Dad's Army

Yet another favorite British sit-com of mine. Dad's Army takes place in WW2 and centers around a bunch of misfit soliders with problems which would ordinarly keep someone out of the military. One of the soliders is a dim-witted Momma's boy (Ian Lavender), and he's also my favorite character in this show! Just like any other British sit-com I've seen, the characters and storylines are very provacative and outstanding! Also, one of the actors in this was in that movie "Invasion Quartet". Can't remember his name, though. Though I wonder what Ian Lavender is doing nowadays.

My favorite episode was the one where they decided to take the day off to play Cricket. Dad's Army will keep you laughing from beginning to end! This show also pops up on PBS periodically. Catch it if you can! The downside is that my friends from work haven't even heard of these British sit-coms that I like. I'm the only one who's a fan. Unfortunatly, they're all into Malcolm in the Middle, That 70's Show, and Titus. But comparing those shows to British sit-coms would be like comparing The French Connection and Casablanca to American Pie and 10 Things I Hate About You.

Capt. Mainwaring would frequently utter the above phrase, and then immediately do something much more stupid than young Private Pike could ever accomplish. This is one of the reasons why this colorful program is one of my favorites (pardon my American English spelling).

The scripts are good, but what really make this show brilliant are the great characters and the wonderful actors. It must have been very difficult to get elderly actors to do zany slapstick comedy, but the directors managed to do it beautifully.

The contrast of young and old, and middle class and working class people in perpetual conflict is really great fun to watch. More egos are deflated in this series than ever before, and with hilarious results.

Instead of watching the horrible news accounts of the Iraq War, watch a video tape of Dad's Army. This a very funny remembrance of a much better era.

If you can get hold of the series on DVD, do not hesitate. "Dad's Army" is a real gem that will offer you hours of intense pleasure and spark off countless outbursts of hilarious laughter.This is comedy at its best.Although the humor is essentially British with that contained form of polite sarcasm and the use of understatement, it is also so typical of human nature in general that it offers a universal appeal.The characters are all lovable in one way or the other.The pompous captain Mainwaring who's attitude is clearly based on an obvious inherent feeling of insecurity and his suave sergeant Wilson, the over-enthusiastic corporal Jones who panics at the slightest upheaval,the spooky-looking Frazer or private Godfrey who resembles Dopey in the Seven Dwarfs and the mother's-boy Pike, are but just some of the delightful individuals in this fascinating series."Dad's Army"obtained a fourth place in a recent BBC comedy poll and apparently continues to thrill both young and old.Some episodes are less entertaining than most,I admit, but on the whole the series is really worth-while. The capture of a German submarine crew for example, is hilarious!

When I first saw "Dad's Army" on BBC Prime I thought that this is really corny one and since it was going on and on with only few laughs I gave up. Then after few weeks when I put BBC Prime again it was "Dad's Army" again, same episodes and again it wasn't as funny as other British comedy series, so again I gave up.

But lately I've seen the whole series from the beginning (since black & white episodes) and this time it all finally began to make sense. Finally I've seen the light and what kind of approach you need to like this series - usually it isn't LOL-funny, but with more subtle kind of humor. After seeing the whole series even the episodes I've seen before and didn't like make sense and I know what was funny about it.

Now I can say that "Dad's Army" is really great series with wonderful ideas, great cast and leaves something within you - now when I watch some films with people in uniforms I usually expect to hear "do you think it's wise", "stupid boy", "they don't like up them" or "permission to worry you, sir".

A really "must see" kind of TV history!

I was a youngster during WW II living in America but I was made well aware of the courage and resolve of the British people. Dad's Army, in addition to being the best comedy show ever, shows us this courage. Unlike so many sit coms, it is not mean or vicious but is gentle yet over the top funny. Despite their bumbling and odd approach to things, their love of country, their braveness, and their willingness to die for England if they have to, always shows through.

I own over 50 episodes on either VHS or DVD and am constantly searching for the ones I do not have. In addition I have both volumes of the complete scripts. I never get tired of watching or reading them. I can't watch the final episode (Never Too Old wherein Jonesy gets married and they drink a toast to the Home Guard every where)without feeling some tears welling up in my eyes. In fact, I'm starting to choke up a bit right now just thinking about it.

I have acquaintances (notice I don't say friends) who have watched it with me and just don't get it. They prefer the smart Alex stuff which passes for humor today. I do feel sorry for them.