Sid is at home watching an old Western when a man from the G.P.O. ( Douglas Blackwell ) calls to see if the Abbotts have a television licence. They do not. Sid gave the money to Jean, but she loaned it to Sally who in turn loaned it to Mike to pay for a surprise party for Sid at the local pub. Sid is in big trouble. He tries to defend himself in court. but the Magistrate ( John Welsh ) fines him £50. Sid refuses to pay on a matter of principle. Secretly, he pays Trevor £50 to settle the fine, and get him free on Monday morning. But, instead his neighbour uses the cash to clear an outstanding electricity bill. Poor Sid now faces the prospect of a long stretch behind bars, sharing a cell with 'Slasher McGurk' ( David Lodge )...
Written by Jon Watkins, this was the penultimate episode of the 'Bless This House' series. Its not a brilliant example of the show, but Sid as ever manages to rise above the uninspired material. How he restrains himself from throttling Jean and Trevor on his release is puzzling though. By this time, the script editors were Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke, who were pretty busy at this time with 'Man About The House' coming to an end and 'George & Mildred' readying for take-off in the autumn.
Funniest moment - Trevor offering to pay the fine in weekly instalments. Sid is aghast. "I could be in here for bloody years!". Not a great comic line, but the way Sid says it is hilarious.
I'd been dreading B.B.C.-2's new series 'The 70's', because I have little time for Dominic Sandbrook, its presenter. But the first edition was better than expected. I hope the standard is maintained for the rest of the run. I had to chuckle though when he said: "in the 80's, we all had money!". Speak for yourself, mate. Three million people were on the dole then!
Finallly, after roundly insulting vertically challenged people last year with 'Life's Too Short', Ricky Gervais last week turned his sneering comic eye on people with learning difficulties in Channel 4's 'Derek'. To offset criticism he claims he is exposing prejudice, but in reality he is most likely reinforcing it. Which unfortunate minority is he going to pick on next? The blind? Maybe the deaf? He clearly lacks the talent to tackle difficult comedy subject matter. One is reminded of Jerry Lewis when he made 'The Day The Clown Cried' ( 1972 ) in which he played a clown used to lure children into the gas chambers at Auschwitz. It was never released, and hopefully, never will be.
Written by Jon Watkins, this was the penultimate episode of the 'Bless This House' series. Its not a brilliant example of the show, but Sid as ever manages to rise above the uninspired material. How he restrains himself from throttling Jean and Trevor on his release is puzzling though. By this time, the script editors were Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke, who were pretty busy at this time with 'Man About The House' coming to an end and 'George & Mildred' readying for take-off in the autumn.
Funniest moment - Trevor offering to pay the fine in weekly instalments. Sid is aghast. "I could be in here for bloody years!". Not a great comic line, but the way Sid says it is hilarious.
I'd been dreading B.B.C.-2's new series 'The 70's', because I have little time for Dominic Sandbrook, its presenter. But the first edition was better than expected. I hope the standard is maintained for the rest of the run. I had to chuckle though when he said: "in the 80's, we all had money!". Speak for yourself, mate. Three million people were on the dole then!
Finallly, after roundly insulting vertically challenged people last year with 'Life's Too Short', Ricky Gervais last week turned his sneering comic eye on people with learning difficulties in Channel 4's 'Derek'. To offset criticism he claims he is exposing prejudice, but in reality he is most likely reinforcing it. Which unfortunate minority is he going to pick on next? The blind? Maybe the deaf? He clearly lacks the talent to tackle difficult comedy subject matter. One is reminded of Jerry Lewis when he made 'The Day The Clown Cried' ( 1972 ) in which he played a clown used to lure children into the gas chambers at Auschwitz. It was never released, and hopefully, never will be.