Motorbike (9 Dec. 1978)

Frank takes a course in motorbike riding for a courier job with dodgy Mr. Hunt, who only took him as too dumb to ask questions, but can't even find the route, and the examiner gets run over... See full summary »

Writers:

Raymond Allen, Michael Crawford (stories)

Stars:

Michael Crawford, Michele Dotrice, Derek Farr

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Michael Crawford	...	Frank Spencer
Michele Dotrice	...	Betty Spencer
Derek Farr	...	Dr. Mender
Bernard Gallagher	...	Detective Sergeant Lang
Geoffrey Chater	...	Mr. Whittle
Derek Newark	...	Mr. Hunt
John Harvey	...	J.P. Hawkins
Ellis Dale	...	Clerk of Court
Patrick McAlinney	...	Father O'Hara
David Ryall	...	Mr. Rumford
Peter Hughes	...	Group Captain Lacey
Gretchen Franklin	...	Mrs. Welch
Graham Ashley	...	Mr. Stewart
Brian Hawksley	...	Ellis
Richard Seager	...	Policeman

Storyline

Frank takes a course in motorbike riding for a courier job with dodgy Mr. Hunt, who only took him as too dumb to ask questions, but can't even find the route, and the examiner gets run over by a similarly dressed motor-biker. Even his wife Betty dreads the idea of him behind the wheel and deliveries depending on his performance. At home, Frank tries out a self-made metal detector, dreaming of finding Roman remains. At his first delivery, 'deamon king' manages to block the break, starting his usual wild ride, everywhere unsafe. At the other side of the radio, Mr. Hunt has even more trouble with the police, which calls Frank back, just as much a public danger, somehow arriving, even trough the river. CID arrests him too for spreading porn. As if that weren't enough trouble, he decides to defend his incompetent self in court, trusting on character witnesses, who prove painfully honest. This proves him guilty of nearly everything loathsome, but incompetent to pull of the crime.

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Plot Keywords:

dog | fall

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 December 1978 (UK)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Motorbike madness!

The best episode of season 3.

Frank is about to take his motorcycle driving test. As he whizzes round the streets, he gets taken short and has to look for a public toilet. A man, also on a motorbike and dressed identically to him, crashes into the examiner. When Frank returns, he cannot find him, and after driving around aimlessly for two hours, runs out of petrol and has to walk home. He unleashes his fury on Betty.

Some time later, Frank gets a job as a courier with a delivery firm. The manager, Mr.Hunt ( Derek Newark ) gives him a package and tells him to keep his mouth shut. It contains hard core pornographic pictures. When the police raid the firm, poor Frank winds up in court. Determined to prove his character, he calls several witnesses...

Appearing on 'Blue Peter' on to promote the show, Michael Crawford said he hoped the motorbike sequence would supersede the rollerskating one ( from Season 2 ) as 'Some Mothers' most famous stunt. It did not as it turned out. More people recall the sight of Frank clinging on to the back of a bus than sitting sideways across his bike, talking to a radio. It is a good sequence all the same. At one point, Frank's bike enters a building site and he winds up chasing a man along scaffolding.

Derek Newark was 'Spooner' in an early 'Rising Damp' episode, while Patrick McAlinney replaces Cyril Luckham as 'Father O'Hara'. Derek Farr returns as 'Dr.Mender' ( what a great name for a G.P. ), and David Ryall does a show-stealing turn as the harassed manager of the local Labour Exchange.

Funniest moment - the magistrate clears Frank of all charges. "You mean I can walk out of court a free man?", Frank asks. Desperate to be rid of him, the man replies: "You can run if you like!". As Frank and Betty leave, he utters the following poem: "Hooray for British justice/it must not be done but seen/and now I've seen it done to me/I know how done I've been!".