47 years ago today:
Are You Being Served?
S4E5: Fifty Years On
After Mrs. Slocombe starts dropping hints that it's her birthday, the staff calculate that she is 50 and plan an appropriate party.
Airdate: 1976-05-06
https://themoviedb.org/tv/168/season/4/episode/5
#AreYouBeingServed #FrankThornton #BBCOne #ClassicTV

TODAY IN QUEER TV HISTORY

BEANE'S OF BOSTON - 5/5/1979, CBS

Today in 1979, CBS aired this unsold pilot for a proposed U.S. remake of ARE YOU BEING SERVED?, the long-running Britcom set in a department store.

Alan Sues goes a bit too over-the-top as Mr. Humphries (the implicitly queer role originated by John Inman on the BBC series and its Aussie remake). Sues had previously been the "resident sissy" on the hit 1960s-70s sketch-comedy series ROWAN & MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN.

It was common for networks to broadcast whole evenings of busted sitcom pilots. Officially these evenings had umbrella titles like "Comedy Playhouse," but some people in the industry snarkily called them "Garbage Can Theater."

https://youtu.be/Dr2ytTdBNDg

#television #gay #queer #LGBTQ #MediaStudies #1970sTV #Britcom #AreYouBeingServed

I've watched/reviewed/rated 25 episodes of #ClassicTV in the last 13 days.
Here's how they lined up.

10/10
#Aspen
#TheBionicWoman
#TheFamousTeddyZ
#Frasier
#HighwayPatrol
#MissionImpossible
#TheSixMillionDollarMan

9/10
#AlmostPerfect
#Branded
#BuffaloBill
#Columbo
#HillStreetBlues
#ItTakesAThief
#KungFuTheLegendContinues

8/10
#Benson
#MagnumPI
#SantaBarbara
#Viper

7/10
#AreYouBeingServed?
#FernwoodTonight
#IDreamOfJeannie
#SuperForce
#WonderWoman

4/10
#TheStreetsOfSanFrancisco
#Vegas

Celebrating #caturday With one of the origonals...
.
Mrs Slocombe's Hilarious Pussy Cat Moments _ Are You Being Served
.
#catsofmastodon #AYBS #Areyoubeingserved @oldbritishtelly #jokes #tv #television #british

47 years ago today:
Are You Being Served?
S4E3: Forward Mr. Grainger
Mr. Grainger is selected to fill in for Mr. Rumbold while he is away; the staff wonder whether they should take advantage of Mr. Grainger's good nature, only to discover to their horror that he doesn't have one when he sacks Mrs. Slocombe.
Airdate: 1976-04-22
https://themoviedb.org/tv/168/season/4/episode/3
#AreYouBeingServed #BBCOne #TV

#AreYouBeingServed? s6e3 (1978) - 7/10
More story than usual; funny.

1️⃣ Mrs. Slocombe is getting married! But it all goes awry (when the man’s wife objects!) and the gang have to stage a fake wedding (to cover expenses).

2️⃣ It’s all very silly. (Very, very silly.) But it gets the gang into costumes and allows for some of them to put on accents (as it’s a Greek wedding). #JamesHayter is surprisingly funny as Mr. Tebbs. #MollieSugden is a pure delight.

50 years ago today:
Are You Being Served?
S1E6: Diamonds Are a Man's Best Friend
It's pay day at Grace Brothers and the staff realize that their money just doesn't go very far. An opportunity for a bonus arises when a customer loses a diamond and offers a £100 reward. Greed gets the better of everyone, except Mr. Grainger, and soon they're conspiring behind each others backs....
Airdate: 1973-04-18
https://themoviedb.org/tv/168/season/1/episode/6
#AreYouBeingServed #FrankThornton #tvshows

47 years ago today:
Are You Being Served?
S4E2: Top Hat and Tails
Mr. Humphries' background as a dance instructor is called upon when the Ladies' and Gents' Wear departments form a team to compete in the inter-store ballroom dancing competition.
Airdate: 1976-04-15
https://themoviedb.org/tv/168/season/4/episode/2
#AreYouBeingServed #BBCOne #Television

I've watched/reviewed/rated 25 episodes of #ClassicTV in the last 12 days.
Here's how they lined up.

10/10
#Aspen
#Frasier
#GvsE

9/10
#Banacek
#Branded
#FamousFive
#ForeverKnight
#ItTakesAThief
#PeopleLikeUs

8/10
#AlmostPerfect
#Benson
#TheBoldOnes
#CarolineInTheCity
#HillStreetBlues
#HyperionBay
#IDreamOfJeannie
#InBedWithMeDinner
#SantaBarbara

7/10
#AreYouBeingServed?

