Rating: 
Summary: Nothing is funnier !
Review: I OWN ALL THE SERIES, COLLECTION 1-5, AND COLLECTION 6-10, AND THE MOVIE. These charactes can't help but be loved and the British sense of humor never ceases to amaze me. They can say most anything and make it funny. Someone once said Frank Sinatra could read the phone book and it would sell. This is comparitave to the characters in Are You Being Served ? Watching them from beginning to end , you learn to love and understand them so well. The British just have a way with humor. I will buy the Are You Being Served ? Again, when it is available in Sept. of 2004. The gang who worked in Grace Brothers Department Store together, are all included in an inheritance from Mr Grace, owner of the Store, and they try to make a go of it in the old but placial hotel in the country. Needless to say this invites new and hilarous situations for the cast. It is only 12 episodes long, as the British season is usually only 6 or 7 shows per season, but it is the last time the cast will be together. I highly recommend it, if you want to laugh, and never tire of watching it over and over. I love it, as I do most Britcoms. I truly treasure my collection of british comedies.
Rating:
Summary: "You've All Done Very Well"
Review: After years of trying to see every episode of this hilarious sitcom on PBS only to have endless time changes, schedule reshufflings, and telethons get in the way, I am so glad that the BBC has put all 69 episodes out on DVD so quickly. This first set represents the best AYBS? material with original cast members Arthur Brough (Mr. Grainger), Harold Bennett (Young Mr. Grace), Larry Martyn (Mr. Mash), and Trevor Bannister (Mr. Lucas). From the black & white pilot through "It Pays to Advertise" from season 5, this set also includes my all-time favorite AYBS? episode "Big Brother," when Mr. Rumbold installs a closed circuit television in the store to uncover a burglar but instead uses it to spy on the Grace Brother's staff. The artistic details of both AYBS? sets are very nice. After choosing an episode, the elevator conductor announces the title and the lift doors open to reveal the plot.What I also enjoy about both DVD sets for this series are the extras in volume 7. In this set, you get half hour bios on John Inman, Molly Sugden, and Wendy Richard. Each bio includes pre-AYBS? clips (Sugden in "The Liver Birds," "Coronation Street;" Richard in "The Newcomers," "Hugh and I," "Up Pompeii!," "Dad's Army," etc.). In Richard's bio, there are many clips from the long-running soap opera EastEnders. They also include interview clips with Inman, Bannister, Frank Thornton, Richard, and Sugden as well as others that look like they were recorded fairly recently. Why was this series so successful?: Because the characters were wonderful, the acting superb, and the writing irreverent and just plain funny! This set (as well as series 6-10) has a very 1970s design and looks great on display. Any fan will cherish both sets and, as Mrs. Slocombe says, "I am unanimous in this."
Rating:
Summary: "Are You Free?" (Maybe not, but worth twice the price!)
Review: Along with "Fawlty Towers", this is my favorite British television program of all time (thank you, PBS!). Unfortunately, there are zero details about this release (both for this boxed set, and the individual volumes) on the ... product page at this time, but I know that'll be fixed when they get something to pass along. But the main thing is...finally!...if you've never spent time in the Ladies' and Men's department of Grace Brothers department store, then you are in for a treat! Capt. Peacock, Mrs. Slocombe, Mr. Grainger, Mr. Humphries, Mr. Lucas, Miss Brahms, and of course "old jug ears", Mr. Rumbold might just become some of your best friends in T.V. Land! (and I am unanimous in that!) ...
Rating: 
Summary: A classic of the "Britcom" genre
Review: Although I wasn't around to see the original run of "Are You Being Served?", thanks to PBS I have come to appreciate this ususual, but often hilarious show. The double entendres are funny and sometimes surprising, especially since these shows aired on British TV (mention of Mrs. Slocombe's "..." is a standard in every episode). The early episodes are better than the later ones, especially when Mr. Lucas (my favorite character) was replaced by the decidedly un-funny Mr. Spooner. I'm glad these episodes have finally made the move to DVD, since the show is definitely a classic of the genre.
Rating:
Summary: Late September release will complete AYBS on DVD
Review: Are You Being Served is a classic unselfconscious British
comedy, spending much of its time delivering double
entendres with an almost innocent exuberance.
