You Rang, M'Lord?

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.

You Rang M'Lord must be one of the funniest TV Series ever. It's all about a private family that employs several household staff who look after them. There is a butler, an underbutler, a footman, a cook, several housekeepers etc. Although the series is very funny and certain situations are overdrawn, it nevertheless comes very close to "the real thing". As professional butler and chairman of the International Guild of Professional Butlers I know a little bit about the subject. Do check out the series because you will fall in love with it.

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.

I possess about 96% of this series, or should I say these series on VHS and am awaiting the day they will be available on DVD. This was an excellent comedy series which seems to have fallen into oblivion. Some of the actors starred in "It Ain't Half Hot Mum ", another excellent series set in British India ! This series examines the relationships between the servant staff and the occupying family of an upper class British Household during the 1920's. What is good about it is that each character is extremely well analyzed and developed and when you follow the series from one episode to the next, their is a rigid consistency in the way each of the characters behaves. What is good is that the satire concerns everyone, it is not an anti-upper-class satire, the humbler characters are portrayed to be just as scheming and below-the-belt as the aristocratic ones. Of course I sympathize with poor old Mabel who is treated like dirt by the other servants who for some reason consider her below their level to partake of the same food as themselves ! Also I found extremely annoying the policeman who turns up every time in the kitchen to scrounge tea and cake - in fact the servants probably come out of this with a worse image than the aristocrats - sure Poppy is a spoiled brat and is always leading James on, but he himself has a kind of inverted snobbery or obsequiousness. Paul Shane's character (head butler) is also extremely dislike-able ( for me ) as he represents typical working-class-with-a-chip-on-their-shoulder but I found the character of his daughter Ivy absolutely adorable and found Henry incredibly funny with his off the cuff remarks as I did Teddy with his cravings for servant girls. Sir Ralph's character can also get annoying at times and it's a bit of a shame that Lord Meldrum has a soft spot for his wife as she seems to be more of a slut than anything else; Each episode is very well crafted and provides many moments of laughter, quiproquo, an insight into relations between "upstairs and downstairs" plus the inclusion of a number of external influences ( Barbara Windsor, for example, as Shane's false wife ). I am very fond of Donald Hewlett as an actor and his character is that I prefer in this series.

The series is typically English humour, I am not sure whether it could be appreciated by foreign audiences as some prior knowledge of the English class system is necessary - but once you get into it and become familiar with each of the characters - you cannot do without it ! I am hopeful that one day this will get round to being issued on DVD, such is the scarcity of good comedy in the UK nowadays, we need to re-edit these oldies on DVD to provide ourselves with some hours of pleasure.

I first saw You Rang M'Lord? As a child aged around 10. Back then I didn't get some of the jokes, especially around Cissy's lesbianism, and back then Miss Poppy seemed a lot nicer than I realised re-watching it recently as a 40 year old.

The period setting means this show hasn't aged badly at all. The acting, setting, and overall comedy still holds up.

What I also hadn't noticed as a child, but did as an adult, is just how layered and complex the plots are for a sitcom. At any time there are at least 4 or 5 plots playing out, with the Meldrum men carrying out affairs, Alf Stokes the butler constantly on the make, and Ivy being in love with James Twelvetrees the footman. Alongside these you have Mrs Lipton and the police officer forming a relationship, as well as earlier on, Mrs Lipton and Alf Stokes. Henry's unrequited love for Ivy is often touched upon too, as well as the politics of that period around workers and their 'betters'. It's incredibly well delivered and doesn't feel contrived most of the time.

Darker than other Croft and Perry sitcoms, You Rang M'Lord often tackles some quite serious subjects, and doesn't have the laugh out loud silliness of Hi Dr Hi for instance.

The show ran for 4 series and came to a worthwhile ending which I won't spoil here.

A very good show, with the production and values of a period drama. You can see the influence dramas like Upstairs Downstairs had on it, and it's all the better for it. Funny, occasionally dark, and quite endearing.