My brother usually buys me a boxset for Christmas, but he needs me to let him know which one I'm after.

At the moment I have four on my list and I'd like opinions on which one I should go for.

Eventually I'll get them all, but which is best of these four?

Please Sir!
Up Pompeii!
Mind Your Language
Terry & June

My original preference was for Mind Your Language, however, I believe only 3 of the 4 series are available on DVD, which has made me think again.

Up Pompeii! easily.

Mind Your Language is pretty dreadful IMO.

I second that.
Definitely titter ye not with the others.

I thirdly it.

Ooh, an interesting array, each with their own additional titles to consider.

Up Pompeii! is probably my favourite of the four, but it's quite short - and you'll need a second set, Oh, Please Yourselves! - Frankie Howerd At ITV, to complete the collection. And that's not even thinking about the film or the other variations on the format.

If you want just the one, I'd recommend Terry & June primarily on the basis of its length - but you should really also get its precursor, Happy Ever After.

Mind Your Language is indeed sadly missing its revived final series, but I wouldn't hold my breath for that to come any time soon, sadly: I've a feeling I've read that the current rights holder cannot be traced. And those who say it's not funny can go flush their heads!

Please Sir!, meanwhile, is a slice of brilliance, but requires the film (although without double-checking I think, thankfully, it is included in the box set), and would be very beneficial teamed with its sequel, The Fenn Street Gang, and that show's spin-off, Bowler.

Thanks for the opinions.

It looks like it's Up Pompeii that will be the choice for my Christmas box.

Another one I didn't mention which is on my wanted list is "Drop the dead donkey" It's one I never watched, but I can remember it being very successful at awards ceremonies.

Anyone have any feedback on it? Does it still hold up today as a top comedy?

So, I'm gonna let my brother buy me Up Pompeii and I will buy myself one of the others.

Drop The Dead Donkey is fabulous. It's a few years since I last watched it: the references obviously date it, but it's not built upon them - it still works as a sitcom with a great premise in its own right.

P.S. Up Pompeii! was never released in its own right. You'll need to ask your brother for The Frankie Howerd Collection, currently £13.99.

DTDD...

First couple of Series I found pretty average

Then it took off

Really really good

At the start it was a little bit too serious and stuffy

When they started making it a bit more silly and zany - it was very enjoyable stuff

Terry and June is fantastic. I love it, but if you get that you will need to get Happy Ever After too, the predecssor to it.

Please Sir is superb, I love it! The film is included in the boxset, make sure if you get it, you don't leave the film to the end as it affects the storyline, so watch the film after series 2.

I've got Mind Your Language for Christmas, looking forward to see it.

Up Pompeii never watched it.

So for me out of those Terry and June and Please Sir

Personally I'd go for Terry and June but, of course, each to their own. Although you may also wish to buy Happy Ever After, as others have suggested, there really is no need to. They each stand on their own. In fact there is no connection between the two series whatsoever (other than, obviously, the two main members of the cast).

I've not watched Up Pompei since back in the day and, although, as a teenager then, I immensely enjoyed it, I worry that it may now be "of its day". Mind Your Language is definitely very much of its day and so, to a lesser extent, is Please Sir. My problem with Please Sir, even when I watched it originally, was that the school pupils were so obviously about 10 years older than they were meant to be, it was all a bit ridiculous.

They almost always are in school set comedies, as the writer has usually created colourful characters that only actors with a bit of experience and presence can do justice to, as in Derry Girls where one of them is nearly 20 years older and the others at least ten. You have to suspend disbelief a bit but with watching TV and films it's an automatic thing for many imo and you won't fully enjoy it if you're looking for 100% realism.

Nice choice of retro sitcoms in that four, but DTDD I personally never got on with as it constantly took us outside the bubble of the group of characters, not something I want my sitcoms to do. On the opposite note, my distant memories of watching MYL tell me I found it a bit TOO static and enclosed so that wouldn't be my pick. Terry & June was sitcommy but very light. Up Pompeii and Please Sir had a bit more to them imo.

Quote: Alfred J Kipper @ 20th October 2020, 8:17 AM

They almost always are in school set comedies, as the writer has usually created colourful characters that only actors with a bit of experience and presence can do justice to, as in Derry Girls where one of them is nearly 20 years older and the others at least ten. You have to suspend disbelief a bit but with watching TV and films it's an automatic thing for many imo and you won't fully enjoy it if you're looking for 100% realism.

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Well, of course, nowadays anybody under 30 looks young (policemen, doctors, nurses...) whereas, back in 1968, when I was watching Please Sir I was still at school myself and anyone over 20 was automatically considered old and the idea of such people being still at school with us was, as i say, to me and my schoolmates, frankly ridiculous.

In the case of Derry Girls,it is probably easier for females in their late 20s or early 30s to be accepted as teenagers than males, having a tendency to be more petite and with no 5 o'clock shadows or breaking voices to hinder the deception.

Quote: Billy Bunter @ 20th October 2020, 10:11 AM

............................. or breaking voices to hinder the deception.

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But when they did, Joan Greenwood, Glynis Johns et al...................I go weak at the knees and am their slave. (If they let me, he mutters as he tries to hide the boner arising)

Quote: Billy Bunter @ 19th October 2020, 12:25 PM

Personally I'd go for Terry and June but, of course, each to their own. Although you may also wish to buy Happy Ever After, as others have suggested, there really is no need to. They each stand on their own. In fact there is no connection between the two series whatsoever (other than, obviously, the two main members of the cast).

I've not watched Up Pompei since back in the day and, although, as a teenager then, I immensely enjoyed it, I worry that it may now be "of its day". Mind Your Language is definitely very much of its day and so, to a lesser extent, is Please Sir. My problem with Please Sir, even when I watched it originally, was that the school pupils were so obviously about 10 years older than they were meant to be, it was all a bit ridiculous.

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All the 'kids' in Grease looked about 34!

I got Up Pompeii!. Thanks for the recommendations. You chose well.

I also bought myself Please Sir!.

And just this week I bought All Gas & Gaiters, only eleven episodes but still good to have.