Customer Reviews

Are You Being Served? Christmas

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

-Mrs. Slocombe looking at the turkey for the staff Christmas lunch.

This DVD contains the episodes, "Christmas Crackers", "The Father Christmas Affair", "Happy Returns" and "The Punch and Judy Affair". All of these episodes are hilarious and well-written. This is a great collection if you have never seen "AYBS?". However, if you already own the complete collection, the only thing different about this DVD, is that it contains an "On-Set Interview".

This set is great to give to someone for Christmas that doesn't own the entire set on DVD. The scene where the mannequin's robe comes open and flashes Mr. Humphries is a classic. It always has me rolling on the floor. This DVD is great to help you get in the Christmas mood. I love watching the BBC Christmas comedies. I pull them out at Thanksgiving every year. GREAT to decorate the tree by. Another great Christmas DVD is the "Keeping Up Appearances Deck the Halls with Hyacinth." It also makes a great gift!

Are You Being Served? is the story of the staff of the Ladies' and Gentlemen's Wear departments in Grace Brother's department store. While customer's come and go, the staff fights each other and their incompetent superiors with laughs all around. The stories are hilarious and are generally clean, though a running gag involves one lady's constant frettings about her pussy (cat).

Sadly, the first episode included on this tape includes one where a mechanical Father Christmas says, "Ho ho ho, little boy, have I got a surprise for you." And then opens its rope, revealing that it has nothing on underneath. My eight and ten-year-olds both understood what was happening, and were quite grossed out by it. So, this tape will require a little more viewer discretion than others.

That said, though, this tape is wonderful, and I am glad that I bought it!

This tape includes the following three half-hour episodes:

Father Christmas Affair - Series IV, End of season, 1976 - It's Christmas, and Grace Brothers needs a Father Christmas. First of all, there is the possibility of a mechanical Father Christmas. On the other hand, perhaps one of the staff would like to take on the role...for a small bonus, of course, but whom?

Christmas Crackers - Series III, End of Season, 1975 - Mr. Grace has come up with another daft idea to boost sales--dress the staff up in cheery costumes. But first, there's the traditional Christmas meal...with costs kept to an absolute minimum.

Top Hat and Tails - Series IV, episode 2, 1976 - Mr. Grace wants his store to win the Golden Shoes dance competition, and it's up to the staff to win it for him. Consequently, it's up to Mr. Humphries to help them polish up their dancing skills. (This episode includes some wonderful dancing by Mr. Humphries and Captain Peacock...they make a wonderful dance-team!)

Some of these reviews on this page are for the film version of Served and not for the Christmas special offering. This can cause a deal of confusion, so be careful!

The 3 episodes on this tape were seldom seen in some areas that carried Served almost nightly; so it is good to be able to see them as a group. There is some degree on Political Incorrectness concerning blackface in one of the episodes, but it is handled well and will offend only those who wish to be offended.

This hillarious blend of Father Christmas Affair, Cristmas Crackers, and Top Hat and Tails will surely tickle your funny bone.

In Father Christmas Affair, the staff are troubled with the problem of finding a Father Christmas for the store untill there is a fifty pound bonus.

In Cristmas Crackers, the staff get into the Cristmas season by having their usual(ly bad) Christmas dinner(except Mr.Lucas) and get into their holliday costumes to fit their winter wonderland department.

In Top Hat and Tails, The staff prepare to enter "The Golden Shoes Competition" how ever akwardly it seems. They also welcome their new akward robots who in time dance better than the staff.

This is a very funny video. It is non-stop laughter. If you like British Comedy this video is the one to buy!

The gang from Grace Brothers is back! Let's get into Christmas costumes and watch Mr. Humphries and Mrs. Slocumb and that hottie Ms. Brahms spread Christmas Cheer. Let's set the department store aglow in holiday designs. Let's watch Mr. Grace treat the staff to a Christmas lunch filled with fun and havoc....boy was that a luncheon we won't forget. Just like the set of 7 volumes, this Christmas edition will not disappoint. I love English comedies! And so will you as it will hook you into watching and loving the holidays even more. Well worth it....highly recommended.

Ever since I first discovered this great series, I have wanted to see the Christmas shows. My local PBS never aired them and until I found this collection I was out of luck. I'm glad I found them! The shows are great, they are all must sees. I really wish that instead of 'Top Hat and Tails' they would have put on another Christmas special, 'the Punch and Judy Affair.' 'Top Hat and Tails' is technically not a Christmas special. 'Christmas Crackers' is my favorite on the tape, but 'Father Christmas Affair' is still excellent. The musical at the end of 'Christmas Crackers' is funny in standard AYBS style, but also quaint and nostalgic. Overall, this is a fine holiday collection from Britain's funniest!

This tape includes the episode Top Hat and Tails, which is not seen very often here in the states. Also, the Christmas episodes are very memorable. The tape is great and of the usual high standards of the staff of Grace Brothers!!

You'll love this video, with 3 terrific episodes that are very hard to find on TV. "The Father Christmas Affair" shows the staff of Grace Brothers competing for money posing as "Father Christmas" (aka Santa Claus), while Mr. Humphries and Mr. Lucas show Mr. Grainger a new act for his old folks' home.

"Christmas Crackers" is the funniest one of the three, in my opinion; while Mr. Grainger is having difficulty being "roused" by his wife, the staff discuss how to raise Christmas sales, Mr. Rumbold's suggestion to wear fancy dress doesn't go over too well, and Mr. Mash makes his pudding go up in smoke while Grainger does a Rumbold impression.

"Top Hat and Tails" isn't technically a Christmas episode, but it is such a rare show that it can easily be forgotten. Capt. Peacock suggests the staff join the "Golden Shoes Competition", but Mr. Humphries finds they aren't quick learners after all. Some of the events that follow are hilarious; a suit problem for Peacock, a rather high dress for Mrs. Slocombe, and being outdanced by two "automated display units".

Highly Recommended!