On The Buses - Series 1 DVD > Reviews > All aboard!

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Liked it
Story	Satisfactory
Characters / Performances	Good
Special Effects	Standard
How does it compare to similar films?	Satisfactory

Advantages:	Light, fun entertainment
Disadvantages:	Sexist, racist, old - fashioned

Recommend to potential buyers:

no

Full review

Introduction
On the Buses was televised from 1969 to 1973 - hard to believe that it's now as old as me! I can't say I can remember it when it was first shown, but remember seeing replays as a child and my mum's always telling me about cosy evenings in by the fire watching it. It is thoroughly politically incorrect, but whatever this says about the period, On the Buses was one of the most successful comedy series ever made and 74 episodes were made in all.

The writers
Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney, the primary writers for the show, are also responsible for bringing 'Allo 'Allo to our TV sets!

The packaging
Series one comes as two DVDs - one containing episodes 1-3, the second, episodes 4-7. The packaging is decorated with three of the main actors as cartoon characters on the front.

The actors/characters
The sitcom revolves around Stan Butler, played by Reg Varney, and his family. Stan is a bus driver who struggles to make a living to support himself and his mother. In his late 30s/early 40s, he still lives at home and has never had a steady girlfriend. His life is thwarted at every turn by Inspector Blake, who keeps a close eye on Stan and his shenanigans. Stan's friend, Jack, played by Bob Grant, is Stan's ticket inspector and partner in crime. Reg Varney is still alive, but hasn't taken any acting roles for a number of years; Bob Grant died in 2003.

Stephen Lewis as Inspector Blake is probably the best actor in the show. He looks, as Stan tells him, like an undertaker and has a strong sense of right and wrong, with no flexibility when Stan and Jack get themselves into trouble for breaking the rules. He rarely sees the funny side of anything and has such a deadpan face that it is hard not to smile.

Stan's family consists of his mum, played by Cicely Courtneidge, his sister Olive (Anna Karen) and her husband Arthur (Michael Robbins). Olive, not the most attractive of girls and always ill, is the butt of many jokes. Stan and Arthur are always trying to prove which of them is the best - Stan works on the buses and Arthur works for the railway. I think Anna Karen does a good job of her role - none of the others really have much chance to show off their acting skills in between the gags. She has recently been in The Second Quest, along with David Jason.

What happens
Well, nothing much really. In each episode, Stan tries to avoid working as far as possible and gets himself into trouble in various ways: taking a girl home, then not being able to get rid of his mum; getting himself promoted to inspector for the extra money, but losing his friends in the process; taking over the canteen, but unable to cater for his colleagues. But no matter what the problem is, he manages to do all right in the end, even if his record with the ladies doesn't improve.

Technical bits
Classification: PG

Length: Disc 1 - 73 minutes, disc 2 - 98 minutes (each episode approximately 25 minutes)

Special features: not a single one

Black and white

Conclusion
If you like your comedy to have some kind of purpose, then this isn't for you. It is slapstick comedy of a similar type to the Carry On films. I find it hard to watch more than a couple of episodes at any one time, but I do enjoy it when I want something light and daft. It is interesting to see the changes in family life that have taken place since then, when it was normal for an entire working class family, mother, son, daughter, daughter's husband, all living together in house. There may not have been as many choices then, but sometimes I wonder if there are too many choices now. It is also interesting to note that the 'sexy' girls in the sitcom are distinctly plump - none of the skinny things that are considered attractive these days.

One thing that makes the series seem old-fashioned is the plethora of sexist and racist jokes that just don't seem funny any more. And can you believe that women could not be bus drivers?! The nearest they got to it was ticket inspector.

All in all, recommended as a way to fill an evening, but it's not at the top of my sitcom list. You're probably better off waiting for the repeats on the TV.

I bought the series from HMV for about ₤12 in a sale. It is also available from Amazon for £11.42 if you're still interested in buying a copy. Series one can also be bought separately in two parts.