Amazon.com

The core cast of the classic British sitcom Are You Being Served?returns to run a country hotel in Grace & Favour (known in the U.S.as Are You Being Served? Again!). John Inman (as the deliciouslyfey Mr. Humphries), Mollie Sugden (imperious Mrs. Slocombe), FrankThornton (snobbish Captain Peacock), Wendy Richard (cheerfully tart MissBrahms), and Nicholas Smith (jug-eared Mr. Rumbold) transplant theirDepartment-store banter to a small village manor house, where they grapplewith such problems as a stolen gypsy cart, American tourists, a mummifiedcat, and the bubbly attentions of farmgirl Mavis (Fleur Bennett), whoshares a warm bed with a dismayed Mr. Humphries. Some plot elements arelabored (far, far too much is made of this bed-sharing) while others gettossed aside before they go anywhere (Mrs. Slocombe's husband, who lefther 40 years before, appears for a single underdeveloped episode), anda few too many jokes are recycled from the previous series (including alot of sexual double-entendres that don't quite fly when the cast is thislong in the tooth). Nonetheless, the comic ensemble maintains their easy,enjoyable rapport, which is no small accomplishment. This series isunlikely to entice the uninitiated into the fold, but fans of Are You BeingServed? will take to it like comfort food. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Wonderful follow up to Are You Being Served?
Wonderful sequel that was cut short in it's prime. It has been shown here in the states on PBS once or twice, but not with as heavy rotation as the original series. To correct another reviewer so slightly, I believe that Mr. Grace doesn't bequeath the staff an estate; if I recall correctly, this is the Grace Brothers Staff Home, and the staff are left to make a going concern (country inn) of it to eat in their retired years. Mr. Humphries may have still been a junior (even if not THE junior) at the end of the original series, and Ms. Brahms was a junior. Between her junior years and the sequel, she did a turn (for many years) as Pauline Fowler on "Eastenders", also a fine show. Mr. H and Miss B are both in the sequel as well as Mrs. Slocombe and Capt. Peacock. Mr. Molterd has to be one of the funniest characters I have ever seen. This one is even more hysterical than the original, I think.

GREAT SHOW- TOO FEW EPISODES
This was the follow-up to ARE YOU BEING SERVED. Unfortunately, the BBC only gave it 2 seasons, and decided it wasn't getting the ratings they wanted. I think it is hilarious, a very funny, overlooked series that was almost as funny as the original show. For anyone who loves the original ARE YOU BEING SERVED, this is a must. If you aren't familiar with that show, this is still a VERY funny, light hearted comedy series, definately worth viewing many times.

Served with increased humor
Loved this series even without the hierarchy of the GB's store.So great to see my favorite cast of characters in another setting which allowed for greater enjoyment.Lots of the same double entendre's the show is famous for and catch phrases each character is identified with.My favorite episode is when the mummified cat is found in the wall and the group takes it to a museum to be displayed.Mrs.Slocom tells a museum worker that she has a pussy of great antiquity and wants the curator to take a look at it. Hillarious.Buy it and enjoy if you loved the first series.The new characters are great, especially Mr.Molturd,and i am unanimous in that!

This show is Great :)
This show is a forgotten jem of Brittish Comedy. The show takes the orignal characters of Are You Being Served and sets them in a country setting. They have inheritted a manor owned by Mr. Grace after he dies and are forced to make money off of it. The show introduces some new characters, Mr and Miss Molturd and Ms. Locklock and none of the people who played the "junior" in the orignal series are there (no trever banister). I'm glad the BBC is finally making this product avaible for public purchase as hasn't been on TV for years.

The greatest shame is this show only had 12 episodes, partly due to Ms. Slocombe's actoress's illness. This show had alot of potential. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The later series of definitive British sitcom Are You BeingServed?--set in the hierarchical world of the sales staff of adepartment store--lost several of its original cast members, but this onlygave more room for the antics of its most popular characters: Thenot-so-ambiguously-gay Mr. Humphries (sterling John Inman) and themulti-hued Mrs. Slocombe (Mollie Sugden, as regal and petulant as QueenVictoria), ably supported by lecherous floorwalker Capt. Peacock(wonderfully snooty Frank Thornton), affable Miss Brahms (helium-voicedWendy Richard), and woefully incompetent Mr. Rumbold (jug-eared NicholasSmith), who form a squabbling dysfunctional family within the strictrules, bowler hats, and neck frills of Grace Brothers store. Though theplots grow more absurd--one episode has the staff forced to sleep on agiant waterbed in the store basement, dressed like albino Teletubbies--thecomfortable but never complacent rapport of the cast keeps the show sharp.Even the most groan-inducing sexual double-entendres (and there are many)gets carried off with aplomb; no matter how many times Mrs. Slocomberefers to her poor pussy (that is to say, her cat, Tiddles), it still getsa laugh from Sugden's unbeatable poker face. And though the writingoccasionally wears thin, some episodes are among the series' best: WhenMrs. Slocombe is temporarily given a managerial position, the overturningof the established order is comic gold; the staging of a Punch and Judyshow lets everyone indulge in some topnotch slapstick. Are You BeingServed? is a twinkling star in the Britcom firmament, guaranteed toturn any viewer into a delirious fan. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (8)

AT LONG LAST.... MY COLLECTION IS COMPLETE !!
WHEN I ORDERED THE FINAL SET OF DVD'S I COULD NOT WAIT TIL I GOT THEM !! I AM SOOOO HAPPY THAT MY COLLECTION IS NOW COMPLETE WITH ARE YOU BEING SERVED!!

