Chelmsford 123

I'd forgotten all about this series until I came across it again this week.

Full of marvellous actors and obviously the jump off point for many of them - just look at the list - anything where Andy Hamilton, Phil Pope, Jimmy Mulville and Neil Pearson appear on the screen must be a winner.

This is one of the funniest programmes I've watched in ages - just like a cross between the first Blackadder series and Up Pompei

Neil Pearson as Mungo is excellent as is Howard Lew Lewis (the chap who played Elmo in Brush Strokes)

Any show where a man can justify a flock of sheep consist of one sheep because 'Well it's only me first day' has got to be a classic

Search this out and watch it - you won't regret it.

I agree with your man above. This was funny. Rory McGrath show glimpses of his humour in "They Think It's All Over"......in Chelmsford 123 he has run riot. He is a very clever bloke. For a hairball gooner.

So why hasn't this been released in any format ? I've been after this for ages - similar to the equally brilliant Bostock's Cup with Neil Pearson. I only hope they haven't been deleted.

One of the best historical comedies ever - and at last after 20 years we can get it on iTunes for less than £5 a series, and on Channel4 On Demand.

"Oh mighty Hadrian, I have just spent the most miserable four weeks of my life inspecting our borders with Caledonia. It seems you have instructed our engineers to build a long stretch of stonework right across the country. Now if I didn't know better, I'd say it was a wall. Is the idea to continue the wall all the way around Caledonia, then put a roof on it, thereby making it the biggest indoor toilet in the Empire?". - Governor Aulus Paulinus, dictating a letter to Rome, season 2, episode 1.

Found this on a streaming service and gave it a shot because I love shows set in historical periods of time.

From the first episode I was hooked, especially with the scenes with closed captions, it was clever how they used them as part of the jokes.

All in all I would recommend this because it mixes history and humor with innocent (sometimes raunchy, it's not a family show) good fun.

Added it to my "Comedies that are actually funny" list, check it out if you want more.

Chelmsford 123 came on the back of the success of "Who dares wins" a comedy scetch show which starred three of the cast of Chelmsford 123 as well as Tony Robinson who went on to be Baldrick in the Blackadder series. Who Dares Wins was never released on VHS and apparently never will be as a letter to Channel 4 about this said that the series was "lost". I did like Chelmsford 123 but I feel some of the jokes would be lost on an American audience. Luckily I am in Canada and happen to be on of the few in North America who doesn't think Benny Hill was funny but that this series was. If you get a chance to watch it then give it a look. The writing is top quality.