to wonder whether On the Buses should still be allowed on the television?

[cocoachannel]

DGM is watching ITV's British comedy 'celebration' [buhmm] We currently have On the Buses on the television. DSis and I are agog that it is sooooo sexist. Obviously we know that in a bygone era this type of comedy was the norm, but is it really appropriate for 2012?

I think I probably ABU as DGM is quite happy, and obviously enjoys the nostalgia...

I read somewhere that the Carry On films are about failure (there is lots of letching but almost all of it is unsuccessful) and that's why they are popular, because people relate to failure more easily.

Perhaps the unlikely success of Stan and Whatsisname (Jack?) is what makes that less popular.

Butterflies has me searching for the nearest lump hammer.

Simmer Eine? Maybe that would be better [bugrin]

ebb, my ds's favourite is the babyfood episode!

The BBC want to ditch all the new rubbish and just show re-runs of Ever Decreasing Circles.

Oh, yes. Ever Decreasing circles. I loved watching Richard Briers wipe his feet on the doormat. He was wearing it out!

Ever Decreasing Circles is a work of genius. 'Hello Martin'

Did you know that Reg Varney (Stan Buttler) opened the first ATM in 1967?

I love it and so does 12 yr old DD. It's so naff.

Ever Decreasing Circles was great.
Anything by that whatesername was rubbish. All faraway looks and sighing.

On the Buses and Carry on are good for showing da kidz what people look like before they have been airbrushed to feckery.

Yes, I did, maras !

Ever Decreasing Circles is just ace, and I still have a crush on Paul.

Yes, I liked Peter Egan, too. Soooo good looking and 'smooth'.

Oh it was of its time. Part of the patchwork of media and social history and part of what has made us all. Ironically the Sex Discrimination Act was introduced just after On the Buses and the 60's and 70's were fundamental to the liberation of women. They were different times - whether they were better or worse is I think a moot point - I was the only child in my class who had divorced parents!

There were other sit coms that were equally bad - Love thy Neighbour (racism), Some Mothers do 'Ave 'em (laughing at the disabled), Til Death us do Part (general bigotry), even The Good Life to an extent stereotyped women - and class.

I love on the Buses. Blakey is one of the greatest comedies of all time IMO.

I think it is far better than any of today's sitcoms.

I think it does some of ITV3's highest ratings too.

the OTB film that came out in 1971 was the #1 film at the British box office that year, even beating the Bond film that came out that year.

Till death us do part was an odd one - it was supposed to be satirising bigotry though I always felt that Warren Mitchell was such a brilliant actor, and delivered his lines so eloquently, that he kind of became an advert for bigotry, iyswim. None of the "liberal" characters were nearly as convincing.

I haven't seen On the buses for years though I remember watching it as a child. Wasn't it the most popular comedy in communist Yugoslavia at some point? There's no accounting for tastes.

Other comedies I remember without affection include Mind Your Language, Love Thy Neighbour (of course) and Mixed Blessings (about a mixed marriage). But there was also Man about the House (I suspect that might feel dated now), Bless this House with Sid James, god rest his soul, Rising Damp and I Didn't Know You Cared - anyone else remember that? "CARTER!"

it was crap when i watched as a child and still is, at times it is horrible to watch not as bad as love thy neighbour

i did like till death us do part who dosen't know a twat like alf garnett (well in the 70/80's there were plenty around)

Oh, and talking of Carla Lane, The Liver Birds. Two single girls sharing a flat - that was the "sit" in the sitcom. Funny at the time but probably not any more.

i thought alf garnett did become a hero of the nf, they were too stupid to see that he was the joke

I saw an episode of The Liver Birds the other day. I was underwhelmed.*

BUT I guess its ground-breakingness was probably due to the fact that it was written BY a woman ABOUT two women, and the male characters came and went. The women were single and independent, they were not living with a husband or a father. I know that makes us think - well so bloody what? but in the 70s not every woman had much freedom or independence. it must have been enviable to a lot of young girls.

• except I was struck by how stunningly beautiful Nerys Hughes was, when I always remembered her as the dull, frumpy, strait-laced one.

I think you are bang on the money there Balloon. My mum went from her parents house to her first marital home when she got married, thats how it was if you didnt go to university or work away from home, and most people didnt.

My aunt did get a flat for 2 years before she married my uncle and it was the subject of alot of gossip! She married when she was almost 30 which was very late at the time, and was just sick to death of my (then teenage) mum borrowing her stuff, getting on her nerves and fighting with their other sister. My aunt told me that my grandma was warned to pop round unannounced to keep an eye on her (this was the swinging sixties after all!)! It was so unusual that many people felt sorry for my grandparents or thought that they must have treated my aunt very badly for her to move out before she got married.

I used to love On the Buses, and all the Carry On films I even saved tokens from the DM to get a set of C.On films

I doubt they'd repeat Mind Your Language these days. Although someone will probably correct me on that one.

George and Mildred, now that was a cracker of a series, as was Steptoe and Son.

I love On The Buses

I remember something that might have been called 'the lovers' with Richard beckinsale and I want to say Paula something? Was 1970s. I saw it as a repeat in the 90s when I was about 13/14 and I was absolutely

The plot seemed to be they were getting married, but she did not want to have sex before and kept referring to it as 'Percy filth' and at one charming point male charachter follows her round a market, lusting, and goes to camera 'ooh I want to rape her' just wtaf? Supposed to be a comedy I think.

Does anyone remember it or is there any chance it may have been a bad dream?

Even at 13/14 I could just not understand the premise of not wanting to have sex with fiance, and thefact the character seemed actively repelled by the idea. Still now...

Percy Filth - I used to find that v. odd.

Another theme of 1970s comedies is that English men do whatever they can to avoid having sex with their wives.
WTF is all that about?

Whole life I have imagined I look like Olive. More recently like Miranda.

[busad]