Tales of the Unexpected (TV Series) The Verger (1988) User Reviews

Simplicity defies the uncanny mystery

[fbeicker · 7/10 · 16 April 2013]

"The Verger" tells the story of an old couple – the Dobsons – who had worked for several years for a noble family as household servants and now faces an impoverished predicament. At the beginning Mr Dobson, who presently works as the verger for the local parish church, is seen confronted with an old demon of his own: illiteracy. The new priest is planning to undertake modernizing reforms – such as installing a telephone at the church, so the verger could answer calls, give information and take notes. Since the task must be carried out by someone who can read and write, the new vicar finds the perfect excuse for dismissing Mr Dobson by pointing out the latter's "handicap". However, the priest does not have to unveil his true intention. After enrolling in a school for adult literacy, the verger quits learning and delivers a letter of resignation.

After mulling it over and wandering around, Mr Dobson comes up with the idea of a new occupation. He and his wife gather their savings and start a small business on their own – a traditional tea shop – so Mrs Dobson could cook macaroons and finger chocolates, while Mr Dobson would serve the clients according to the old British households' manners. However, the place soon must be shut down after being inspected by an inspector of the Department of Environmental Health, who happens to find hygiene problems in the kitchen and the sanitary facilities. That is when the Dobsons decide to take chances with a bank loan that could either be the ticket for success or ruin their financial provisions for their pension in case anything goes wrong.

It is only then that viewers stumble on a plot twist. The shift proved to be the best choice they could make. Eventually, their small business starts to thrive and their path crosses with the one of an American business man who happens to be a financial agent working for an investment group. Finally, they arrange a meeting to bid for a partnership with the Dobsons in order to expand their business with chains in the USA and possibly Canada. Once more Mr Dobson must face his "handicap", when he is presented with a memorandum of understanding to seal the terms and conditions of the settlement. Thus he confesses that he cannot read and ironically remarks that, if he could, he would still be a humble verger in a small church.

Reviews on the episode tend to be quite disputed. That is not to say that controversy lies within the plot. On the contrary, this short story is commonly reviewed in the context of the key argument conveyed by the TV series "Tales of the Unexpected". Indeed plot twists are widely cherished as one of the main distinguishing traces of the series. This explains why each episode is assessed in light of the shock and awe its tour de force may provoke on viewers. On "The Verger" the twist is subtle and not pretentious, which seems to be unusual for most fans, especially those who expect the intervention of uncanny forces in the lives of the characters. This time, though also "unexpected", the twist does not come in form of a mystery, but of a neat remark Mr Dobson makes at his final line in the episode. One can only enjoy it if one embraces the simplicity of the lesson, similarly to those of old fables since Aesop. Otherwise the whole plot will surely make no sense.

An Unexpected Return To Form For An Influential Series

[mlefaye · 8/10 · 19 August 2019]

Whilst watching re-runs of the whole nine series of this iconic drama, it was easy to see why the decision was made to end TOTE. The early episodes had charm, flair and originality. After ten years, which spanned the eighties, the stories were becoming populated by thoroughly dislikable characters. They typically perpetrated multifarious crimes, usually a callous murder. The twist at the end became all too predictable and any feel good factor had long since disappeared. Even the big name stars of stage and screen, which the series was renowned for, began to disappear from the cast list. However, for the final series, the winning formula returned. Celebrated veterans of the acting profession returned for tales which more subtle and agreeable. My personal favourite is 'The Verger'. It is based on a short story by a master of the art, William Somerset Maugham. The anatogonists are not killers, but merely a modernising vicar and a hard hearted Health and Safety Inspector. The greatest joy is seeing two wonderful exponents of character acting, Richard Briers and Patricia Routledge, produce a masterclass. What a delight to see Briers reproduce many of the facets of his marvellous Martin Bryce role from the sit-com 'Ever Decreasing Circles'. 'The Verger's' denouement wrong footed me, and although not startling, felt rather satisfying. A great way to spend 25 minutes. TOTE episodes had highs and lows, but undeniably it records for prosperity a host of episodes showcasing leading actors of the time, many of whom are no longer with us. For that reason, if nothing else, they are well worth watching.

Ironic that there's no twist

[begob · 6/10 · 31 October 2020]

The uncovering of his illiteracy forces a man and his wife to risk a change of course in later life.

Fascinating fairytale set in the decade of Greed Is Good. Adapted from one of Somerset Maugham's slighter Cosmopolitans, this production elaborates on the commercial theme while retaining the ironic structure of the originaI.

The interest lies in its prejudices: the old style of master and servant is dependable yet adaptable; at the same time, innovation is destructive, new methods obstructive; you have to spend money to make money, and risk taking is a reward in itself; lack of education is not down to laziness, and actually promotes self-fulfillment.

