Dad's Army (TV Series) Gorilla Warfare (1974) User Reviews

The story of the old empty barn.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 7 January 2020]

This is one of the weaker episodes of Dad's Army, it feels awful saying that, but it is one of the less inspiring episodes. The plot could have easily been for Allo Allo instead, where absurdity was perhaps more acceptable. It has got a few good moments, Mainwaring's ramblings and Jonesy's mishap with the hypodermic, but on the whole I would say it's the first time the show has looked short of ideas, and dare I say, silly. It is still watchable though. 6/10

Very silly but it has some nice moments

[phantom_tollbooth · 6/10 · 21 July 2023]

Rightly considered one of the the silliest episodes of Dad's Army, I was surprised to also find that Gorilla Warfare is my favourite episode of series seven so far. That's not to say it's especially great... I mean, it involves a training exercise in which a sabotage attempt is launched on the platoon by a man in a gorilla suit. Even in a series that regularly leans into farce, that's a bit too much! But in and around that ludicrous premise there are some nice moments, including a lovely scene in which the platoon bed down for the night in a barn. This gets back to the core of Dad's Army, with great character interactions and some nice gags instead of broad gimmicks. I still clearly remember watching this episode as a kid and then the next day at school everyone doing Fraser's "story of the old, empty barn" bit. That it was these moments I remembered rather than the daft stuff with the gorilla shows where the series' strength always lay, even for a primary school aged child.