While the scripts may not have a high IQ, their political
incorrectness can sometimes give AbFab a run for the money.
As PBS began running these episodes about 15 years ago they're
not likely to be scheduled for much longer on most stations.
The solution of course is to purchase your own. And with
the BBC scheduling the remaining episodes (from Series 6-10)
for release in late September it will actually be possible
to own every episode (of which there are nearly 70).
When life gets me down, I often turn to the nutty, grumpy,
and sometimes lusty, denizens of Grace Brothers Department
Store. Its cheaper than therapy.
Rating:
Summary: Give me more please!!!
Review: Are You Being Served? is by far the best British comedy ever!!! The way the characters interact and their unique personalities make this show a classic. I have this set on video as well. Some of the episodes are lacking on the video set...like "Fire Practice". I have watched each episode too many times to count and have memorized each line, now I am ready to move on to the next and remaining set. Please give me more!!! I am dying for "The Apartment" among others. Watch these and become a forever fan.
Rating:
Summary: A Must-Have Collection for Fans of this Classic Britcom!
Review: At long last the entire series of this classic Britcom (ten series from 1973 through 1985) is available on two DVD boxed sets. Commencing with the black-and-white pilot, set one covers the entire first five series (thirty-four 30-minute episodes from 1973-1977). Incidentally, these are all the series to feature curmudgeonly Mr. Grainger, head of menswear; sadly, Arthur Brough died (aged 73) before series six got under way. The BBC has done a fantastic job with these DVDs--the quality of the picture is awesome, the sets come complete with the Christmas specials (positioned chronologically in the order originally broadcast), with the icing on the cake being the DVD extras. The series revolves around the staff of Grace Brothers' Department Store--particulary the staff of menswear and ladieswear. The ladies' department is headed by the pompous, air-assuming Mrs. Slocombe (Mollie Sugden). She's a bit of a man eater (or would be could she get her hands on one!) and is forever fretting about Tiddles, her um pussycat! Her junior is sexy Miss Brahms (Wendy Richard), who is constantly fighting off the advances of Mr. Lucas, the menswear junior. In between Mr. Lucas and Mr. Grainger is Mr. Humphreys (John Inman). With his mincing gait, outrageous costumes, and familiar cry of "I'm free," he's my personal favourite--though how can one really choose between this lot as they are ALL superb! Of course one cannot forget the subtly lecherous floorwalker, Captain Peacock, a pompous ex-army officer (or so he claims). One gets a sense that this is probably the only position of authority he's ever had, and he milks it for all its worth, barking orders at his underlings at every opportunity. His favourite target is the rough, bawdy maintenance man, Mr. Mash (replaced by Mr. Harman in the fourth series), a militant trade unionist who loves to goad Cpt. Peacock (and who probably makes more money than he does too!). And who could forget Mr. Rumbold, the bald-pated, jug-eared department head (like Mollie Sugden, Nicholas Smith was very good-natured in allowing his physical appearance to be the basis of so much humour!); or Young Mr. Grace, the elderly and extremely frail but hilariously lustful store owner (Harold Bennett was 74 when the series began!). DVD extras consist of three 30-minute profiles (John Inman (1999), Mollie Sugden (1998), and Wendy Richard (2001)), each of which provides a brief bio, snippets from the various television productions in which the actor has been involved, remembrances from fellow actors (on the Inman and Richard profiles these include writers Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft plus all the surviving members of the original AYBS cast with the exception of Nicholas Smith). John Inman's forte is pantomime, and his profile includes snippets from some of the pantos he's done. Mollie Sugden's profile includes remembrances by actor William Moore (her late husband), and the focus, careerwise, is shared between AYBS and The Liver Birds (her two biggest series). Wendy Richard's profile is the only one that is narrated, and it contains in a nutshell much of what one finds in her delightful autobiography "Wendy Richard...no 's'". Careerwise, it focuses on AYBS and Eastenders (the two main series she's done). It's the most personal of the three, and a special treat is hearing a snippet of Mike Sarne's 1962 song "Come Outside" which featured Richard and was responsible for launching her career. The final feature is "Are You Being Confused?", a text-based dictionary of British slang. With scripts liberally laced with double entendres, innuendos and puns, and a cast of characters made all the more memorable by some of the most capable actors in British comedy, this is character comedy at its best. It's an outstanding collection of a true Britcom classic which I highly recommend. I also highly recommend Richard Webber's excellent tribute book "Are You Being Served? A Celebration of 25 Years" (a 1998 UK publication).