6/10
#Isis
#JustShootMe!

5/10
#DustysTrail

4/10
#BeyondWestworld
#KungFuTheLegendContinues

3/10
#TalesFromTheCrypt

Well if no one else will I will. 😂 #aybs #AreYouBeingServed #BritCom

#AreYouBeingServed? s6e2 (1978) - 7/10
Enjoyable.

✅ At first glace, it’s just more mechanical props and silly costumes. But the long final scene is well put together. The gang are decorating a room and the various mishaps allow for some well-planned and well-executed gags.

#70sTV

50 years ago today:
Are You Being Served?
S1E4: Camping In
A transport strike leaves the staff stranded at the store, so Young Mr. Grace offers to let them spend the night on the floor. Tents are set up, but Mr. Lucas has trouble keeping his up. A "campfire" sing along leads to talk of the last World War and the experiences some of them had.
Airdate: 1973-04-04
https://themoviedb.org/tv/168/season/1/episode/4
#AreYouBeingServed #FrankThornton #JohnInman #BBCOne #TV

What a crossover 😂😂
#AreYouBeingServed #KeepingUpAppearances #Comedy

@CatherineRussell2 @NicholasSmithFan

https://www.facebook.com/BritishComedyClassics/videos/1243452699928815/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v

For April, my #ClassicTV watchlist looks something like this:
#FridayThe13th #BarneyMiller #HighwayPatrol #TheOddCouple #Cheers #NightCourt #AreYouBeingServed? #Werewolf #TalesFromTheCrypt #Columbo #FernwoodTonight #FamousFive #Isis #30Rock #Highlander #ForeverKnight #Frasier #Batman #FalconCrest #RudeAwakening #MollyDodd #MagnumPI #MikeHammer #HarryO #TheStreetsOfSanFrancisco

#ClassicTV #ClassicTelevision
#90sTV #80sTV #70sTV #60sTV #50sTV

#AreYouBeingServed? s6e1 (1978) - 5/10
Below average.

1️⃣ 18 months after the end of series 5, the show returns with #JamesHayter replacing #ArthurBrough (who had passed away). His fussy character fails to make much of an impression. He’ll only appear 5 more times after this.

2️⃣ The first half of the episode is basically plotless. It’s just the regulars returning from holiday, and recounting their misadventures.

#AreYouBeingServed? (1977) - 6/10
Disappointing.

1️⃣ The two problems with this film are: it reuses jokes/sequences from episodes of the TV series, and it looks terribly cheap. All the outdoor stuff is clearly taking place inside a small studio.

2️⃣ What works works because of the cast. There are some laughs to be had, even if we know the jokes. Because we like/enjoy the cast/characters.

3️⃣ The first half-hour plays like a typical episode. Plotless, consisting of a series of sketches.

I've watched/reviewed/rated 25 episodes of #ClassicTV in the last 12 days.
Here's how they lined up.

10/10
#Catweazle
#Highlander
#MidnightCaller
#PerfectStrangers

9/10
#Batman
#ForeverKnight
#MyWorldAndWelcomeToIt
#Riptide
#Soap
#TheStreetsOfSanFrancisco

8/10
#Benson
#FernwoodTonight
#HardcastleAndMcCormick
#TheHunger
#IDreamOfJeannie
#ScoobyDoo
#Taxi
#TalesFromTheCrypt
#ThisIsDavidLander
#TJHooker
#WarOfTheWorlds

6/10
#DustysTrail
#MagnumPI

5/10
#AreYouBeingServed?

4/10
#Viper

#AreYouBeingServed

Dozens Of Mar-a-Lago’s Staff Slapped With Subpoenas https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/mar-a-lago-staff-trump-subpoenas-1234698457/

#AreYouBeingServed? s5e7 (1977) - 5/10
Lacklustre.

1️⃣ As the years went by, the show increasingly relied on silly props and costumes to generate laughs. Here, it mostly falls flat. Even the studio audience doesn’t appear to be greatly amused. The opening sequence, where Humphries replaces a dummy that looks just like him, is silly. How stupid are Rumbold and Peacock supposed to be, that they don’t realise it’s a real person standing in front of them?

#AreYouBeingServed? s5e6 (1977) - 7/10

✅ The story is actually pretty decent, but it’s a lot like an earlier one where Mr. Grainger was placed in charge. Here, he’s just in a foul mood with everyone. Inexplicably.

✅ There’s a great scene between him and Mr. Harman, where Harman has been eavesdropping on his behalf. And the letter at the very end is hilarious.

#TVReview