Dad's Army - Happy 40th Birthday

I'd just like to wish my favourite sitcom of all time a very happy 40th birthday. As you probably know, it is Dad's Army night on BBC Two on Saturday to celebrate the 40th anniversery. This night includes: the film, Jimmy Perry's favourite episode, a Dad's Army documentary, David Croft's favourite episode and a documentary about Arthur Lowe. And on Sunday, Jonathan Ross Salutes Dad's Army.
But today is the 40th anniversary of the first episode (The Man And The Hour) going out on air. To celebrate this, I am going to watch the first episode at 8:20 pm (the time it originally went out at). I have the DVD, so will settle down to do that at 8:20 tonight. I suggest you do the same. If you haven't got the DVD, there is always YouTube, which has the opening episode on the site.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx4Z3a118D8 Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O-GdNB1ux8 Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15z4XMoYi2Y Part 3

Remember though, don't watch it until 8:20pm!

I'm not a big fan of the show, but I'll be watching on Saturday night. I've seen lots of the colour episodes, but not the early B&W ones, and my memory of Dad's Army is that the episodes are funny for 15 minutes, but then degenerate into slapstick with Jones hanging out of windows or in runaway steam engines. I prefer the character-based stuff and the dialogue. What do you think, Jack?

I can't really say a bad word against it. For me it's an absolute gem, my favourite sitcom of all time. Arthur Lowe's acting as Captain Mainwaring is the best comic acting I've ever seen and the best I'm likely to see.

I'm with Jack.

Great show, but didn't it lose some of it's edge after the guy who smoked died?

Yes, the acting, writing, characterisation etc. are superb, but I feel disappointed when they end the episodes with a bit of slapstick. I was wondering if that crept in later on in the series, or did they always do that. Usually it takes place during the location filming, did they venture outside of the studio in the early B&W days?

Most of the way through series 9 on DVD at the moment. Still some great stuff there.

Quote: Bad dog @ July 31 2008, 12:39 PM BST

Yes, the acting, writing, characterisation etc. are superb, but I feel disappointed when they end the episodes with a bit of slapstick. I was wondering if that crept in later on in the series, or did they always do that. Usually it takes place during the location filming, did they venture outside of the studio in the early B&W days?

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Always there, but the slapstick came into play more at the end.

So did anybody watch the first episode at 8:20? I did, though I have seen that episode many times, it felt really special, knowing that EXACTLY 40 years ago, the same thing in the same spot would have been on television.

I didn't realise until I just read this Jack that it's been 40 years! God, we were just lads when it started then weren't we, Jack? One of the best sitcoms of all time, surely you're right there old boy!

As for the slapstick, I love it! I like a bit o' custard pie in't face humour! I always remember that old line.. '..if I fall down a manhole, it's tragic ..but if you do, it's comic..'

Quote: Jack Massey @ July 31 2008, 9:54 PM BST

So did anybody watch the first episode at 8:20? I did, though I have seen that episode many times, it felt really special, knowing that EXACTLY 40 years ago, the same thing in the same spot would have been on television.

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Wasn't that a Monday?

Interesting that the opening credits was a late addition because they were going to use WWII footage.

I didn't see what they had in mind but I think the map animation gave it a real identity.

Don't know if it gets a mention anywhere, but the closing credits are clearly inspired by the final scene of The Way Ahead - with John Laurie appearing in both!

Quote: David Chapman @ July 31 2008, 11:35 PM BST

Wasn't that a Monday?

Interesting that the opening credits was a late addition because they were going to use WWII footage.

I didn't see what they had in mind but I think the map animation gave it a real identity.

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The first episode was actually shown on a Wednesday night, but yesterday was exactly forty years since the opener. Actually knew about the opening credits thing years ago.

The argument about the opening credits is discussed in length in Graham McCann's book about Dad's Army which must have been published 5 or 6 years ago at least.

So Jonathan Ross is on in a minute.

I think he'll treat it with the respect it deserves.