Having been recalled from Malta, the lads are now working as orderlies at R.A.F. Druidswater. Private Ward 'D' contains a familiar patient - Marsh - who has conned 'Group-Captain Ruark' ( Nigel Pegram ) into thinking he is a hero by carrying an officer to safety during a storm whilst at Labrador. Ruark insists the lads wait on Marsh hand and foot, a situation he takes full of advantage of. Things worsen as Marsh is given a buzzer to press each time he wants something. Soon the lads are turning pages of books, reading said books aloud, feeding him marshmallows and generally treating him like Royalty. The lads protest to Ruark, so he decides to investigate their complaint by doing his paperwork within earshot of the buzzer. It fails to sound, and with good reason. Jakey has given Marsh sleeping pills...
Its hard to watch this and not be reminded of the classic 'Steptoe & Son' episode 'Upstairs, Downstairs, Upstairs, Downstairs'. Nowhere near as funny though, mainly because the lads don't get their own back at the end. No surgical spirit handy. Robert Lindsay is greatly missed as 'Jakey'. Karl Howman did his best but to no avail. Its also hard not to watch this and be reminded of numerous episodes of 'Doctor In The House' and its spin-offs. 'Ruark' is very like 'Loftus' from that series.
Funniest moment - Ruark calling Marsh a 'brick'. "Pardon me, sir?", asks Marsh, obviously mishearing.
Its hard to watch this and not be reminded of the classic 'Steptoe & Son' episode 'Upstairs, Downstairs, Upstairs, Downstairs'. Nowhere near as funny though, mainly because the lads don't get their own back at the end. No surgical spirit handy. Robert Lindsay is greatly missed as 'Jakey'. Karl Howman did his best but to no avail. Its also hard not to watch this and be reminded of numerous episodes of 'Doctor In The House' and its spin-offs. 'Ruark' is very like 'Loftus' from that series.
Funniest moment - Ruark calling Marsh a 'brick'. "Pardon me, sir?", asks Marsh, obviously mishearing.