THE FIRST SET WAS I THINK A LITTLE BETTER BUT I NEEDED TO COMPLETE MY COLLECTION. I WAS HOPING THAT ON THE INTERVIEWS THEY WOULD HAVE TALKED ABOUT MR GRANGER AND YOUNG MR GRACE BUT NOTHING WAS SAID, I DO KNOW THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER LIVING BUT SOMETHING COULD HAVE BEEN SAID ABOUT THE TIME SPENT ON THE SHOW WITH THEM, UNLESS THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO TALK ABOUT DEAD PEOPLE ON THE BBC.(??) AND ALSO MISSING WAS YOUNG MR SPOONER ON THE INTERVIEWS. THANK YOU BBC AMERICA FOR RELEASING THEM!!

3 Good Reasons To Own This Set
1. The picture quality is outstanding. Seeing more details makes one a little bit more intimate with our friends at Grace Brothers. The excellent sound quality allowed me to catch jokes I missed before. The overall picture and sound quality made me feel as though I was watching the episodes for the first time although I've seen them hundreds of times before.2. The interviews with cast members are a treat.3.The pilot of "Allo, Allo" included as a bonus. (I can assure you the subsequent episodes slated for DVD release 1/20/04 get wackier and wackier!)I cannot wait for the DVD of the Holiday AYBS episodes.

This set is jolly good and "I am unanimous in this"
Those, like myself, whose quest was to see every episode of AYBS? on PBS only to have a time change, slot change, or telethon get in the way, will be relieved to finally have all 69 episodes of this hilarious series in two convenient box sets to watch anytime (take that, PBS). Yes, in this second box set Mr. Grainger is replaced by a string of, mostly unmemorable, characters, and Mr. Lucas will eventually be replaced by the more mean-spirited and less tactful Mr. Spooner; however, there are still many excellent episodes in the last half of the series, including some personal favorites. In "Grounds for Divorce" it seems almost every female member of Grace Brothers is enamored with Captain Peacock. "The Erotic Dreams of Mrs. Slocomb" are about you know who. "The Hero" with Capt. Peacock developing a boil on his bum is another of my favorites. It also includes Trevor Bannister's last episode "The Punch and Judy Affair" which, although I find to be boring and repetitive, is a fan favorite.

"The Best of..." extra was disappointing. I thought John Inman would provide commentary to AYBS? clips. Actually, it is just a bunch of random clips (some quite long) that any fan of AYBS? has seen many times before. The piece on Molly Sugden looked as if it was going to be the same clip show but, fortunately, ends up with more interviews with actors and a look at Sugden's life in her own words which makes for a very welcomed extra. Grace and Favour was a cute series and I hope that the other episodes will be released on DVD soon. Yes, if you are only going to buy one set, buy the first but, if you're going to own the first, why not the second as well?

Mr. Humphries! Leave my pussy [cat] alone!
This is an execllent set of dvds that complete the Are You Being Served? Series.
It includes "Roots?" an episode I've never seen on PBS - It's Mr. Grace's 90th Birthday and the staff decide to research Mr. Grace's roots and do a song/dance number to honor him. After doing three song and dance routines they dig up some more info about Mr. Grace's roots....The cast do a Minstral show number dressed in black face- in questionable taste? You'll have to decide for yourself. But it's obvious that's why this episode has not aired on my local PBS station. The high point of the episode is that the both young and old Mr. Grace are together in this episode AND we see Mr. Rumbold's twin brother!.
Also included is the first episode of Are You Being Served Again?
ALSO - Inside the case for disc 14 is a special separate preview disc of my all time favorite Britcom - "Allo, Allo" - It's the pilot episode of that series..with the promise that series 1 of that show is coming to DVD in Jan '04. Don't miss this one!

"Weak as water, the whole lot of you. Weak as water!"
Set in old-fashioned Grace Brothers Department Store, "Are You Being Served?" was a long running comedy series which followed the day to day antics of the Mens and Ladies Wear departments, both on the same floor. It was, in its own way, a microcosm of society (albeit a slightly off society). We had: Mrs. Slocombe - the eccentric head of Ladies' Wear, who always had a different hair color each episode. Mr. Humphries was the effeminate Menswear assistant who was the source of much hilarity. There was the young and attractive Ms. Brahms. Then there's Mr. Rumbold - the large-eared department head, Captain Peack - always after the ladies, and Mr. Harmond - the intrusive, brash janitor. Put together, these characters make a recipe for an all-together great comedy series.

