Dad's Army

Well worth watching for a half-hour's respite from the day's cares.

A gentle vein of satire is admirably played off against a good honest background of slapstick which warms us to the men (perhaps unwisely) to tackle Hitler's invaders with broomsticks and relics from the armament museums.

This is the first time I've seen the series and though it doesn't revive any memories for me, I can only say that I'll be watching it regularly from now on. With a good cast, witty script, and the ability to make fun out of a serious business without being unkind, I'm sure Dad's Army will go marching into the top charts.

Arthur Lowe, the captain of Dad's Army, is its kingpin. And what holds it together. It's no effort to reel back to the days of Dunkirk. You could put Mr Lowe into any era. He is the man for any hour.

Why has Dad's Army... become a 'must' for a vast viewing public? The answer, once more, is that this brilliant production portrays an authentic picture of the behaviour of people during the Second World War.

Humour must be dead in those who cannot get a few laughs out of Dad's Army.

After two episodes it looks as though Dad's Army is a real winner. It's situation comedy of the very best sort, because it's drawn from a rich fund of experience and not from the artificial hatchery of a script conference.

I'm fairly hopeful that this may prove an interesting series, though in the opening instalment the balance between humour and nostalgia seemed to be held uneasily.

Jimmy Perry's and David Croft's inaugural script was pretty feeble, with an over reliance on strained little jokes, but again this may be only a scene-setting problem.

I must admit to being agreeably surprised by the first episode of Dad's Army. It was lively, inventive full of amusing characters and, above all, funny. With the last not too common quality, and defects are innediately forgiven.