Dad's Army - Series 3 (DVD)

Dad’s Army is a British comedy series that was broadcast between 1968 and 1977. In a BBC poll in 2004 to find Britain’s best sitcom the show was voted number 4 – just ahead of Fawlty Towers and Yes Minister but below The Vicar of Dibley, Blackadder and Only Fools and Horse, which topped the list.

== What is Dads Army? ==

The premise for Dad’s Army is very simple indeed. The show follows the men of the home guard of Walmington-on-Sea ...
...The series is based around their antics as they try to become a force fit to withstand anything thrown at them by the Nazis, or the Wardens or the Church Verger. The series as a whole is technically told as a series of flashback stories as the first episode begins in the ‘present day’ at a dinner as Captain Mainwaring addresses his old platoon. The programme doesn’t however return back to the present day in the final episode and this flashback idea ... more

Dad’s Army is a British comedy series that was broadcast between 1968 and 1977. In a BBC poll in 2004 to find Britain’s best sitcom the show was voted number 4 – just ahead of Fawlty Towers and Yes Minister but below The Vicar of Dibley, Blackadder and Only Fools and Horse, which topped the list.

What is Dads Army?

The premise for Dad’s Army is very simple indeed. The show follows the men of the home guard of Walmington-on-Sea on the south coast of England during World War 2. The series is based around their antics as they try to become a force fit to withstand anything thrown at them by the Nazis, or the Wardens or the Church Verger. The series as a whole is technically told as a series of flashback stories as the first episode begins in the ‘present day’ at a dinner as Captain Mainwaring addresses his old platoon. The programme doesn’t however return back to the present day in the final episode and this flashback idea isn’t evident in any of the other episodes. All of the episodes in all of the series tell self-contained stories although events in previous episode are sometimes loosely mentioned and the lives of the main characters constantly permeates all boundaries.

The Characters

The characters in Dad’s Army are truly unique in my opinion and fantastic to watch. They are all superbly depicted through both the acting and the witty lines written with painstaking brilliance.

The Home Guard of Walmington-on-Sea is led by the towns bank manager and self appointed Captain, Mr Mainwaring (Arthur Lowe), who despite his seeming arrogance and his general lack of military, simply wants to protect his country and more importantly his 'boys'. Second in command is Platoon Sergeant Arthur Wilson (John le Mesurier), who has a constant need check if something is “wise” and whose relationship with Private Pike's mum, Mavis, is certainly questionable. Closely behind him is the town's bayonet barmy butcher Lance Corporal Jack Jones (Clive Dunn), who's all too eager to let "Gerry" have it or to simply tell the platoon a story about his time fighting the “Fuzzy-Wuzzies” and assure them not to panic!

The ranked soldiers are then aptly backed up the rest of the platoon. There’s two-faced Scotsman Private James (John Laurie) with his always classic “we’re all doomed!” and his general pessimistically arrogant attitude. Private Charles Godfrey (Arnold Ridley) the team’s medical orderly whose always on hand with a cup of tea but whose constant need to “be excused” can often be a hindrance. Private Joe Walker (James Beck) who can get his hands on anything and everything if you give him half a chance. His comic interruptions, witty statements are loveable nicknames [Taffy, Spikey, Jonesy] are timeless. Finally comes Frank Pike (Ian Lavender) who’s the youngest member of the team at only 19 and dreadfully mollycoddled by his mother. Frank is eternally eager and his respect for the other men in his platoon is clear to see.

All of these characters are in-turn neither backed up by the high and mighty members of General Head Quarters, Mr ‘I’ll have to tell the Vicar’ Yeatman [Church Verger], the all too polite Vicar and of course who could forget Mr ‘turn that light out’ Hodges [Chief ARP Warden] and his ‘rabble’.

Series Three DVD

The full 14 episodes from series three are all contained in one box-set and across two DVD’s. All of the episodes in this set can be watched with subtitles, which I can honestly say are rather accurate. It is also wrth nothing noting at this point that all of the episodes in this series were originally filmed in colour and that all barring episode six have survived in such condition. Episode six unfortunately has only survived in black and white but is still a pleasure to watch. The others have survived in brilliant condition and both the sound and picture quality is excellent.

On top of the episodes the DVD’s also contain a documentary entitled, “We Are the Boys…/Arnold Ridley”. This documentary focuses on actor Arnold Ridley who played Private Charles Godfrey. The documentary features interviews with other cast and crew members and is very enjoyable to watch as it sheds a greater light on the man behind the character.

Episodes

Series 3
1. The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones
Jones allows the platoon to use his butchers van as an armoured vehicle.

2. Battle School
The platoon is set to attend a weekend guerilla-warfare exercise, if they can ever manage to find it.

3. The Lion Has Phones
An enemy aircraft crashees in the town’s reservoir and the platoon must spring to action and capture some real-life prisoners.

4. The Bullet is Not For Firing
During an air-raid the platoon take aim and fire at an enemy aircraft but must face a court of enquiry afterwards.