This DVD set covers the last 5 series (or 'seasons') of "Are You Being Served?" and, viewed on its own, is quite funny. If the episodes are compared to the ones from the first 5 years, it becomes apparent that the quality of the scripts have deteriorated somewhat. Concepts from earlier years are re-used, new characters are introduced and don't quite fit-in, and the show takes on a somewhat 'auto-pilot' feel. But don't think that this is a bad set of shows. Even though they are not as good as the episodes in the Series 1-5 set, they still make for some of the best television I've ever seen.

Gone from the cast are Mr. Grainger (head of Menswear), and Mr. Lucas (he appears in the first two series of the set, and then takes his leave). Grainger & Lucas were two very big parts of the heart & soul of "Are You Being Served?", and their absences are pronounced. There was a series of 'older gentlemen' replacements for Mr. Grainger, before the producers decided to jettison the idea of the role altogether. Mr. Lucas's replacement, Mr. Spooner, lacked quite a bit of personality, and paled in comparison to his predecessor. We also witness the departure of Young Mr. Grace, the owner of the store, who was one of my favorite characters.

Despite the number of cast changes during the last five years of its run, "Are You Being Served?" still managed to be one extremely funny show. Two of my favorite episodes fall within this collection. In "The Apartment", Mrs. Slocombe has squatters in her new flat, so Grace Brothers allows her to use one of the department floors to live in temporarily. She has the place set-up just like a real home and, due to a transit strike, her co-workers end up having to stay the night there. The results are quite amusing. In "The Hold Up", the staff are performing their yearly late-night inventory when two burglars break-in. Some of the staff are captured, and some of the staff dress-up as The Gumby Gang - notoriously tough criminals. This may be my favorite "Are You Being Served?" episode -- ever.

"Are You Being Served?" ran for twelve years in Britain, and, coincidentally enough, it ran for twelve consecutive years on my local PBS station - a sign of its great humor, fabulous characters, and enduring charm. The first DVD set was great. I can't wait to own this one. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Hysterical!
THE TALL GUY has been a favorite of mine for years. I take great pride in being a fan of this "guilty pleasure" film! I try to turn people onto it as often as possible.

THE TALL GUY, first and foremost, is very British in its humor, which means there is irony, surrealism, and jokes that don't depend on insults (Americans *love* the insult-joke).

THE TALL GUY has the funniest sex scene (Goldblum and Thompson) that I've ever seen. And as others have mentioned, the ELEPHANT! musical is hysterical. I cried the first time I saw the musical numbers ... it's that hilarious.

At heart, THE TALL GUY is a sweet romance. But its British sensibilities and backstage humor (Goldblum's character is an underdog actor) lifts it above an average screwball comedy. And Emma Thompson is very charming as Nurse Kate! One forgets after all of her serious Shakespeare and Jane Austin roles that she is quite a comedienne.

So enjoy THE TALL GUY! And remember: "Somewhere up in heaven there's an angel with big ears."

Early work from Curtis the movie scriptwriter
Richard Curtis, eventual architect of 'Four Weddings', 'Notting Hill', 'Love Actually' and bits of 'Bridget Jones', kicked off his filmwriting career with this 1989 debut.

It shows its youthfulness. Just as 'Four Weddings' had at its core a string of sketches based on weddings Curtis had attended (but very skillfully linked by a romantic story), so 'The Tall Guy' appears to have started with the idea of a pastiche musical based on the Elephant Man, around which Curtis wraps a romance between a supporting actor and a nurse.

Curtis's great buddy from Oxford, Rowan Atkinson, is brought in to play a control-freak comedian -- no type-casting there, then -- but there are a few ex-Cambridge people too: Emma Thompson, Mel Smith etc. Jeff Goldblum is good as the lead, but there's no evidence that the script was specially written for him in particular or an American in general.

This film is perhaps now best known for the slapstick sex scene between Thompson and Goldblum, which manages to be (slightly) erotic while also revealing a basic truth about the domestic tidiness of all nurses I have known.

Many of the standard Curtis plot elements appear in a formative stage for this film: the early sexual encounter, followed by the break-up, followed by a finale in which the protagonists make a grand declaration of true love in front of a large crowd, the pop video sequence etc etc.

I suspect this is now a budget-priced DVD because Curtis is slightly embarrassed by it. But it's 88 enjoyable minutes of good, largely clean fun. As ever, Emma Thompson is the most convincing actor on the screen. Fifteen years on, she talks frankly about her varicose veins and growing old. It's probably handy to have a film which she can now show her children and say "This is what I used to look like before anything drooped."

Soon after making this, Curtis co-wrote the brilliant 'Blackadder Goes Forth' series for Rowan and friends, which was one of the comic masterpieces of the 1980s. Clearly outstanding at TV scriptwriting, Curtis may have felt after 'The Tall Guy' that he hadn't proved himself on the movie screen. But the movies were where the real money was (for writers), and five years later, Curtis perfected the formula with 'Four Weddings'.

