Why Dad's Army has never been beaten in British comedy

They wouldn't get away with it today. No black faces, nor any character remotely ethnic other than John Laurie's tetchy Scotsman. Women only in subsidiary roles. And certainly no suggestion of sexual ambiguity beyond a wet clergyman. The BBC's modern cultural commissars wouldn't give the pilot script a second glance. White. Middle class. Home Counties. Show him the door, Doris.

Radio Times review

Walmington-on-Sea's Home Guard wasn't in the habit of grappling with the enemy - barrage balloons and ARP wardens, yes, but not the Nazis. People only remember Philip Madoc's surly U-boat captain in The Deadly Attachment. There were other occasions, however, and tonight's was the first. There are even subtitles, the dialogue for which was written by actor Nigel Rideout (here playing a German) - reportedly for an extra £10 in his pay packet!

These were nascent years for the sitcom. It's endearingly low-rent - all the action of an air raid is conveyed by sound effects - and packed with interest: Jones swears at one point and Godfrey rather lets the side down.

Actor Philip Madoc dies aged 77

Welsh actor Philip Madoc has died after a short illness, his agent says. Dad's Army will remember him as the German U-Boat captain in the famous episode "The Deadly Attachment".