Rating:
Summary: A Must-Have Collection for Fans of this Classic Britcom!
Review: At long last the entire series of this classic Britcom (ten series from 1973 through 1985) is available on two DVD boxed sets. Commencing with the black-and-white pilot, set one covers the entire first five series (thirty-four 30-minute episodes from 1973-1977). Incidentally, these are all the series to feature curmudgeonly Mr. Grainger, head of menswear; sadly, Arthur Brough died (aged 73) before series six got under way. The BBC has done a fantastic job with these DVDs--the quality of the picture is awesome, the sets come complete with the Christmas specials (positioned chronologically in the order originally broadcast), with the icing on the cake being the DVD extras. The series revolves around the staff of Grace Brothers' Department Store--particulary the staff of menswear and ladieswear. The ladies' department is headed by the pompous, air-assuming Mrs. Slocombe (Mollie Sugden). She's a bit of a man eater (or would be could she get her hands on one!) and is forever fretting about Tiddles, her um pussycat! Her junior is sexy Miss Brahms (Wendy Richard), who is constantly fighting off the advances of Mr. Lucas, the menswear junior. In between Mr. Lucas and Mr. Grainger is Mr. Humphreys (John Inman). With his mincing gait, outrageous costumes, and familiar cry of "I'm free," he's my personal favourite--though how can one really choose between this lot as they are ALL superb! Of course one cannot forget the subtly lecherous floorwalker, Captain Peacock, a pompous ex-army officer (or so he claims). One gets a sense that this is probably the only position of authority he's ever had, and he milks it for all its worth, barking orders at his underlings at every opportunity. His favourite target is the rough, bawdy maintenance man, Mr. Mash (replaced by Mr. Harman in the fourth series), a militant trade unionist who loves to goad Cpt. Peacock (and who probably makes more money than he does too!). And who could forget Mr. Rumbold, the bald-pated, jug-eared department head (like Mollie Sugden, Nicholas Smith was very good-natured in allowing his physical appearance to be the basis of so much humour!); or Young Mr. Grace, the elderly and extremely frail but hilariously lustful store owner (Harold Bennett was 74 when the series began!). DVD extras consist of three 30-minute profiles (John Inman (1999), Mollie Sugden (1998), and Wendy Richard (2001)), each of which provides a brief bio, snippets from the various television productions in which the actor has been involved, remembrances from fellow actors (on the Inman and Richard profiles these include writers Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft plus all the surviving members of the original AYBS cast with the exception of Nicholas Smith). John Inman's forte is pantomime, and his profile includes snippets from some of the pantos he's done. Mollie Sugden's profile includes remembrances by actor William Moore (her late husband), and the focus, careerwise, is shared between AYBS and The Liver Birds (her two biggest series). Wendy Richard's profile is the only one that is narrated, and it contains in a nutshell much of what one finds in her delightful autobiography "Wendy Richard...no 's'". Careerwise, it focuses on AYBS and Eastenders (the two main series she's done). It's the most personal of the three, and a special treat is hearing a snippet of Mike Sarne's 1962 song "Come Outside" which featured Richard and was responsible for launching her career. The final feature is "Are You Being Confused?", a text-based dictionary of British slang. With scripts liberally laced with double entendres, innuendos and puns, and a cast of characters made all the more memorable by some of the most capable actors in British comedy, this is character comedy at its best. It's an outstanding collection of a true Britcom classic which I highly recommend. I also highly recommend Richard Webber's excellent tribute book "Are You Being Served? A Celebration of 25 Years" (a 1998 UK publication).
Rating:
Summary: Great series...when will BBC release the rest?
Review: AYBS? is a great series we watch over and over on DVD and the colors and sharpness are excellent. When will they release the rest of the series or seasons? I'd like to have them all, even the post-Lucas ones.
Rating:
Summary: Series 6-10 coming!
Review: BBC America's website says that Are You Being Served series 6-10 will be released in the Summer of 2003. I hope it's as good a release as Series 1-5 was. Does anyone have any more details? We watch these, one episode a night, alternating with the MASH DVD set...quite an entertaining hour!
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