The Tall Let Down
I've been experiencing Jeff Goldblum fever for some reason so I've been grabbing at all of his movies. The Tall Guy is the number one reason you shouldn't buy a movie from just reading a few reviews and seeing a few scenes. It's terribly misleading.

I tried to give the film a chance but it wasn't easy. I am someone who enjoys intelligent humor and I love brit comedies as much as American comedies. Humor is humor but the humor was not in this film for me. Rowen ( better known as Mr. Bean ) was impressive and Jeff Goldblum gave Dexter King all he could but it was still as the Brits say...a bloody bore.

The plot was limited. Okay what's so great about a tall out of work actor when there's no useful information spilt about the character? I found it tedious the FIFTH time Jeff Goldblum rode down the narrow London streets on his bike. Point is...the film was going nowhere and that's exactly where it went. The actors did well except for Emma Thompson who was way too old to act so naive. Her character gets upset when Dexter cheats, yet the first thing she wanted to do was sleep with HIM a couple of days after they met. Isnt't that the pot calling the kettle black?

There were a lot of loopholes and snail scenes that dragged on and on for no reason. Usually Jeff Goldblum's lamely charming, but he made me more tired of Dexter than any of the other characters.

This film had no substance and even less of an effect. Don't waste your time on this one. No matter how much Jeff fever you may have.

Good solid british comedy
I admit that I purchased this movie as a Rowan Atkinson fan. While his parts are small 20 minutes, and at times mirror his work on Mr. Bean, he is clearly the standout performer in this video. He plays an excellent jerk!
Emma Thompson, playing a straight-forward nurse, is charming, and give a similarly lively performance. There are a couple or fairly racy lovemaking scenes with Emma and Goldblum, so it's not a movie for children, but it is pretty tame fare other than that.
The movie itself centers on the transformation of Jeff Goldblum, and has some inventive writing when dealing with the struggles of becoming an unsuccessful actor, but pretty standard predictable fare when dealing with romance.
The movie, with an 80's soundtrack and look, is a great dose of nostalgia, a gentle dose of comedy, and I highly recommend it as a "guilty pleasure" or "Brain-candy". While you won't see alot of Mr. Atkinson, you will get a decent entertainment value.

Standing tall!
When I first saw this movie about 10 years ago, the primary reason was because Emma Thompson starred in it. 10 years later I have watched it again and have found there is an additional reason to view it: it's genuinely FUN!

The plot is not overly creative or original, but the film is set in London and is full of laughs. It's a Romantic Comedy - British style! This is one of Jeff Goldblum's earlier movies, before he was a really big name.

And if you're looking for women who are beautiful, intelligent AND talented in the acting department, look no further than Emma Thompson! To my knowledge, this film contains her the lone nude scene of her career [although I could be wrong on this one]. That in itself is enough reason to buy this DVD!

As Goldblum plays a struggling actor, people in the theatre community will likely get some extra chuckles from this film. However, it's a film that's also recommended for everyone else who enjoys a good RC and it's very couples-friendly. Oh, and did I mention it stars Emma Thompson??? ... Read more

Description

Episodes: Dear Sexy Knickers, Our Figures Are Slipping, Camping In. The incredibly popular misadventures of the Grace Brothers department store begin with three classic episodes: Dear Sexy Knickers, Our Figures Are Slipping, and Camping In. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Movie: 2 Television Series: 10 Too bad!
First of all, let me say that I am American and "Are You Being Served? (the t.v. series) is one of my all time favorite shows. It is rife with clever humor, memorable characters, excellent actors, wonderful innuendo, and often sharp writing.

This movie is not.

Possibly the biggest mistake is taking the characters out of their natural element: Grace Brothers Department Store. Granted, at the time, the writers must have thought they needed to do so in order to expand the scope for a film. I'm sure that they were correct, in part. But the way in which they took the characters out of the store is pitifully lacking.

Grumpy, tipsey Mrs. Slocumb; fey Mr. Humphreys; superior Captain Peacock; dottering Mr. Grainger; sexy but common Miss Brahms; randy Mr. Lucas; and jug-eared Mr. Rumbold are very lovable and very loved characters. Add in cockney and sly Mr. Harmon and you've got a recipe for hilarity.

Sadly "The Movie" doesn't really deliver on that. The beginning of the movie is the funniest - it is set in the department store. It is also slightly surreal as we are introduced to the characters as if we were seeing them for the first time and as if they didn't already have a history with each other. (Since the movie is a spin-off of the highly popular television series, this introduction seems unwarranted).

The premise is that the store must close and Mr. Grace has sprung for a vacation for the department to go to Costa Plonka in Spain. Sound familiar? Of course it does. It was a premise of one of the episodes. Once there the staff is relegated to staying in tents in the garden of the hotel. Sound familiar? It's another episode. (the whole Mrs. Slocumb and the flatulant air mattress is even included). Mr. Humphrey's dons women's clothing; and Mr. Harmon outsmarts everyone.