The setting strikes every note of the English class system, including monarchy and a couple of choruses of, "it's not what you know, it's who you know", alongside the wilful delusion that small-time high street retail is a land of opportunity, when in reality it's the domain of money launderers, and the shopkeeper's greatest enemy is his landlord. At the same time, the story joins hands across the Atlantic in a naive climax portraying American commercial exploitation as frank and honest - a meeting of minds between Thatcher and Reagan.

The snobbery is pungent, from the assumed hostility of the college, the too-obvious smirk of self-satisfaction on the face of the disruptive vicar, the unpleasantness of the cafe with its youth and foreigness, the tweeness of the tea room, to the dismissal of the public sector worker as, "the likes of him". I imagine pensioners throughout the land Daily Mailed this fantasy as a triumph of the televisual art when first it aired, refusing to admit that they would have been eaten alive in its real world counterpart.

The performances are very good, the pace and progression well judged. Didn't notice the music.

Some reviewers speak of a twist in the tale, but they've mistaken that for a note of irony - and not an intelligent irony, at that.

Brilliant, subtle, reserved and so very very clever.

[Davo-CC · 10/10 · 5 July 2009]

I've always enjoyed a story with a clever twist – it doesn't have to be a shocking one, it just has to be clever.

When it's been there all along, looking you in the face – and you never even realized it – this is clever writing. The Verger is, for me, the most memorable episode of the entire series in this regard.

It's a quiet, subtle, almost slow pace of extreme simplicity and modesty; indeed it's not trying to be anything more. But if one can stick with it through to the end of the story the way the twist is handled so very very clever – indeed I've actually found myself showing it to people who I thought could benefit from the simple yet poignant philosophical message, to me it's a story with real meaning to it and makes so much sense.

The characters are thoroughly believable and likable, while the evil-doers in it may seem a little contrived I think this is intentional so as to simply illustrate who they are and what they represent and not to take form the main story – to simply paint the ice-bergs in the sea as it were.

I'd highly recommend this to anyone who wants a simple, poignant and brilliantly clever story in a short and concise package, indeed it's by far the most memorable episode of this entire series for me and perhaps of my top 10 anywhere.

Enter Dobson's Tea Room.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 22 February 2016]

Albert Dobson is the verger of the local church, his input together with wife Milly's. The Vicar calls in two trustees, and call Albert in, they confront him with the news that he cannot read or write, the modernisation of the church in the local community makes him somewhat redundant, he is however given a chance, and enlists in an adult literacy course. Made to feel inadequate he decides to resign. His wife is a great cook, walking down the high street Albert sees an empty shop, he gets an idea, Dobson's tea room, unfortunately there's little thought paid to the standards required for the environmental health.

I think this is a magical episode, one of the best in the entire series of Tales of the Unexpected. The story is a great one, totally believable, beautifully filmed, and the simply dazzling combination of Richard Briers and Patricia Routledge make for a simply exquisite combination.

Great that the EHO are brought into the series. Hard to imagine tea shops existed like this before the days of the big multinational chains now on every street corner.

Easily one of the best, I love it! 9/10

An Absolute Gem

[dazza-20004 · 10/10 · 25 May 2021]

Richard Briers and Patricia Routledge shine in this quintessential episode Takes us back to a bygone era,where politeness and kindness were king My favourite episode of the whole series Wonderfully acted. I had a lump in my throat at the end Perfect.

A poor Tales of the Unexpected episode.

[poolandrews · 3/10 · 19 May 2007]

Tales of the Unexpected: The Verger is set in a small English village where the local Verger Albert Dobson (Richard Briers) can't read or write, since the Church is going through some modernisation Albert finds himself out of a job when he refuses to attend college. He & his wife Milly (Patricia Routledge) decide to open a tea shop in the village & it becomes a success, however it's not long before a rich American company wants to use the Dobson's name for it's own purposes...

This Tales of the Unexpected story was episode 4 from season 9 & originally aired here in the UK during January 1988, the second of three Tales of the Unexpected episodes to be directed by Rodney Bennett this is pretty weak & pointless in my opinion. The story by W. Sommerset Maugham had already been adapted into a TV anthology series called Sommerset Maugham Hour: The Verger (1960) by the time it was dramatised for Tales of the Unexpected by Denis Cannan & is a seemingly pointless story about a Verger who makes it big in the tea room business & that's it. To be honest this is the sort of episode which made sure Tales of the Unexpected never got past season 9, I'm sorry but this is a poor pointless boring story without any sort of meaningful twist. I don't know, maybe it's just me, I just don't get or like this episode at all I really don't.

Forget about any action, tension, excitement, horror, scares or atmosphere as there isn't any. This is really dull & dour stuff that will more likely put you to sleep rather than shock you in an unexpected way. As usual there are familiar faces in the cast with Richard Briers & Patricia Routledge being the obvious names.

The Verger is a totally pointless Tales of the Unexpected story that is instantly forgettable, poor stuff & this was another nail in the coffin of the show.