Dad's Army (TV Series) Absent Friends (1970) User Reviews

Classic British Comedy

[ogdendc · 9/10 · 17 October 2018]

This is an episode of Dad's Army that was least repeated for many years, because of the reference to the IRA. In fact it's a non-controversial story relating to a darts match against the ARP wardens that the platoon are involved in. Mainwaring is outraged and sends Wilson to the pub to challenge them. Bill Pertwee features prominently as the Chief Warden, which is usually the sign of a good episode, as is 'Elizabeth', though we never get to see the Captain's wife. There are two guest appearances by J. G. Devlin as Regan and Arthur English as the Policeman. They will seem familiar to viewers of Are You Being Served and Steptoe and Son (Dangerous Hours). Fine comedy actors. Classic British Comedy.

Insubordination in the ranks.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 7 January 2020]

Captain Mainwaring is outraged to discover the majority of his platoon absent from role call. When he discovers them down the pub enjoying beer and darts he's further outraged when they refuse to budge. Wilson is distracted by Mavis enjoying a drink with Mr Hodges.

When the cat's away, the mice will play, it seems the platoon want a night out in Mainwaring's supposed absence. I always thought the main body of men seemed out of character in this episode, they've not really shown such sign of insubordination before. Mavis has also seemed very faithful towards Wilson.

It is very funny, it has some great lines, and it's physically very funny, with Lowe and Dunn falling about.

Arthur English plays a small role as the Policeman, JG Devlin is fantastic as Regan, well known for appearing upon the Desperate Hours, a famous episode of Steptoe and Son.

Best bit has to be Wilson having the last laugh. 8/10

Underrated, underseen gem

[phantom_tollbooth · 9/10 · 23 June 2023]

Absent Friends is an episode of Dad's Army that was very rarely repeated. This was true of previous episode Don't Fence Me In too but the reason in that case seemed to be a question of quality. In the case of the excellent Absent Friends, however, repeats were restricted due to a storyline about an IRA suspect that quickly became too controversial a subject for comedy in the eyes of the BBC. It's unusual seeing the Home Guard facing off against an enemy that isn't the Germans but it works well, presenting a threat closer to home. Speaking of threats closer to home, Absent Friends contains a running gag about Mainwaring's miserable marriage, with the Captain fending off blunt, bad-tempered phone calls from her throughout the episode. It's both funny and sad, especially when contrasted with a speech in which Mainwaring confides in Wilson that the church hall parade meetings are the highlight of his day and that he looks forward to them more than anything else. It's a melancholic portrait of a man who has found his niche in a time of national emergency, which distracts him from the emotional wreckage of his personal life. His final speech to the troops, in which he tells of his blissfully happy marriage, finds Mainwaring trying to convince himself as much as anyone else, ultimately proving unsuccessful when he is interrupted by another phone call and shuffles off sadly to take it.

Amidst this intermittent storyline, the main focus of Absent Friends is a story in which Mainwaring returns early from a cancelled trip to London to find that most of the platoon are at the pub playing a darts match against Hodges' ARP wardens. When Mainwaring demands they return at once, a battle of wills begins between him and the platoon, led by the insubordinate Frazer. There's also a side plot in which Wilson discovers Hodges is making a play for a not unwilling Mrs. Pike and may have to fight for his woman. Then, in the face of a depleted platoon, an emergency involving an IRA suspect emerges. These many threads are all very strong and are woven together beautifully, punctuated by wonderful moments like Wilson's limp rebuke of Hodges and Godfrey's essential goodness helping him stand up to Frazer's bullying. If Don't Fence Me In felt bereft of ideas, Absent Friends is positively loaded with them and is an underrated, underseen gem.