Till Death Us Do Part (TV Series) Peace and Goodwill (1966) User Reviews

Peace and Goodwill

[Prismark10 · 9/10 · 15 April 2023]

It certainly is not the season of peace and goodwill in the Garnett household on Christmas day.

Only Alf stands to attention to salute the national anthem at the end of the Queen's speech.

Alf tells Mike that if the Queen had a choice, she would invite Alec Douglas Home for Christmas dinner and not the Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson.

His rant at Wilson does not stop there. Alf berates Wilson for the England World Cup winning squad for playing the final in red shirts. That's Labour colours.

Later Alf gets upset when the milkman comes round specially for a tip. Followed by carol singers who want to sponge him for money led by the vicar. It ends with Alf getting furious with the crummy presents he has got from Rita.

There are more arguments between Alf and Mike as they discuss heaven and hell. Mike is an atheist and takes Alf's bet about there being a heaven. Alf tells Mike to poke the money through the pearly gates as he will never get in.

The festive episode opened the second series. It really is Alf on full rant mode. Being Christmas, the Queen and religion take the main focus.

Mike is a great foil for Alf. It is well played by both Warren Mitchell and Anthony Booth.

Tis the season to be angry

[ShadeGrenade · 10/10 · 28 November 2009]

It is Christmas Day in the Garnett household. As the last strains of 'God Save The Queen' fade away, Alf stands proudly to attention, ever the loyal subject. His wife, daughter and son-in-law, on the other hand, tuck happily into turkey with all the trimmings. Alf tries to make them ashamed of their lack of respect. The argument that ensues becomes political, then biblical, as Alf reacts against Mike's athiesm. He bets him ten bob that there is a Heaven...

A sparkling festive edition of 'Till Death Us Do Part', which was also the opening episode of Season 2. The dialogue is wonderful, particularly Alf's diatribe against Harold Wilson, whom he accuses of self-interest by sending the English football team to play in that year's World Cup ( which they won ) in red shirts so that people would think Labour were responsible. The gag with the vicar and the vase of dirty water was later reused in a festive 'In Sickness & In Health' some two decades later. John Junkin's avaricious milkman appeared in several other episodes.

Funniest moment - Alf tearfully relating a tale of how he brought home a dolls house for Rita when she was a little girl. Mike has to stuff a hankerchief in his mouth to stop himself from laughing. When Rita claims not to remember ever having owned a dolls house, Else snaps that it was because he fell down the stairs whilst drunk and smashed it!