More Fun at Grace Brothers
mwreview | Northern California, USA | 01/03/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Another excellent volume from the AYBS? series, also available in two sets featuring every episode from its ten-season run that every fan must own! On this DVD, the demeaning ways of Grace Brothers are showcased when the staff must sign a book to take their coffee and lavatory breaks in "Coffee Morning." Mr. Mash leads a protest against such archaic rules. In "Up Captain Peacock" (one of my all-time favorites), the granting of executive washroom and dining room privileges to Grace Brothers' most decorated floorwalker become a sore spot with Mr. Grainger. Mr. Lucas attempts to feign illness to spend a day with his "bird" (young woman, in Brit lingo) in "Cold Store." In "Wedding Bells," Young Mr. Grace announces to the dept. he is ready to take a bride and then asks Mrs. Slocombe to meet him in his office. Could Mrs. Slocombe be the queen of Grace Brothers (who did you think it would be, Mr. Humphries)? "German Week," where the staff go Deutsch to sell their German merchandise is a fan favorite because of the costumes. Finally, in "Shoulder to Shoulder," ladies underwear and gentlemen's trousers must intertwine while the ladies department is being remodeled. A very solid group episodes originally aired in March and April 1975. The DVD has many fun details. The menu pages are very creative with alternating photos of, in this case, Miss Brahms. A lift conductor even takes you to each episode! Of course, every fan will eventually want the entire 2 sets of this hilarious series, so go buy them now!"
More excellent Britcoms
Kurt A. Johnson | North-Central Illinois, USA | 10/06/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Are You Being Served? is the story of the staff of the Ladies' and Gentlemen's Wear departments in Grace Brothers department store. While customer's come and go, the staff fights each other and their incompetent superiors with laughs all around. The stories are hilarious and are generally clean, though a running gag involves one lady's constant frettings about her pussy (cat). So, this tape can be watched with younger ones, but some discretion should be exercised.
Nonetheless, this is a great Britcom, one of the classics. If you want to find out what all the excitement about Britcoms is, then buy this DVD!
This great DVD includes the following six(!) half-hour episodes:
Coffee Morning - Season 3, Episode 2, 3/6/1975 - When Mr. Rumbold institutes a sign-in book, the staff does not take it lying down, but when the union gets involved nobody is happy.
Up Captain Peacock - Season 3, Episode 3, 3/13/1975 - In recognition of his 20 year anniversary at Grace Brothers, Captain Peacock is awarded a medal and the key to the executive lou. The staff finds this class segregation intolerable, and they take action!
Cold Store - Season 3, Episode 4, 3/20/1975 - Mr. Lucas has a hot date, now all he has to do is get the day off. But, days off are hard to come by at Grace Brothers...very hard to come by indeed!
Wedding Bells - Season 3, Episode 5, 3/27/1975 - When Mr. Grace announces that he is going to marry, and starts showing attention to Mrs. Slocomb, it appears that she is in for a dizzying promotion. But, will it go to her head? You bet it will!
German Week - Season 3, Episode 6, 4/3/1975 - Mr. Grace has a great idea, Germany Week, when the staff will only sell German products. But when it starts to look like a disaster Mr. Rumbold decides that desperate times call for desperate measures.
Shoulder to Shoulder - Season 3, Episode 7, 4/10/1975 - When Grace Brothers decides to redecorate the Ladies' department, the Men's Wear department must share their space with them, which they do with very little grace."