Dad's Army - The Lost Episodes Page 4

Quote: beaky @ 23rd February 2019, 9:17 PM

Just watched ten minutes of a fifty year old Dad's Army episode - I'd forgotten how crap they could be.

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It's odd. The first time I started watching Dad's Army, I thought it was a rip-off of The Goon Show, as Mainwaring's catchphrase of "Stupid boy" seemed to be a lazy imitation of Grytpype-Thynne's catchphrase "You silly twisted boy, you". But I quickly loved tuning into the show, enjoying the interplay twixt Mainwaring's bumbling pomposity, Wilson's unwittingly superior style and Fraser's pessimism. The warden and Godfrey were also fun. Jones's noisy imbecility always seemed a bit over-the-top though. I still enjoy re-watching, mainly for the fine cast. For this reason, I'm not exactly champing at the bit to see a new cast tackle the "missing" episodes.

Quote: Billy Bunter @ 23rd February 2019, 10:38 PM

I would be amazed if any of the so-called comedy programmes produced in the last 5 years (whether made for terrestial tv or, for example, for Gold) are still being watched in 50 years' time.

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The obtuse owl can only be pushed so far before responding with a searing sting.

Quote: Kenneth @ 24th February 2019, 8:34 AM

It's odd. The first time I started watching Dad's Army, I thought it was a rip-off of The Goon Show, as Mainwaring's catchphrase of "Stupid boy" seemed to be a lazy imitation of Grytpype-Thynne's catchphrase "You silly twisted boy,

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NEVER EVER have I thought that!

Quote: Kenneth @ 24th February 2019, 8:34 AM

The obtuse owl can only be pushed so far before responding with a searing sting.

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You've been reading Eric Cantona's Book of Arcane Tosh again haven't you.

Quote: beaky @ 23rd February 2019, 9:17 PM

Just watched ten minutes of a fifty year old Dad's Army episode - I'd forgotten how crap they could be.

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Which one was it Beaky? so we can know how much to tell you off. I'm not sure I've ever seen a crap one, seen some middling ones and some annoying ones with Cheeseman attempting to take over from Walker, the cheek of it. But overall even the dullish ones have got better with constant viewing for me and work as a nice contrast to the loud ones with Jones being an idiot.

They did quite a few 'quiet' ones in the hall without much Jonesery spoiling it. He could easily take over it's true but I thought Perry wrote just enough of the quieter ones and the Mainwaring v Wilson ones to counter this. DA has a nice varied mix of eps I've always thought. I was surprised to read though that Perry's favourite episode was in my mind one of the really spare ones that looked to me like he'd run out of ideas for that week. I believe it was his favourite though for the fun the cast and crew had doing it and the memories rather than the quality of script or performance so that's ok, but still doesn't tell us what he critically thought was his best scripted ep.

It was when the verger was caught by a barrage balloon and someone had written FUCK (we gathered) on the harmonium - which led to one good joke. ("Did you do that?" "Not for years.") Perhaps it was because I dislike the vicar character. By far the best for me was Walker, lovely acting. I still couldn't manage to watch it to the end, though.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 24th February 2019, 9:48 AM

Which one was it Beaky?

. I was surprised to read though that Perry's favourite episode was in my mind one of the really spare ones that looked to me like he'd run out of ideas for that week.

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And? Interrogating poor beaky and then leaving us in suspenders!

Yes, there were some that left a bit to be desired for, but overall a superb series with absolute gems, and I seem to be the only one who liked Cheeseman - I thought he was a great character.

In a similar vein - am watching the third series of Monty Python at the moment and they said (especially Cleese**) they don't know how they got away with it on some episodes that were dire and not funny at all.

** Wasn't in the fourth and last series of course, but I think that was for different reasons.

Oh, The Day The Balloon Went Up (yes I did have to check the title). That's one of the loud slapstick ones outside if I remember which could be silly at times, a sort of LOTSW in khaki. That means they must be showing all of series 3 so I'll get back to watching it, they'll be some good ones coming up. Really hit its very best in 4 and 5 with scripts, when Perry realised the Mainwaring v Wilson value, due to the two actors' performances, but S3 is getting close to it. The Stranded on a pier one will be soon, classic Mainwaring pomposity.

