Rising Damp: The Works [DVD] [1974]

Watching these series for the first time in many years
I expected them to appear dated. But great comedy,
Steptoe, Hancock, Porridge etc just never seems to age and
Rising Damp is no exception.

Leonard Rossiter stakes his claim as one of the finest comic
actors ever over the course of these series. The support cast
of Don Warrington, Frances De La Tour and Richard Beckinsale
all bring finely crafted characters to the mix. The script is razor sharp
and Rigsby's timing of the one liners perfect.

The 1st Series is probably the standout, but even the weaker 4th
series still makes most modern sitcom's appear clumsy. I have now
watched every episode and will soon watch them again.

The 1970's condensed into a hilarious time capsule.
Social history, nostalgia and great comedy all in
one box.

Aside from the missing xmas episode I would like to have
seen more extras. Recently bought Steptoe Best of which
had interviews and biographies included. But this is a
budget title on a budget label and as such represents
fantastic value for money.

With the amount of repeats I presume everyone is already familiar with the set-up of miserable landlord Rigsby and his long-suffering tenants. Looking back at the 1st series the first few episodes seem rather slow - but then these are setting up the characters and situations in the first place, and by the end the series is already scaling great heights, with the episode featuring a prowler in the house being a particular highlight. Season 2 is the best of the bunch, and starts with 3 unsurpassed comedy classics - who can forget the boxing match between Rigsby and Phil, or Rigsby boasting about how he can go without food for 24 hours, while the first episode manages to lighten the character of Rigsby just enough that he is occasionally likeable as he stands up for his 2 tenants, only to fall foul of a delicious twist ending. Frances De La Tour leaves midway through the season, but replacement character Brenda manages to slot in well enough, and the series ends on a high when Alan convinces Rigsby that the house is haunted by 'the grey lady'. ("Roses are red, violets are blue, your tenants are nice, what happened to you?"). Ruth returns for Season 3, but the series takes a little while to settle down, with the regulars becoming more cartoonish and more of a reliance on guest stars to fill the episodes. In the midst of the season though is gem that competes for the title of best ever episode when Rigsby acquires a sports car and thinks he's run over the cat - amazingly this entire episode is played out on one set. By Season 4 Richard Beckinsale has left, so I was expecting a limp finish, but this is actually an improvement on the last series, as while Don Warrington is increasingly pressed into the role of straight-man Frances De La Tour steps into the limelight with some more varied moments (impersonating Rigsby's Cockney wife, pretending to be a lustful gypsy woman, etc), and there's some good character development as we learn Rigsby's first name, meet his wife and head for the finale of Rigsby and Miss Jones marriage.

Along the way there are inevitably the odd uneven episodes, but there aren't any truly bad episodes here, and plenty of brilliant ones. And even when the situations seem a little like predictable sit-com misunderstandings the acting by all - and particularly Leonard Rossiter - makes this timeless viewing.