Hugh and I (1962–1967) User Reviews

Lots of laughs.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 3 May 2020]

Number 33 Lobelia Avenue, the home of Terry, his mum and their lodger Hugh. Each episode sees the pair involved in some sort of scheme or escapade.

It's a very funny series, I hadn't seen a single episode, but stumbled on it by accident, I've binge watched most of it, I found it very original, funny, and way ahead of its time. I wonder how many other shows and sketches were inspired by this, it is so well written, Chapman did a great job.

The main trio are a scream, but so often the laughs come from the neighbours, The Crispins and Wormalds are hilarious, Mollie Sugden and Patricia Hayes are a scream, such comedy talents.

Of the episodes I saw, my favourite had to be A Fete worse than Death, with Joan Hickson and Patsy Smart, incredibly funny.

How sad that so much of it is missing, a date that affected many shows of the time, including Doctor Who, let's hope some are found in the future, a few have surfaced over the years.

Very funny, 8/10.

Good Natured Fun From Hugh & Terry

[Rabical-91 · 7/10 · 8 January 2019]

John Chapman's 1960's hit put both Terry Scott and Hugh Lloyd on the comedy map. Here they played comedic versions of themselves ( a trend that seemed to be common back in those days ). Terry was a pompous know all with ideas well above his station, whilst Hugh was his kindly but dim witted lodger. It was clear that Chapman's creation was modeled on American double act 'Laurel & Hardy'.

The pair lived at 33 Lobellia Avenue in Tooting ( a setting which would later be used for John Sullivan's 'Citizen Smith' ) with Terry's kindly mother ( Vi Stephens ). Terry each week tried to come up with grandiose get rich quick schemes and would often coax the gullible Hugh into assisting him. Predictably, things would go horribly wrong!

Living next door to the pair were the snobbish Mr & Mrs Crispin ( excellently played by Wallas Eaton and Mollie Sugden ) and their sexy daughter Norma ( Jill Curzon ), whom Hugh has a soft spot for.

The surviving episodes of 'Hugh & I' are out on DVD and whilst I enjoyed them overall, I felt that it came nowhere near the standard to the stars' later work, in particular 'Terry & June'. Perhaps the best moment in the show was when Terry visited a convict to try and rehabilitate him. He told the man ( who was jailed for robbery with violence ) to drop in and visit him any time upon his release. He did, only to keep Terry and all hostage!

'Hugh & I' may not stand the test of time now but it is still immeasurably more amusing than Miranda Hart's much applauded spoofs of vintage sitcoms. In 1968, the show became 'Hugh & I Spy' ( sans Mr & Mrs. Crispin, Norma and Mrs. Scott ) but to my knowledge none of these episodes exist today.