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"…one big fat chuckle!" --The Times
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69 of 70 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is a wonderful TV series. In reality, there are 33 episodes (including the pilot in the BBC's Comedy Playhouse series), although only 11 have survived the massive destruction of video and film material that took place at the BEEB in the early 70s.
The ensemble cast play members of a cathedral ecclesiastical community, who constantly in-fight amongst themselves. There is the Bishop (William Mervyn), the Archdeacon (Robertson Hare) and the chaplain, Noote (Derek Nimmo), who are lazy, ineffectual and enjoy life's pleasures. This triumvirate is engaged in a constant battle of wits against the reforming and high-church Dean (John Barron, sadly no episodes from the two seasons with Ernest Clark in this role have survived).
It's not always about big belly laughs, but it’s more gentle and enjoyable than the sickly sweet “Vicar of Dibley”. In fact, it owes much to Anthony Trollope’s Barchester Cathedral series of novels. The humour is more akin to that of the Will Hay films or Capt. Mainwearing in “Dad's Army”, where the joy is in watching incompetent people tackle tasks beyond their scope.
I loved this series as a child and the BBC, under licence, has finally released the surviving TV episodes.
For real buffs, there was also a BBC radio series with Baron, Mervyn and Hare in their original roles, although Nimmo only appeared in 13 of the 33 episodes, being replaced by his friend Jonathan Cecil for the remainder. Few of the radio episodes (some substantially rewritten for radio and some much funnier than the TV shows) are currently available from the BBC.
31 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
It is hard to think that this package contains all that remains of this long running series. The picture quality can be somewhat grainy in places but it is quite an old tv program.
As normal with this publisher, no extras on the CD but you do get a very informative (very small print) booklet about the series which is worth having.
If you enjoyed the series, like Derek Nimmo, or just like gentle 60's UK Comedy, buy it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Oh, the memories, the memories. If you're young and haven't seen this before you'll probably find it a bit too slow and far-fatched, but if you enjoyed the series when it was on tv then you're in for a nostalgic treat! It's just the original recordings, not touched up in any way so some images are a bit scratchy, but it's the real thing, not a sanitised re-worked digital version. Enjoy!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Booklet? What booklet?
Wonderful comedy series, really good quality DVD considering the age of the material and a joy to watch on a rainy afternoon with a nice cup of tea and a piece of cake. Read more
Published 18 months ago by S. A. Bollongino
missing in action
I was really pleased to receive this set - Amazon's speedy service - really appreciated - but missing in action - was the booklet about the series - something I was REALLY looking... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Terry T
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