In this classic BBC comedy, Reginald Perrin (Leonard Rossiter), an executive at Sunshine Desserts, makes his escape from the rat race by faking his own death and attempting to... more
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Perrin (1976-79) remains one of the greatest of all television sitcoms. Writer David Nobbs combined the surrealist absurdity of Monty Python with an on-going story line that unfolded through each of the three seasons with a clear beginning, middle and end; a ground-breaking development in 70s TV comedy. The first and best season charts middle-aged, middle-management executive Reginald Perrin as he breaks-down under the stress of middle-class life until he informs the world that half the parking meters in London have Dutch Parking Meter Disease. He fakes suicide and returns to court his wife Elizabeth (Pauline Yates) in disguise, a plot development that formed the entire basis of Mrs Doubtfire (1993). Series Two is broader, the rapid-fire dialogue still razor sharp and loaded with caustic wit and ingenious silliness, as a now sane Reggie takes on the madness of the business world by opening a chain of shops selling rubbish. The third season, set in a health farm, is routine, the edge blunted by routine sitcom conventions. At its best The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin is hilarious and moving, its depiction of English middle-class life spot on, its satire prophetic. Reggie's visual fantasies hark back to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) and Billy Liar (1963), and look forward to Ally McBeal (1997-2002) and are the icing on the cake of a fine, original and highly imaginative show. On the DVD: Reginald Perrin's discs contain one complete seven episode season. There are no extras. The sound is good mono and the 4:3 picture is generally fine, though some of the exterior shot-on-film scenes have deteriorated and there are occasional signs of minor damage to the original video masters. Even so, for a 1970s sitcom shot on video the picture is excellent and far superior to the original broadcasts. --Gary S Dalkin
Perrin (1976-79) remains one of the greatest of all television sitcoms. Writer David Nobbs combined the surrealist absurdity of Monty Python with an on-going story line that unfolded through each of the three seasons with a clear beginning, middle and end; a ground-breaking development in 70s TV comedy. The first and best season charts middle-aged, middle-management executive Reginald Perrin as he breaks-down under the stress of middle-class life until he informs the world that half the parking meters in London have Dutch Parking Meter Disease. He fakes suicide and returns to court his wife Elizabeth (Pauline Yates) in disguise, a plot development that formed the entire basis of Mrs Doubtfire (1993). Series Two is broader, the rapid-fire dialogue still razor sharp and loaded with caustic wit and ingenious silliness, as a now sane Reggie takes on the madness of the business world by opening a chain of shops selling rubbish. The third season, set in a health farm, is routine, the edge blunted by routine sitcom conventions. At its best The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin is hilarious and moving, its depiction of English middle-class life spot on, its satire prophetic. Reggie's visual fantasies hark back to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) and Billy Liar (1963), and look forward to Ally McBeal (1997-2002) and are the icing on the cake of a fine, original and highly imaginative show. On the DVD: Reginald Perrin's discs contain one complete seven episode season. There are no extras. The sound is good mono and the 4:3 picture is generally fine, though some of the exterior shot-on-film scenes have deteriorated and there are occasional signs of minor damage to the original video masters. Even so, for a 1970s sitcom shot on video the picture is excellent and far superior to the original broadcasts. --Gary S Dalkin
Perrin (1976-79) remains one of the greatest of all television sitcoms. Writer David Nobbs combined the surrealist absurdity of Monty Python with an on-going story line that unfolded through each of the three seasons with a clear beginning, middle and end; a ground-breaking development in 70s TV comedy. The first and best season charts middle-aged, middle-management executive Reginald Perrin as he breaks-down under the stress of middle-class life until he informs the world that half the parking meters in London have Dutch Parking Meter Disease. He fakes suicide and returns to court his wife Elizabeth (Pauline Yates) in disguise, a plot development that formed the entire basis of Mrs Doubtfire (1993). Series Two is broader, the rapid-fire dialogue still razor sharp and loaded with caustic wit and ingenious silliness, as a now sane Reggie takes on the madness of the business world by opening a chain of shops selling rubbish. The third season, set in a health farm, is routine, the edge blunted by routine sitcom conventions. At its best The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin is hilarious and moving, its depiction of English middle-class life spot on, its satire prophetic. Reggie's visual fantasies hark back to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) and Billy Liar (1963), and look forward to Ally McBeal (1997-2002) and are the icing on the cake of a fine, original and highly imaginative show. On the DVD: Reginald Perrin's discs contain one complete seven episode season. There are no extras. The sound is good mono and the 4:3 picture is generally fine, though some of the exterior shot-on-film scenes have deteriorated and there are occasional signs of minor damage to the original video masters. Even so, for a 1970s sitcom shot on video the picture is excellent and far superior to the original broadcasts. --Gary S Dalkin
