You Rang, M'Lord?

This was one of the funniest sitcoms to come out of the BBC, sweet, funny and innocent. It showed the class divide in the country during the 1920's. The Meldrum's, a wealthy family living in a large house, below stairs live the servants. A charismatic bunch lead by butler Alf Stokes. Most of the humour comes from downstairs, and lots of the serious bits come from the mix of the two.

On many occasions social and political arguments were raised, there were often touches of realism.

It went out on a Sunday evening, and it was the last good bit of the weekend, before School on a Monday morning.

Great performances from all the cast. Su Pollard was visually very funny, so often she's the one that steals the laughs. The craziest laughs came from Lady Lavender, her and that parrot.

It was a brilliant series, one I couldn't recommend highly enough, 10/10

My early memories of You Rang M'Lord are pretty hazy (I was only small when it was first shown) but I have very fond memories of it. I managed to catch it again when I was fifteen and I still remembered some scenes (the way Madge Cartwright's maid Rose squeaks "Oh, Mr. Teddy!", Mrs. Lipton throwing everything in sight at Alf Stokes and the bit where Lady Lavender throws six tapioca puddings at Ivy are three that really stuck in my mind). I really wish it was repeated more often, as - for instance - Dad's Army is in the UK. As I think an earlier reviewer said, it paints a fantastic picture of society in the twenties and the way in which it was changing at the time. The characterisation is great - Stokes as the scheming butler, Henry who always seems to get hit round the head with something or by someone, Lord Meldrum as the adulterous (presumably widowed) head of the house. A great series that should be seen by anyone who gets the chance.

This is one of my all time favourite TV shows and has been forever. I loved it when it first aired when I was a little girl and at 25 I am thrilled that (a) it is now being repeated on UKTV Drama, and thanks (b) to that the show is being released on DVD in January 2006. While the triple treat of Paul Shane, Jeffry Holland and Su Pollard are value for money as always, the beauty of this series is that everyone is so well cast and that even the smaller more minor roles were still a dream for any Actor to play. Michael Knowles is fabulous as Uncle Teddy and Lady Lavender steals every scene she is in. However, even though she was a little Cat (to use a favourite phase of the series) my favourite character was always Miss. Poppy, fantastically played by Susie Brann, because it was nice to see an Actress play a character who wasn't always sweetness and light. Granted, Ivy is sweet and gentle, but Miss Poppy seems a lot more fun. Am I the only person who was disappointed that she didn't end up with her beloved James Twelvetrees??? (I know - I need to get a life. Ha Ha!!!) A jewel in the British comedy crown. Two thumbs up.

I grew up watching this series. It has a cult status in my family. Without a shadow of doubt, this is the best comic series ever. The casting is perfect and the acting superb. The story and its layers are simply amazing; I could watch each episode hundred times over and I would still enjoy it as much as I did the first time and notice something new, something I hadn't noticed before. I wish the series lasted 30 years instead of just 3. I have bought the DVD of the first season and plan to buy the rest of the series too.

The thing that puzzles me most is the fact that this series is not as well know as Dad's Army, Only fools and horses or Blackadder. The BBC conducted a poll back in 2004 to find out what is considered to be the best Britain's sitcom and You rang m'lord is not even in the first 100 series. One can't help but wondering how this could be. I am simply astonished.

While it's not news that British comedies are far better than their American counterparts, You Rang M'Lord tops the list of excellent British comedy. The post-Victorian aristocratic setting is perfect for class distinction humor, its underlying political themes subtle enough to serve the humor only. This series reveals that all "classes" of people are driven by basic human nature, the same foibles, desires, hopes, and dreams. The situations are hilarious and tied to an overall theme in each episode, the characters as good as any ever conceived, the acting of each one superb, the costumes and sets flawless. I just wish the series had run for 10 years, as each episode is so much fun.