Basically what I'm saying is that there is no real new material here......except for the finale....and that ain't good news.

Why, oh why, anyone would find it funny having a revolutionary general beginning his insurrection in the hotel? Not only does it not make a lick of sense pragmatically, but comically it is the death knell for the movie.

There is one thing that the movie did that the series never did: Mr. Humphreys is definitely gay in the movie, but it was always a source of fun speculation in the series. It's a mistake.

Though written by the same writers as the series, it seems to have taken all the things that were wrong in the series and used them to make the film. Gone is the banter at the ubiquitous "staff meetings" or the "canteen lunches". Instead, the writers miss the chance at an al fresco dinner to do the same. Mr. Grainger was always a source of hilarity with his dottering ways - and yet here he's almost written as an afterthought.

I don't understand the mistake with this movie. In 1977 the series was still in production and was quite funny. What happened here? I speculate that the writers didn't have the time to really give the time necessary to the film.

I bought this DVD without having ever seen the film. I don't regret it as it is part of what I consider my AYBS collection, but if you want to get your first taste of this phenonomenal series by seeing the movie first - DON'T! Watch the episodes on your local PBS station here in the U.S. or rent the episodes or buy them at your local store or here on Amazon. Each one is a gem, though as with any show - some are better than others. However, not a single one of them is bad - something I cannot say about this film.

It's really a shame. "And I'm unanimous in that!"

If there was a no star rating, that's what it would get!
How sad to see such a pathetic attempt at making a movie of a really good series. It was absolutely horrible. The video and audio are really bad. I was highly disappointed and I wish I hadn't bought it. Very Corny. TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY.

Not up to snuff
Having viewed and enjoyed just about every episode of the Are You Being Served? TV show, I finally got down to seeing the movie recently. While it had a smattering of mild-to-moderately entertaining moments and a few snickers here & there, overall it wasn't quite "up to snuff" (as it were) in the laughs department when compared to the series it was based on. Sadly, a great deal of the gags and banter were lifted (or slightly modified) from various eppies of the TV show, but were not executed quite as well this time around. Even the obligatory stock gags (e.g. allusions to Mr. Humphries' alleged... er... fluffiness, Mr. Lucas' endless array of smart@$$ remarks & lustful leering at Ms. Brahms, Mrs. Slocombe's feline companion, etc.), which usually kill me every time they pop up on the telly series, didn't do much for me here.

On the upside: at least I finally got to see the Grace Bros. staff outside their usual environment, something I seldom saw in their small-screen misadventures. And it was also interesting to see how AYBS looks on a movie budget-- which apparently isn't too different from what it normally looks on a TV budget. From what I can gather, the only real diffs are the widescreen format, a better film stock, and the lack of a laugh track...

Bottom line: if you're a fairly close follower of the Are You Being Served? TV show but haven't seen this yet, this is worth at least a rental... if only to sate your curiosity. Otherwise, the AYBS movie ain't exactly what I'd consider a "keeper". And I am unanimous in this opinion, by the way...

'Late

Do Not Buy This DVD
If you love the series you will hate this movie. How it could be this awful but still have John Inman and Mollie Sugden in it is a mystery. It is painfully, PAINFULLY, bad. Not at all funny and a complete waste of a very talented group of actors.

Very Disappointed
I bought this for my husband as he is a long time fan of the TV show but after he watched about 30 minutes of it, he gave up and added it to the things we were taking to Goodwill. Money wasted. ... Read more

Description

Attention shoppers! Your favorite dysfunctional sales staff is back with more mischief, more hilarity and more hair colors! Join Mr. Humphries, Mrs. Slocombe, Miss Brahms, Captain Peacock, Mr. Lucas and the rest of the gang as they make shopping at Grace Brothers the comic experience of a lifetime. The staff has been hard-at-work polishing and pressing these six classic episodes: The Junior - Strong Stuff this Insurance - The Apartment - Mrs. Slocombe, Senior Person - The Hero - Anything You Can Do ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"once used by a lot of soldiers"
--Mr. Harmon's perceived reading of Mrs. Slocombe's medical report.

Of the DVDs in the Season 6-10 boxed set of the AYBS? series, volume 9 is the best. It contains six episodes--and all six are winners. In The Junior, the staff must choose an applicant to fill the space left by Mr. Tebbs' retirement (at first, a junior position as Mr. Humphries and Mr. Lucas were to be promoted). The funniest part of this episode is when one of the applicants bears a little too strong a resemblance to Mr. Humphries who remarks "We don't want people like that working here." In this episode, Alfie Bass as Mr. Goldberg is introduced. Of the three characters who tried to replace Mr. Grainger as the senior salesman, Goldberg was the only one that worked. Mr. Tebbs seemed like a cheap imitation of Grainger and Mr. Klein was so unmemorable, you almost forget he was there. Goldberg, however, provided a spark and, right away, gets "up the nose" of Col. (oops, Capt.) Peacock with memories of their army days.

