Rentaghost

Just utter nonsense..... its more like rentanabadactor for a very cheap rate!!i am so annoyed at myself for watching more than 1 episode

One of the overiding memories of my childhood was watching Rentaghost in the afternoon. The early episodes are the best and were actually quite intelligent. Sadly, but inevitably, it eventually just became trashy rubbish with the most ridiculous plots played as pure slapstick .(Luckily, by then, I had grown out of kid's TV so my memories remain untainted).

I just caught an episode on satellite as my young son was watching it (yes - I do feel old!!)and it made me realise how innocent it was to be a child in the 70's. Kid's TV now is so cynical and all about merchandising and product placement. Today's generation will never have the same warm nostalgia about 'Pokemon' or 'Batman of the Future' that my peers have about 'Rentaghost' and it's contemporaries.

"Ooooh Arthur! What are those lunatics The Meekers up to now?"

Aaahhh, *the* tv show of my childhood. Frequently pantomimonic, the antics of Claypole and the cast of (flippin') spooks amused me for a sizeable chunk of my childhood. The early episodes had actual plot and purpose with the profitless Rentaghost business, the later ones were low on quantity with the Spooks living with the Meekers. Christmas cracker joke scripts, a pantomime horse, Christopher Biggins acting more camp than a weekend at Butlins and an unhealthy dose of bluescreen effects with every episode leading to an all-cast chase around the Meekers' living room table as the theme tune played every week.

Harmless fun for the children of the 70s in the days before childrens television had to be educational and lost any creativity it ever had. Gone are the days of sit-coms for kids, but the spirit (ahem) is kept alive in "Rentaghost's" occasional repeats tucked away in the armpit of satellite television.

A classic. No question. Well, you must excuse me, the astral lift is waiting to whisk me away!

"Come away from the window, Rose....."

Despite being too young to know the original run of Rentaghost, I'd still class it as one of the funniest shows of my youth. I'm afraid I have to disagree with some of the reviews here, and say I thought the series got better and better as it went on, it got barmier and barmier, the plots became insanely silly, but insanely funny. Such a shame only the first series was made commercially available, as it's a show I'm sure today's youngsters would love it.

Everything a kid could possibly want, the zany Meakers, the mischievous Mr Claypole, the clumsy Dobbin, and the poor Perkins.

Legendary writer Lynda la Plante appeared in one series, as Tamara Novek, she was ok, but the replacement of Nadia Popov played by Coronation Street legend Sue Nicholls was a joy to watch.

Such an amazingly talented set of performers, Stainforth got to show off his roller dancing talents, and the magical Ann Emery got to sing her heart out.

A much loved show, which proved it was great to grow up in the Seventies and early eighties.

Series Nine was hilarious, Suzi Starlight, Bernie St John and the cellar, magical!

10/10

At 33 years of age I remember the early series as well as the later, and the opening bars of that bloody programme filled me with dread as my best friend always had to rush in from playing outdoors to see the damn thing with me in toe. Not the most fun 30 minutes of my young life waiting to get back outside. Now - Ulysses, that was something much better. "Flying through all the galaxies..."