5. Something Nasty In The Vault
In the aftermath of an air-raid Mainwaring and Wilson discover an unexploded bomb in the banks vault.

6. Room at the Bottom
Mainwaring discovers he is not entitled to the rank of Captain and is demoted to the rank of Private.

7. Big Guns
Heavy artillery arrives at the platoon but the town band stand seems to be just in the line of their fire.

8. The Day The Ballon Went Up
A runaway barrage balloon catches the platoons attention as well as Mr Mainwaring.

9. War Dance
Pike’s choice of common’dance guest begins to concern Mr Mainwaring.

10. Menace From the Depp
The platoon find themselves marooned on the pier head with no phone or food and to make matters worse Hodges and a sea mine have arrived.

11. Branded
Godfrey is sent home in disgrace when the platoon find out he was a conscientious objector during the Great War.

12. Man Hunt
Walker manages to get hold of a tracker dog for the platoon as well as silk negligee for the ladies of Walmington-on-Sea.

13. No Spring For Frazer
After taking the Lewis gun home to clean Frazer has lost the buttlerfly spring… somewhere in his funeral parlour.

14. Sons of the Sea
The paltoon inherits a boat and mounts a river patrol but ends up lost in the English Channel.

Episode Opinion

Now I am a huge fan of Dad’s Army and I absolutely adore all of the episodes in this, the third, series. All of the episodes in this series are fantastic to watch and the growing comradship between all those in the platoon is really charming to watch. They all seem to find their own little niches during this series and that makes each episode a treat for the viewer, as you quite often believe you can see the outcome before it happens but it never happens quite the way you expected.

Now I usually have a favourite episode in every series I watch but I can honestly say that I can’t choose one from this series because in my opinion each episode adds something to the overall show and to each character concerned. ‘Something Nasty In the Vault’ for example shows a different side to Mainwaring and Wilson and also sees the platoon all pull together and show great courage, whilst ‘Branded’ sees them turn against one another. ‘No Spring For Frazer’ is simply comic brilliance from start to finish as are ‘Battle School’ and ‘Sons of the Sea’. All in all I think that the episodes in this series are tremendous in every single word.

Humour

The humour in the first two series was in comparison to the humour in this series much darker and focused more on the under equpped nature of the home guard. In this series however the humour reaches the level it sustains for the future series’ and the truth humour relies more on perfectly placed often poignent phrases, deadpan faces and the audiences ability to associate with the characters rather than the head on approach on forcing the honest truth about the Home Guard’s situation into the open.

The subtle relationshio humour and the slapstick comic element are therefore what play the biggest role in this series and those that follow later. Corporal Jones and his inability to do most thing swith an element of cahos is always funny as are his frequent requests for “Permission to Speak”, “Permission to volounteer” and general eagerness to let anyone and everyone have it.

It is however the subtle relationship humour that for me really takes off in this series and provides us with the most laughs. Sergeant Wilson’s obscure relationship with Mavis Pike remains something that Mainwaring constantly brings up as is the fact that Wilson went to a ‘posh’ school. Mainwarings inability to use the 24-hour clock and Wilson’s constant need to help him out also continues as do Godfrey’s frequent requests to ‘be excused’. It is the relationship between Corporal Jones and Private Joe Walker that continues to blossom, in a comic way, the most. The way in which Walker repeats Jones’ popular “they don’t like it up ‘em” and constantly laughs at the “silly old dufer’s” enthusiasm is brilliant to watch because we as an audience as well as the character know that the pair really respect one another.

All of the humour within the series is however mixed with some very hard hitting statements at times and some truly poignant moments. These again are often found in the way that characters react to certain situations and most of all to each other. It is these poignant moments that make the programme so top class as not only is the fun and pride of being in such a unit brought out but also the danger and the sacrifice.

Music

All of the music used in the Dad’s Army series was taking from the period in question and therefore is historical accurate and not in conflict with what is being shown on the screen. Better still a lot of the music used is lesser known war-time pieces or marching songs and in a way this adds a greater sense of authenticity.

The best piece of music in the series however is the title track, which everyone seems to know. This is a track that epitomises the programme in my opinion and is one that I just can’t help but sing along to. Just incase you’re not aware of the track in question I have reproduced the first verse below:
“Who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler, if you think we're on the run?
We are the boys who will stop your little game.
We are the boys who will make you think again.
'Cus who do you think you are kidding Mr. Hitler, if you think old England's done?”

General Opinion

Dads Army as a series is probably the best comedy series ever made and in my opinion this series is what really hits it off. Yes the first two were good but they’re nowhere near the league of this one. The characters have all got to know each other and this is clear from they way they interact and the way that the comedy just bounced off them. The episodes are written with verv, vigour and a great dollop of humour but it is once again the loveabley unique characters that really steal the show.

I would whole-heartedly recommend this series to anyone and everyone. It has a rating of PG and can therefore we watched, enjoyed and chersihed by young and old alike. It is in my eye simply a comedy that will never die and whose humour will stay forever young.  

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