9
The misadventures of the staff of a retail floor of a major department store. |
|
| 0Share... |
| Series cast summary: | |||
| Mollie Sugden | ... |
Mrs. Betty Slocombe
(69 episodes, 1972-1985)
|
|
| John Inman | ... |
Mr. Wilberforce Clayborne Humphries
(69 episodes, 1972-1985)
|
|
| Frank Thornton | ... |
Captain Stephen Peacock
(69 episodes, 1972-1985)
|
|
| Wendy Richard | ... |
Miss Shirley Brahms
(69 episodes, 1972-1985)
|
|
|
|
Nicholas Smith | ... |
Mr. Cuthbert Rumbold
(69 episodes, 1972-1985)
|
|
|
Trevor Bannister | ... |
Mr. Dick Lucas
(48 episodes, 1972-1979)
|
|
|
Arthur English | ... |
Mr. Beverley Harman
(48 episodes, 1976-1985)
|
|
|
Harold Bennett | ... |
Young Mr. Grace
(46 episodes, 1972-1981)
|
|
|
Arthur Brough | ... |
Mr. Ernest Grainger
(34 episodes, 1972-1977)
|
This quintessentially British sitcom is about Grace Brothers, a department store in London which is owned and kept traditional, almost pre-war (e.g. precise dress code for ladies frills and gentlemen's hats according to rank), by two brothers who look old enough to have fought in the Boer war but rarely appear, as most scenes play on one floor where Mr. Cuthbert Rumbold is the executive (meaning he enjoys an endless parade of foxy but stupid secretaries) in charge of management while his dignified floor walker, Captain Stephen Peacock, has daily charge over two small sales teams. The fat and bossy, implicitly man-hungry widow Mrs. Betty Slocombe supervises the attractive Miss Shirley Brahms (with a terribly common Cockney accent) -with first choice of customers, on commission- the sale of women's clothes and accessories; the sales star at the gentleman's side is Mr. Wilberforce Clayborne Humpries, an implied closet-gay true gentleman, whose successive superiors are first obviously ... Written by KGF Vissers
Are You Being Served is a fantastic example of British humor at its finest. Granted, with almost 30 years since the telecast of the first episode, some of the humor has become dated. However, the cast and script-writers took the concept of double entendre to a whole new level with the jokes in the show (the best one I think being about Mrs. Slocum's cat, if you get my drift!). The thing that makes the show stand the test of time is that they did not have to resort to outright obscenity and crudity to get the humor across. It requires a little bit of thought to follow some of the jokes, which while base, are veiled in "false propriety". It is something that I would have no problem letting my children watch because they would not get the jokes until they were old enough to understand and deal with the humor. What comedy today can we say the same about? The show also has the ability to pull you in, make you privy to the "secret jokes" and make you feel part of the club. You become bound up in the inside jokes and personalities, and can identify with the characters (within reason: who can understand the concept of Mrs. Slocum's changing hair-colors?!). Overall, it is a great series and well worth watching, even 27 years later!