In Strong Stuff This Insurance, the staff must undergo medical exams for a pension bonus plan. The guys get caught with their pants (and everything else) down and the staff mistake Mr. Harmon's reading of appraisals of Young Mr. Grace's antique furniture for their medical reports. In The Apartment, Mrs. Slocombe finds squatters in her new house and must spend the night in the store. Due to a transport strike, she gets many visitors, including Mr. Humphries who she tries to put the moves on! Mrs. Slocombe takes over Mr. Rumbold's position in Mrs. Slocombe, Senior Person (the temporary promotion does not go to her head as much as it did Mr. Grainger, when he once got the position). In The Hero, the staff (and the store) find out Capt. Peacock has a boil on his "bum." They try not to be "cheeky" about it but, when word spreads, Peacock finds himself scheduled to box Mr. Franco in sports who first revealed the "misfortune" (played by wrestler Jackie "Mr. TV" Pallo). Finally, the staff takes over the canteen for a day in Anything You Can Do and, for once, seem to work well together. If you are unsure about getting the Season 6-10 boxed set, volume 9 represents the best of the last half of the series. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: Big Brother, His and Hers, Cold Comfort. A choice selection of three episodes: the staff puts on a show when security cameras are installed, sales plummet when the pretty perfume girl gives away too much, and the fuel crisis has staff relations heating up. ... Read more

Description

Attention shoppers! Your favorite dysfunctional sales staff is back with more mischief, more hilarity and more hair colors! Join Mr. Humphries, Mrs. Slocombe, Miss Brahms, Captain Peacock, Mr. Lucas and the rest of the gang as they make shopping at Grace Brothers the comic experience of a lifetime. The staff has been hard-at-work polishing and pressing these six classic episodes: The Agent - The Punch and Judy Affair - Is it Catching? - A Personal Problem - Front Page Story - Sit Out ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"We haven't taken one solitary P"--Capt. Peacock on sales
Volume 10 of the Are You Being Served? set (also available in the Seasons 6-10 boxed set which any fan should own) is an interesting set of episodes. It includes the last two shows with Mr. Lucas and Mr. Goldberg (The Agent and The Punch and Judy Affair), the first episode with Mr. Grossman and Mr. Spooner and the only episode featuring both Young Mr. Grace and Old Mr. Grace (Is It Catching?). The episodes, however, are mediocre at best.

"The Agent" is good as it features Mr. Goldberg (the best of the Mr. Grainger replacements) as an employment agent who works to find new jobs for Mrs. Slocombe and Mr. Humphries at one of Grace Brothers' biggest competitors. Although I find it repetitive, "The Punch and Judy Affair" is a fan favorite (it is also Trevor Bannister's favorite). The staff put on a life size Punch and Judy show as a way to make amends for crossing the company picket line. In "Is It Catching?" Mr. Humphries contracts Marine's disease and the staff is forced into quarantine. This episode is rather silly. "A Personal Problem" has Mrs. Peacock working as Mr. Rumbold's secretary to make Capt. Peacock jealous. Peacock must find out if she is playing games or is really attracted to that "bald-headed, jug-eared twit" and ends up on the ledge of Rumbold's office window to find out what's going on (or off). "Front Page Story" had interesting possibilities as Mr. Humphries becomes editor of a company gossip paper, but the opportunity for a controversial story on the store's canceled bonuses turns into a beauty contest to try to swindle money out of Old Mr. Grace. Miss Brahms refuses to compete so Mrs. Slocombe represents the department in sexy attire causing Capt. Slocombe to ask, "Would you like to tell the judges your name and what planet you come from?" Of course, it will be someone else from the ladies and gents department winning a weekend on Old Mr. Grace's boat due to an innovative ploy. Finally, in "Sit Out" threats to relegate the ladies and gents department to the basement cause a protest on the roof.

This DVD is not the best of AYBS? If you are a big fan of the series, get the boxed set so that you have everything. If you are a casual fan, I recommend volumes 2 and 1 in that order and, for the latter half of the series, volumes 9 and 11. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: 50 Years On, Oh What a Tangled Web, Forward Mr. Grainger. Three favorite episodes: Mrs. Slocombe hints it's her birthday and everyone's guessing which one, Captain Peacock's acting very strange around Mr. Rumbold's secretary, and a promotion for Mr. Grainger goes right to his head. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"Happy Birthday Dear Er Er"
As relatively weak volume 4 in the AYBS? set is, volume 5 makes up for it big time! Fifty Years On is hilarious. It is Mrs. Slocombe's birthday, and the staff must find out her age and first name. The scene where Mr. Rumbold gets the staff together to rehearse their rendition of "Happy Birthday" is one of the funniest of this long-running series. Some of my favorite episodes of AYBS? are the ones that feature Capt. Peacock's womanizing reputation, and Oh What a Tangled Web has tales of Peacock's "blow tickler" and Mr. Rumbold's secretary flying around. The ending of this episode is rather weak, but, as a whole, it is still one of the best.

