A Sharp Intake of Breath (TV Series) The Spare Part (1980) User Reviews

The Spare Part

[Prismark10 · 6/10 · 12 November 2017]

Oh those were the days when you might has to wait up to 3 months for some spare part for a car or electrical equipment especially if the product or car was made abroad. I remember even in the early 90s having to wait 6 weeks for some part of an Amstrad computer to arrive even though they were based in Essex.

What Peter would had done for Amazon Prime back in the day as the washing machine has broken down and it is Italian and out of warranty. The call out charge was £15 for the repairman and Peter on the off chance tries a supplier up in Scotland to see if they have the spare washer or else they would have to wait weeks for the part to be delivered.

There is a lot of fun as Peter has to go to the British Rail parcel deliveries only to be told it has not arrived, then getting booked by the police for parking at a no waiting zone and then realising that he has been sent the wrong parcel.

As with series 2 there is a lot of slapstick such as Peter trying to drive a forklift and a delivery of something very long.

Parcel farce

[Sthom-22 · 9/10 · 12 October 2014]

The 1980's had arrived, bringing with it - amongst other things - a brand new series of the hit sitcom 'A Sharp Intake Of Breath'. Things were to be different this time, however. Season 3 would only run to three episodes. Ronnie Taylor, the show's creator/writer, died of a heart attack, curtailing the season. It returned the next year with Vince Powell inheriting the writing duties.

'The Spare Part' will strike a chord with anyone's who had problems with faulty electrical equipment, in this case, a washing machine. The repairman ( Larry Martyn ) says Barnes' machine requires a new spare part and it has to be ordered directly from the factory in Scotland. After weeks of waiting, it arrives finally, and Barnes goes along to the railway station to collect. The manager, 'Henshaw' ( Richard Wilson ), is unhelpful, and poor Barnes has a difficult time trying to prove his identity. When he gets his parcel, he is in for an unpleasant surprise - the factory has sent the wrong spare part!

A good episode this, one of the series' best. When Michael Stainton's character calls Barnes 'Banner' - it is the name of Bill Bixby's scientist in 'The Incredible Hulk' television series!

Funniest moment - Barnes goes back to the office to find a group of men collecting a very long parcel. As they carry it away, one end coils itself like a python round Barnes' neck, yanking him off his feet!