Perrin (1976-79) remains one of the greatest of all television sitcoms. Writer David Nobbs combined the surrealist absurdity of Monty Python with an on-going story line that unfolded through each of the three seasons with a clear beginning, middle and end; a ground-breaking development in 70s TV comedy. The first and best season charts middle-aged, middle-management executive Reginald Perrin as he breaks-down under the stress of middle-class life until he informs the world that half the parking meters in London have Dutch Parking Meter Disease. He fakes suicide and returns to court his wife Elizabeth (Pauline Yates) in disguise, a plot development that formed the entire basis of Mrs Doubtfire (1993). Series Two is broader, the rapid-fire dialogue still razor sharp and loaded with caustic wit and ingenious silliness, as a now sane Reggie takes on the madness of the business world by opening a chain of shops selling rubbish. The third season, set in a health farm, is routine, the edge blunted by routine sitcom conventions. At its best The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin is hilarious and moving, its depiction of English middle-class life spot on, its satire prophetic. Reggie's visual fantasies hark back to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) and Billy Liar (1963), and look forward to Ally McBeal (1997-2002) and are the icing on the cake of a fine, original and highly imaginative show. On the DVD: Reginald Perrin's discs contain one complete seven episode season. There are no extras. The sound is good mono and the 4:3 picture is generally fine, though some of the exterior shot-on-film scenes have deteriorated and there are occasional signs of minor damage to the original video masters. Even so, for a 1970s sitcom shot on video the picture is excellent and far superior to the original broadcasts. --Gary S Dalkin
Advantages: Very Funny, Addictive whether a fan or not Disadvantages: No extras on DVDs
...along a beach, supposedly on the Dorset Coast, discarding his suit jacket on the way, then undressing and disappearing into the sea. The start of the highly amusing and addictive 70's BBC comedy The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.
I have always been a fan of this comedy although, when repeated, the BBC tend to show just the first series and, if you are lucky, the third series. Shame, as I personally think the second series is the best of the whole ... ...Reggie, Rossiter portrays him as the over stressed, over worked, underpaid executive that we can correspond and compare with. Pauline Yates is an ideal foil as Reggie's wife, Elizabeth.
Other regular cast members include John Barron as Reggie's boss, C.J. and Geoffrey Palmer as Elizabeth's brother Jimmy. Also making apperances are Sue Nicholls (Audrey in Corrie) as Reggie's secretary Joan Greengross, Trevor Adams as Tony Webster (Great!) and Bruce ...
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Advantages: Great, super... Disadvantages: ...but a bit of a cock-up on the third episode front.
...I am today by stretching the plot too far...
The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin was a hugely popular television series, first broadcast in 1976.
The series starred Leonard Rossiter as Reginald Perrin, a man on the verge of a nervous breakdown, driven by the boredom of his office job at Sunshine Desserts to fake his own suicide by leaving his clothes on a beach and assuming a new identity.
John Barron plays the part of Reggie's boss, CJ, who ... ...you will him to do the right thing and not to make yet another daft mistake.
Reggie's colleagues, Tony Webster and David Harris-Jones, have their own quirks: whenever Tony says 'great,' David has a nervous habit of following it up with 'super'.
Reggie's secretary, Joan, proves to be a bit more than a minor distraction to Reggie - every time he tries to dictate a letter for her to type up, he drifts off into his daydreams involving Joan...
And ...
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The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin The Complete Collection (Box Set)
Main specs
Actor(s): Leonard Rossiter, Pauline Yates, John Barron
Genre: Comedy
Classification: 12 years and over
Running Time: 10 hours 29 minutes
Video Category: Television
Plot: Introducing Reginald Iolanthe Perrin, a very successful senior sales executive and happily married with two less than satisfactory children. Life for Reggie at middle age is beginning to curl up at the edges, and the rat race has become very distasteful to him. But which way lies escape...
Release details
DVD Region: Region 0 (All Regions)
Studio(s): SECOND SIGHT FILMS LTD.; METRODOME DISTRIBUTION
Release date: 06/10/2003
No of Discs: 3
Catalogue No: 2 NDVD 3062
Barcode: 5028836030621
DVD Description
In this classic BBC comedy, Reginald Perrin (Leonard Rossiter), an executive at Sunshine Desserts, makes his escape from the rat race by faking his own death and attempting to start his life over. Reggie (Leonard Rossiter) finds employment on a pig farm and then attempts to start his own business, by selling absolutely rubbish products. But the business is a brilliant success. Aaaargh. The entire story of Reggie and his mad, irritating family and strange collection of oddball colleagues who constantly make his midlife crisis even more of a crisis.
Languages
Main Language: English
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Listed on Ciao since : 27/03/2005
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