In Mrs. Slocombe Expects, the staff try a new sales technique suggested by Young Mr. Grace where they pretend to be customers to attract sales. And then there is the "expectant mother." Mrs. Slocombe can find homes for 6 but "anymore than that will have to be drowned in a bucket." The staff find themselves in the toy department in A Change is as Good as a Rest. It is refreshing to see the gang on a new "sales floor." The one episode of this set that is a little dicey is The Father Christmas Affair. Here, Mr. Grainger, Mr. Humphries, and Mr. Lucas rehearse an Al Jolson "Mammy" minstrel. There is also a surprise at the end which may offend some people. Still, this episode has one of my favorite AYBS? lines. Mrs. Slocombe tries out for the Father Christmas job by stating: "I will ask you to remember that Parliament has passed the sexual relations act which states that women are just as good at it as men and, what's more, they should be paid the same for doing it."

This excellent volume, as well as the other volumes in this series, are also available in two boxed sets, both of which I highly recommend. ... Read more

Description

Attention shoppers! Your favorite dysfunctional sales staff is back with more mischief, more hilarity and more hair colors! Join Mr. Humphries, Mrs. Slocombe, Miss Brahms, Captain Peacock, Mr. Lucas and the rest of the gang as they make shopping at Grace Brothers the comic experience of a lifetime. The staff has been hard-at-work polishing and pressing these six classic episodes: Memories are Made of This - Calling all Customers - Monkey Business - Lost and Found- Goodbye Mrs. Slocombe - Grounds for Divorce ... Read more

Description

Includes episodes: New Look, Christmas Crackers, No Sale, Top Hat and tails, Forward Mr. Grainger and Fire Practice ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"Weak as water, the whole lot of you"
The editorial description above is actually listing the episodes in volume 11 which can also be found in the AYBS? Seasons 6-10 boxed set. Volume 4 is also available in the Seasons 1-5 boxed set--both sets I highly recommend.

AYBS? is one of my favorite sitcoms, but this particular volume does not showcase the best this long-running series had to offer. Of the six episodes in volume 4, the best, by far, is Forward Mr. Grainger where Mr. Grainger takes over for Mr. Rumbold and all the power goes to his head to the point where he fires his long-time nemesis Mrs. Slocombe. Rarely has the Grace Brothers staff seemed so happy to see Mr. Rumbold than when he returned to relieve them of Grainger's reign of terror. The rest of the episodes are mediocre at best.

We never see the "Great Gatsby" promotion in New Look. It ends with just a silly dance routine. There are more dance routines in Christmas Crackers and Top Hat and Tails, the latter of which seems a pointless show where the staff learns to ballroom dance for a company competition. The scene where the staff suffers through the customary company Christmas lunch and the funny costumes they wear makes Christmas Crackers worth the time. No Sale is one of the better episodes in this set. Here, Mr. Rumbold has the staff opening earlier (8:30 am, which doesn't seem THAT early) to improve sales. Seeing that the strategy is working, the staff sabotage their sales techniques so the early opening will not continue. The worst of this set, though, is Fire Practice. The first part of this episode has the staff trying to accommodate a group of Arabs. I find this scene to be in very poor taste for its racist undertones. AYBS? was an excellent series, but this batch of episodes makes for a poor sampling. If, by rare chance, you have not seen this British comedy before and want to give it a try, opt for volume 1 or 2. ... Read more

Description

Attention shoppers! Your favorite dysfunctional sales staff is back with more mischief, more hilarity and more hair colors! Join Mr. Humphries, Mrs. Slocombe, Miss Brahms, Captain Peacock, Mr. Lucas and the rest of the gang as they make shopping at Grace Brothers the comic experience of a lifetime. The staff has been hard-at-work polishing and pressing these six classic episodes: By Appointment - The Club - Do You Take This Man - Shedding the Load - A Bliss Girl - Happy Returns. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"I'd marry her meself but I think she's got enough trouble"
---Mr. Humphries in Do You Take This Man?
This volume offers the first episodes without Mr. Grainger. Mr. Tebbs is featured here as the first successor. Grainger is definitely missed, but Tebbs did have more personality than Mr. Klein of later episodes. The six episodes here range from good to mediocre. By Appointment has the staff preparing for a possible visit from the royal family. The Club has the staff trying to put up wallpaper in a dismal cellar that is to serve as their social club. Do You Take This Man? is an interesting episode. Mrs. Slocombe is engaged to marry a Greek and, as a result, receive a house from her rich uncle. However, the union is objected to by a family member of the groom (his wife). For once, the staff show some compassion for the senior saleswoman with the changing hair color and do what they can to assure she receives her wedding gift anyway.

