There's plenty of laughter in store when an unbelievably
quirky contingent of sales clerks makes shopping at Grace Brothers the comic
experience of a lifetime. The staff has been hard-at-work polishing and
pressing all 34 classic episodes from the first five series of this beloved
BBC comedy, many available on video for the first time (including the rarely
seen, black-and-white Pilot episode). Also included is a bonus disc containing
close ups of your favorite Are You Being Served? stars and more! DVD Features:
Interviews:Who's Who Other:Trivia TV Spot Are You Being Served?
created a standard for the British sitcom. When the Ladies' Department of
Grace Brothers store is forced to share a floor with the Men's Department, the
stage is set for delightful battles between men and women, senior and junior
staff, and management and employees. The show was originally conceived as a
vehicle for Trevor Bannister as the irreverent Mr. Lucas, a junior salesman
who sardonically punctures the store's rigid hierarchy; but it soon became
clear that mocking the established order isn't half as funny as taking it very
seriously--with all the delicious pettiness that results. Mincing Mr.
Humphries (the effervescent John Inman) and imperious Mrs. Slocombe (comic
powerhouse Mollie Sugden) swiftly became audience favorites, ably backed up by
snooty, lecherous Capt. Peacock (Frank Thornton), affable Miss Brahms (Wendy
Richard), and curmudgeonly Mr. Grainger (Arthur Brough). That these talented
performers cultivated a engaging comic rapport is no surprise, but it's
constantly amazing that the writers were able, over dozens of episodes, to
find inventive but believable new spins on the department store scenario,
turning security cameras, daffy sales promotions, and even malfunctioning
Christmas decorations into brilliant comic set-ups. The later series continued
to be enjoyable even after the loss of several of the original cast members,
but the first five series (which originally aired from 1972 to 1977) have the
perfect balance of prickly personalities. A gem of a show, well deserving of
the reverence of its rabid fans. --Bret Fetzer