Quote: beaky @ 24th February 2019, 10:20 AM

By far the best for me was Walker, lovely acting.

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Such a loss to sitcoms, I can see him in OFAH and Hi De Hi among others. The more I watch DA the better he gets, nailed his character.

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 24th February 2019, 10:43 AM

And? Interrogating poor beaky and then leaving us in suspenders!

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Oh hang on then I've got to do more title checking...
All Is Safely Gathered In. A very pleasant ep it is but not a very demanding one, maybe he just enjoyed the break from great scriptwriting. Some of his best scripts imo were in that series, A Wilson Manager, Fallen Idol, Time On Our Hands then a couple in S6.

I always understood that Jimmy Perry's favourite episode was "Branded", in which Godfrey was discovered to have been a conscientious objector in the 1st World War:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=aJTQ4qW-ePc

And David Croft's was "Mum's Army":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=BEGusOkY7hE

Quote: Hercules Grytpype Thynne @ 24th February 2019, 9:42 AM

NEVER EVER have I thought that!
You've been reading Eric Cantona's Book of Arcane Tosh again haven't you.

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Ooh no, I've never heard of Eric Cantona, and I don't even like Manchester United! And I never saw him ninja kick that Crystal Palace fan. I mean, crikey, I've only ever read Charles Hamilton.

Verging back on topic, this thread inspired me to find some of the Dad's Army radio shows and sure enough the first two I listened to - A Man of Action and A Stripe for Frazer - start with John Snagge narrating and playing himself. More shades of the Goons.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 24th February 2019, 9:48 AM

I was surprised to read though that Perry's favourite episode was in my mind one of the really spare ones.................................

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Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 24th February 2019, 11:17 AM

Oh hang on then I've got to do more title checking...
All Is Safely Gathered In. A very pleasant ep it is but not a very demanding one, maybe he just enjoyed the break from great scriptwriting.

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OH! I loved that one - even Jones silliness was just about bearable (until he fell in the thresher - that was plain daft) and the end always has me in hysterics when they all come out of the farmhouse all great buddies after the bottles of potato wine (?) and through a bit of drunken pushing it turns into a free for fall............SO, SO FUNNY.

Quote: Billy Bunter @ 24th February 2019, 12:46 PM

I always understood that Jimmy Perry's favourite episode was "Branded", in which Godfrey was discovered to have been a conscientious objector in the 1st World War:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=aJTQ4qW-ePc

And David Croft's was "Mum's Army":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=BEGusOkY7hE

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Yeah I can't find the reference now, I thought it was from the DAAS site but I couldn't see it there, I definitely read it, it wasn't a TV clip. Have a feeling it was in a prelude to the last Film but I can't locate it. Sorry don't mention that film

Branded not one of my own faves, thought it was contrived but it was inspired apparently by the fact that Ridley had an actual bayonet wound from WW1 which restricted his movement on set, which I found interesting.

Mum's Army though yes one of the best quiet ones, they both loved Brief Encounter and this was their tribute to it. Very well done.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 25th February 2019, 2:54 AM

Yeah I can't find the reference now, I thought it was from the DAAS site but I couldn't see it there, I definitely read it, it wasn't a TV clip. Have a feeling it was in a prelude to the last Film but I can't locate it. Sorry don't mention that film

Branded not one of my own faves, thought it was contrived but it was inspired apparently by the fact that Ridley had an actual bayonet wound from WW1 which restricted his movement on set, which I found interesting.

Mum's Army though yes one of the best quiet ones, they both loved Brief Encounter and this was their tribute to it. Very well done.

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OH! (again ) I loved that one, and yes, Brief Encounter a fabulous film - Noel Coward at his best and superbly acted.

To balance my moaning post, at its best Dad's Army is superlative.

For those who are interested, have access and weren't aware (which included me until glancing at my tv listings magazine over my early morning wheetibangs), the three lost episodes that were the original subject of this thread, are on UK Gold tonight, tomorrow and Tuesday.

Quote: Billy Bunter @ 25th August 2019, 8:54 AM

........................ are on UK Gold tonight, tomorrow and Tuesday.

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Which I cannot get.

Oh well, 'spect it'll be repeated on another channel one day................................like The Rebel was - NOT.