Shedding the Load is one of the better episodes offered here. Sales are down (what else is new) and the staff is asked to decide who should get the ax. This episode also has a reference to President Jimmy Carter. One of the reasons Mr. Rumbold gives to Young Mr. Grace to explain the falling figures is that "Carter has not come up to expectations." In A Bliss Girl, Capt. Peacock is demoted to the sales staff while Mr. Humphries takes over a new perfume counter. This temporary demotion happens after Peacock had run-ins with Mr. Tebbs and Mrs. Slocombe followed by Mr. Rumbold's funny misinterpretations. Happy Returns is the weakest episode in this volume. The staff put on a cabaret for Young Mr. Grace's birthday. The costumes are cute (they include Little Miss Muffet and a teddy bear) but the plot is very weak. Mr. Lucas arguing with Mr. Humphries about Mr. Rumbold's piano-playing Humpty Dumpty seems pointless and out of character. This volume is the first in the Season 6-10 boxed set, which I highly recommend. Each DVD has a clever menu page where a lift conductor's voice takes you to each episode. There are also rotating photos of the "Employee of the Month"--in this case, Mr. Humphries. ... Read more

Description

Episodes: German Week, No Sale, New Look. On sale this week! A few less than stellar ideas for perking up sales. In these three episodes, Grace Brother's tries a German Week (Mr. Humphries in lederhosen), the Great Gatsby look, and Opening Early! ... Read more

Description

Episodes: Happy Returns, Founder's Day,The Old Order Changes. Young Mr. Grace in two birthday episodes plus what happens when Mr. Grace tries a more casual American approach to customers. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Goodbye, Mr. Grainger
This group of episodes are the last starring Arthur Brough as Mr. Grainger and the last set of episodes in the season 1-5 boxed set (volume 7 in the set is a bonus disc of interviews). These shows are not as solid as the earlier episodes in this long running series, but are still very good. In Founder's Day, the staff puts on a "This Is Your Life" presentation for Young Mr. Grace's 80th birthday with mildly amusing stories and even a guest appearance by Mother Humphries. The Old Order Changes has the staff trying out a new casual approach Young Mr. Grace observed while visiting the United States. Things get very 1970s at Grace Brothers. Mr. Lucas' first name also changes from "James" to "Dick" ostensibly to accommodate one joke. Mr. Harmon gets a bigger role in Takeover, impersonating a shareholder to help Young Mr. Grace keep control of the company. For once, Capt. Peacock is not in charge and is relegated to the kitchen.

The best episode of this collection is Goodbye, Mr. Grainger, where the senior salesman is in a foul mood and the rest of the staff want him out. Mr. Harmon informs Grainger of his colleagues' comments and encourages him to write his letter of resignation. A misunderstanding about a lottery ticket cause a change of heart from the staff, and efforts are made to retrieve the letter from Young Mr. Grace's desk. Wait until they hear what Grainger wrote in the letter! In It Pays to Advertise, the staff act in a commercial for Grace Brothers. The funniest part of this episode is at the end when Young Mr. Grace says his lines while trying to pour champagne into a glass. Like all the AYBS? DVDs, this one has very creative menu pages. A lift conductor's voice takes you to each episode and there are rotating photos of the Employee of the Month (in this case, Mr. Lucas-it must have been a very slow month). I highly recommend both boxed sets of this series

This DVD is also contained in the boxed set of AYBS
When I purchased the boxed set of the first 5 series of "Are You Being Served?" Amazon.com suggested this DVD as well. It seemed only natural, since it's labeled "Volume 6" -- but note that this is a duplicate of the Volume 6 disc in the 7-DVD boxed set!

So despite Amazon.com's suggestion, don't buy this if you're also buying the boxed set. :^>

(I didn't intend to review the disc itself, only to make this information available ... but this DVD is one of the best, and it includes a somewhat rare episode that isn't often shown in on U.S. PBS stations: "Founder's Day," in which the staff put on a "This Is Your Life"-type presentation for Mr. Grace.) ... Read more

Description

Attention shoppers! Your favorite dysfunctional sales staff is back with more mischief, more hilarity and more hair colors! Join Mr. Humphries, Mrs. Slocombe, Miss Brahms, Captain Peacock, Mr. Lucas and the rest of the gang as they make shopping at Grace Brothers the comic experience of a lifetime. The staff has been hard-at-work polishing and pressing these six classic episodes: Heir Apparent - Closed Circuit - The Erotic Dreams of Mrs. Slocombe - Roots? - Sweet Smell of Success - Conduct Unbecoming ... Read more

Description

Attention shoppers! Your favorite dysfunctional sales staff is back with more mischief, more hilarity and more hair colors! Join Mr. Humphries, Mrs. Slocombe, Miss Brahms, Captain Peacock, Mr. Lucas and the rest of the gang as they make shopping at Grace Brothers the comic experience of a lifetime. The staff has been hard-at-work polishing and pressing these five classic episodes: The Hold-Up - Gambling Fever - The Night Club - Friends and Neighbors - The Pop Star ... Read more