I was aware in the late 1970s of people going to West Germany looking for work because my cousin went there. I think his marriage was also falling apart so that might have been an impetus.
Once the recession bit in the early 1980s, there were a lot of people looking to go abroad looking for work from the UK. This was how Franc Roddam got the idea for the series and the script for the first episode was written by those likely lads, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais.
The episode follows Geordies Dennis,Oz and Neville travelling to Dusseldorf in a clapped out car. Oz is the joker of the pack who does not take thing seriously. Dennis has been to work in Germany before and he has split up from his wife. Neville is leaving his wife behind as he needs the money.
As they arrive late at the work site because their car bit the dust. They have to stay in the workers hut rather than a hostel. It is all Stalag 17. There they hook up with Londoner Wayne, there is big Bomber and later Barry arrives.
It is actually a very fast paced episode given it has to introduce the characters and work setting. Neville pretends to be a carpenter as there was no vacancy for a brickie. The rest of the lads spend their evenings at the local bar and some of them go looking for the brothel. Not Wayne, he is a babe magnet.
There are flashbacks as to Dennis and Neville's home life. They seem to the the most level headed especially as Neville is both seasick and homesick in the opener.
Once the recession bit in the early 1980s, there were a lot of people looking to go abroad looking for work from the UK. This was how Franc Roddam got the idea for the series and the script for the first episode was written by those likely lads, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais.
The episode follows Geordies Dennis,Oz and Neville travelling to Dusseldorf in a clapped out car. Oz is the joker of the pack who does not take thing seriously. Dennis has been to work in Germany before and he has split up from his wife. Neville is leaving his wife behind as he needs the money.
As they arrive late at the work site because their car bit the dust. They have to stay in the workers hut rather than a hostel. It is all Stalag 17. There they hook up with Londoner Wayne, there is big Bomber and later Barry arrives.
It is actually a very fast paced episode given it has to introduce the characters and work setting. Neville pretends to be a carpenter as there was no vacancy for a brickie. The rest of the lads spend their evenings at the local bar and some of them go looking for the brothel. Not Wayne, he is a babe magnet.
There are flashbacks as to Dennis and Neville's home life. They seem to the the most level headed especially as Neville is both seasick and homesick in the opener.